Helpful information on how to encourage your child to be responsible

Sense of purpose

A bit of responsibility can help to give a sense of purpose and achievement. Children can be introduced to the notion of their responsibilities in the current situation. They can learn about their responsibility to know what you need to do to keep yourself feeling safe and secure (what makes you feel better and calmer). They can also learn what others need to keep them feeling safe and secure. Remember to teach them that you need to look after yourself before you can look after others. More help and advice can be found on the NSPCC Keeping children safe website.

Whose Job is whose?

It might be helpful to help your child to understand whose job is whose! It’s our job to stay in and keep ourselves safe and it is the doctors, nurses, scientists, medical and government professionals’ jobs to work on how to fix the issue that are going on and they will, they just need some time.

“There are a lot of scientists, doctors, health professionals etc. who are working very hard to make sure that we get through this, which we will do” Dr John Goldin

It can help you to feel less overwhelmed and more secure if you know what your part is in the bigger picture.  Children can learn about their social responsibility to comply with guidance given by the government on washing hands, social distancing and social isolation. Children and young people might need a little bit of help in understanding why and how we need to do this.

How can I help?

In order to feel empowered, and not overwhelmed, it helps children to consider what is within their power to do which might make things better for themselves and others around them.  Having a specific job or role within the house or within the daily routine can give them a sense of purpose and is beneficial for our wellbeing.  This could be helping with chores, calling family members to keeping them company, helping siblings with schoolwork, or playing.  You could help by making  timetables and schedules for everyone in the house.

Who can I help?

Being responsible for improving another person’s wellbeing can help to boost children’s own wellbeing.  Help your child to do a good deed for others in the family or community and this will help them feel better about themselves.  They could offer to do a good deed for a neighbour or family member, or clap for the NHS and carers every Thursday night at 8pm.  This is bringing communities together during these hard and unprecedented times.

What else can I do?

They could also try to stay connected to others in your family and your community by using online video chats, and social media. You could maybe get your child to colour in different pictures every week to hang up on your window, these are helping to brighten people’s daily walks. Further examples can be found here.