by Blair Bordelon

Created on: July 13, 2009

With 94 percent of Helium users voting "yes" for this debate, and only six percent voting "no", it seems pretty clear most parents see no problem with teaching their children the joys of responsibility from a young age.

There is no good reason that a child who can walk, talk, and understand basic moral concepts should not be taught to put these gifts to good use. Studies have shown that it is in fact easier to teach a young dog new tricks, and the earlier you begin to teach a child good habits, the easier it will be for them to stick with it as they get older.

It doesn't have to be anything huge. It is true that giving a child too much responsibility can be a bad thing. Children need time to be taken care of. They need to have the knowledge that mommy and daddy will always be there for them, and they need lots of time in these very important years to play, experience, and learn. Parents cannot expect children from three to five to do all the household chores and constantly get angry when a child messes up.

But, there are some small things that children can and should learn to do from a small age. Such as throwing away their own trash, cleaning their rooms, and picking up their own dishes.

It is not necessary for a child at this age to learn how to load the dishwasher or work a vacuum cleaner, but there's no reason they should not be able to pick up after themselves. If a child can learn from a young age that trash goes in the garbage and unused toys go in the toy-box, then these lessons will stay with them through adulthood, and he or she will always be able to clean up their own messes.

This will give your child a reason to feel proud of their accomplishments, and will help them to feel like they are capable achieving anything they put their minds to.

This will also make it less likely that your child will fall into the trap of laziness, and they will realize that there are some things in life that mommy and daddy will not do for them. There are too many children these days whose parents wait on them hand and foot without realizing the problem they are creating.

Children who grow up with no responsibilities never learn to take responsibility for their own actions, and typically have a higher-than-thou attitude toward their peers.

It is best to nip this in the bud. Give your child small household chores. It will not take away from their innocence, and they will gain a level of self-confidence and competence that will stay with them throughout life.

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