Dr. Ayşegül Güner Algan's Golden Advice for Families

It is a fact that parents face difficulties in the process of giving their children a sense of responsibility. Altınbaş University Psychology Department Faculty Member Dr. Ayşegül Güner Algan made important evaluations on methods to facilitate this process.

Stating that parents sometimes encounter resistance when they demand that their children tidy their rooms, do their homework without reminding them, help with housework or gain healthy eating habits, Algan said, “Every person has different tendencies towards responsibility and order. This situation varies not only in childhood but also in adulthood.”

Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Güner Algan emphasized that parents should review their own behaviors, learn positive reinforcement methods and approach their children with empathy to ensure that children become responsible individuals.

Personality traits and the role of the environment

Stating that the science of psychology examines personality structure in five basic dimensions while examining human characters, Algan said that one of these dimensions is “responsibility”. Stating that individuals with high levels of responsibility are more organized, hardworking and detail-oriented, Algan reminded that these characteristics are often associated with academic and professional success, but this is a generalization.

Prof. Dr. Algan said, “Personality can be defined as a structure in which innate predispositions are shaped by the influence of the environment. Children's environment usually consists of their families at an early age. For this reason, parents' behavior plays a critical role in the development of their children's sense of responsibility.”

The impact of parental behavior

Algan emphasized that parents' own behavior sets a role model for children:

“While parents want their children to be responsible, they should question the extent to which they fulfill their own responsibilities. Keeping promises, sticking to schedules and systematically meeting children's expectations are the first steps in teaching responsibility to children.”

Giving the example of a parent who does not eat vegetables insisting that their child eat broccoli, Algan stated that such approaches often turn into an unnecessary conflict.

Use of reward and punishment

Stating that reward and punishment methods should be applied correctly while raising awareness of responsibility, Algan suggested the positive reinforcement method rather than punishment. Algan said, “It is important to ensure that the child establishes a relationship between his/her behavior and the reward he/she receives. Establishing a strong emotional bond and explaining why the rules are necessary makes it easier for children to internalize these rules.”

“Make responsibility fun”

Dr. Algan from Altınbaş University stated that transforming responsibilities at home into family activities will enable children to perform these tasks more regularly and happily.

“Activities carried out in a happy environment, without scolding, help the desired behaviors to stick in the long term,” he added.

Effective communication and empathy

Algan emphasized the importance of the language used in communication with children and gave the following example:

“Sentences such as 'Your friend is doing this, why can't you do it?', which are frequently used by parents, can damage your child's self-confidence. Imagine how you would feel if your spouse said the same sentence to you. It is very important to use an empathy-oriented language when communicating with our children.”