Member-only story
PARENTING
The Roots of Responsibility and the Wings of Independence
Empowering Children to Become the Heroes of Their Own Stories
“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” — Bob Dylan
Make your child the hero of your home.
“Oh, I’m so glad our house smells so much cleaner,” I said with a smile.
“That’s because I just emptied the garbage!” my seven-year-old announced, bouncing off the sofa and beaming with pride.
“You’re our hero,” I said, giving her a kiss on the forehead. “If you didn’t take out the garbage, our house would start to smell really bad. We might end up living in a garbage dump with rats!”
“Ew!” She giggled, delighted.
Children may grumble or avoid their chores at times, but when they understand the value of their contributions, they often step up with pride. Showing them the positive and negative consequences of their actions helps them recognize the impact of their choices. Little by little, they begin to see that everything they do, big or small, makes a difference in the home.
How do we cultivate these roots of responsibility and foster independence in our children?
