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GRANDPARENTING PRINCIPLES
Issue 3 of 5

PREPARING CHILDREN FOR REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS

GRANDPARENTING PRINCIPLES Issue
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Preparing Children for Real-Life Situations

One of the most important character traits grandparents can teach their grandchildren is responsibility. Responsibility is a complex virtue, though, and it takes a lot of time, patience and practice to acquire it. Responsibility is crucial because life is full of choices, and these choices have consequences, both good and bad.

Grandparents can address 12 major concepts when teaching their grandchildren to become responsible individuals:

  1. Be accountable. Responsible people accept moral responsibility for their attitudes, words and actions. This requires individuals to reflect on their choices — to think beyond immediate gratification by considering how choices today will affect life in the future.
  2. Exercise self-control. Self-control is the ability to manage powerful emotions and appetites. How we respond to these feelings determines whether we are responsible or reckless.
  3. Plan and set goals. People who live their lives more purposefully instead of just “going with the flow” are more likely to eventually get what they want.
  4. Choose positive attitudes. Responsible people accept control over their own emotions, and thus, their happiness. They choose positive attitudes, success, and gratitude.
  5. Be dependable. Dependability is essential in relationships. It means being reliable and following through on commitments.
  6. Be honest. Honesty is a key component of responsibility. It builds trust and respect in relationships.
  7. Respect others. Responsible individuals understand the importance of treating others with dignity and respect.
  8. Take initiative. Responsible people don’t wait for others to tell them what to do; they take action on their own.
  9. Learn from mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, but responsible individuals learn from them and strive to do better in the future.
  10. Be resilient. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and challenges.
  11. Practice empathy. Understanding and sharing the feelings of others is a vital part of being responsible.
  12. Be a good citizen. Responsible individuals contribute positively to their communities and society as a whole.

Teaching Activity

Practicing SODAS

When faced with a potentially dangerous or morally confusing situation, it can be helpful for children and teens to use the SODAS technique. Here are the steps for using this important social skill:

  • S – Assess the Situation
  • O – List your Options for resolving the situation
  • D – What Disadvantages could result from each option?
  • A – What Advantages could result from each option?
  • S – After weighing all the information, what is the best Solution to try?

Working with your grandchild, come up with one or more potentially dangerous or morally confusing situations, and use the SODAS technique to talk through what the best possible outcome is. Download this helpful SODAS tool.

Social Skills

Corrective Teaching

Corrective teaching is a tool grandparents can use to correct negative behaviors and help their grandchildren learn alternative positive behaviors. If your grandchild is using a negative behavior, your first job as a grandparent is to stop it. Then you can use corrective teaching to explain to your grandchild why the behavior is inappropriate and offer positive alternatives. Here are the steps to corrective teaching:

  1. Stop and describe the problem behavior.
  2. Give a negative consequence.
  3. Describe the desired behavior.
  4. Give a reason.
  5. Practice.

Coming Up Next

IN ISSUE 4 Setting Boundaries and Expectations - Discuss Expectations and ​Boundaries for Using an Electronic Device - Teaching Self-Control