Tips for Promoting Responsibility with Young People

This e-book contains 25 specific recommendations for promoting responsibility with young people from the ages of two years and older. Each page contains one specific technique that will show you how to have young people WANT to do what you would like them to do while at the same time reduce your stress, help you become more effective, and improve your relationships.

Promoting responsibility in the young is something nearly every parent wants, yet few parents have a thorough understanding of how to achieve it. This publication shares specific approaches to promote responsible thinking and behaviors in young people of all ages.

Traditional techniques of rewarding desired behaviors, of prompting fear by threatening or imposing punishments, and by "telling" all aim at obedience. With today's youth however, when the focus is on obedience, the result is often reluctance, resistance, resentment, and even rebellion. This sets up stress for both parent and child. As children grow, the more we try to force obedience the more they resist. However, when the focus is on responsibility, obedience follows as a natural by-product.

Responsibility is promoted far more effectively when a parent is proactive, rather than reactive. Instead of waiting until an objectionable behavior occurs and then reacting to it, you can use the tips to prevent irresponsible behaviors from occurring in the first place. Even when an undesirable behavior does occur, you will be able to handle it immediately, without stress, and without negative feelings.