How to Teach Kids to Accept Responsibility for Their Actions

"She Made Me Do It!"

You see your son pull his sister's hair. He says she made him do it, because she hit him first. "I tell my kids that they're in charge of themselves -- no blaming others" says Lee MacKenzie, of Mason, Ohio. Don't play judge and jury; just make sure your child understands that no matter what another kid does he's still responsible for his actions. When the heat of the moment has passed, ask your son what he thinks a good response might be the next time someone makes him angry. It's more likely to stick if he comes up with it himself. Finally, encourage empathy: "How does it feel when someone pulls your hair?"