A visual responsibility chart helps preschool age children to see and understand what is expected of them. It makes the abstract concrete and physical - and even fun!

What You Need

A responsibility chart. (You can make one or puchase one.)

What To Do

The first activities in the list below work well with younger children. As your child grows older, the later activities let him do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them.

• Begin by talking about one responsibility, like putting dirty clothes in the appropriate place. When your child fulfills his responsibility, let him move the magnet for that day.
• When your child is consistently performing one responsibility, you can begin adding others, one at a time. It is far better to start slowly and succeed than to try many responsibilities at once and fail.
• Talk together about responsibility and how being responsible covers many things that are not shown on the responsibility chart.

A responsibility chart is a "transition object." It is not intended to be a permanent fixture in your family, but to help your child initially understand and take responsibility. When he is consistently showing responsibility in the expected areas, it is time to talk about giving the chart to someone (a younger sibling, or friend), or putting it away.