Know It
Our program defines responsibility as:
Live It
Life isn’t all fun and games. We all have things that we “need” to do, so do them with pride and with quality. Even though you may not get a tangible reward for every chore or task you do, others do appreciate your efforts because you have helped life run a little more smoothly. With each load of laundry that is done, dinner cooked, bill paid, homework completed, and job duty preformed someone’s life is improved. Whether it is a child having clean clothes to wear, a family having a nutritious meal to fill their stomachs, or a cop pulling over a speeder, fulfilling responsibilities makes it possible for each of us to live a safe, comfortable and better life. However sometimes life doesn’t run smoothly, and mistakes and poor decisions are made. When this happens, it is essential to admit your part in whatever happened. Owning up to our mistakes makes us human. You can’t learn from your mistakes until you’ve admitted you’ve made them, and it’s the learning that makes us more responsible people.
Time is something that we always wish we had more of, but when we use too much of it doing things like procrastinating, the time we have left is often full of stress. When we run late to appointments, school, or work we tend to rush and make poor decisions. We impose on the people that are waiting for us and make it difficult for them to follow through on their own responsibilities. Start using time wisely. Prepare early. Doing things like packing up lunch and kids backpacks and setting aside an outfit the night before can save you valuable time in the morning. Also give yourself a few extra minutes to get where you are going in anticipation of those everyday obstacles that tend to slow us down, like traffic or cranky kids. When you get where you need to be with time to spare you’ll be much more focused and relaxed!
We all know what happened to the boy who cried wolf. When you establish a pattern of lying, others will have a difficult time knowing if you are telling the truth or not. It is a frustrating and disappointing feeling to not be trusted. So even though telling the truth is often a difficult thing, doing so builds reliance and character. When they want an honest opinion about something or need accurate information about a situation others will know they can turn to you.
Follow through! If you tell someone you will take care of it, take care of it! When others are depending on you for something it is essential that you take care of your commitments. Be the person people describe as the one they can count on. When you keep your word it not only shows others that you are responsible, but it tells them that you care about them, their feelings and their time.
Whether you are a driver on the road, a student in school, a factory employee or a toddler in daycare, there are rules and expectations you must follow. Driving cautiously, walking in the hallways, wearing safety equipment and not throwing toys in the sandbox are all rules that keep everyone safe. When you or others around you don’t follow established behavior guidelines it creates a dangerous and unwelcoming environment. Breaking rules doesn’t make you brave or popular; it shows others that you have no regard for the well-being of those around you or even for yourself. Take pride in doing what is right.
Teach It
Teaching anyone to be responsible can be a long and tiresome process. It may take a lot of patience and effort on the teacher until the individual realizes the extrinsic and/or intrinsic rewards of being a responsible person. The following was shared by a colleague of two individuals in the school system who felt their story embraced “Teach It” for responsibility:
An elementary school teacher and counselor were having a conversation about expectations in the classroom. Earlier when the counselor had walked into the classroom she noticed the teacher looking rather stressed. As they spoke the counselor realized that the cause of the stress was the teacher constantly trying to motivate her students to perform not just satisfactorily but with quality and consistency. The teacher asked the counselor if she thought she was pushing her kids too hard and if the students would be happier if she lowered her expectations. A student overhearing the conversation chimed in. He stated that even though she makes them work hard, it makes him feel like she really cares because she wants him to do well. “You are teaching us to be responsible and that’s going to make us smarter!” |
