Responsibility

    This subject has more to do with a child’s sense of self and his or her relation to the outside world. I don’t spend a great deal of time with this, because responsibility has to do with the arena of moral values and discipline. None the less, in one’s endeavor to achieve, it is important to be aware of how our actions affect those around us. If a child’s behavior is adversely affecting his or her ability to interact positively with their surroundings, or does not get along with others, this can be a detriment to everyone involved. I've seen the word responsibility  broken down as

Response + Ability, or the "ability to respond"

When we respond to life and choices from an empowered place, rather than from fear, the outcomes will be tremendously more fulfilling.

    I have found that this "platform" provides a good place to discuss this topic, and assists the children in thinking about their "place" in terms of friends and family, as well as "getting what they want" or not, and why. I briefly touch on choices here, and how the things we choose can have much to do with the kinds of experiences we will have as grown ups, i.e.. drugs, vandalism, shoplifting, going with the "wrong" crowd, etc...

    There is also an opportunity here to discuss the idea of motivation, and how being responsible can assist in staying motivated. There is the importance of understanding the need to be responsible to one’s self as well. This can be tremendously important in increasing self-esteem; knowing how I affect those around me causes me to think twice about my actions.

If I want others to like me, and I want to bring good experiences to those I meet and interact with, then I need to be aware of how I treat them.