Joy’s 5 "Musts" for Raising Responsible Children
Joy Berry, pioneering educator and child development specialist, says that if you follow the “Five Musts for Raising Responsible Children” you have prepared your children for a responsible life. With more than 250 titles and 85 million copies of her Living Skills books sold, Joy Berry’s enduring message is: Help children help themselves so they can become responsible for their own lives.
Joy Berry’s five musts for raising responsible children are:
- Parents need to begin relinquishing control on day two of their children’s lives.
- A child’s happiness and success belong to the child, not his or her parents.
- Parents should empower their children with the proper tools to learn living skills.
- Never use punishment with children; it doesn’t work.
- The parents’ goal is to have children 100% responsible for making their own decisions by age 12.
Joy Berry’s time-tested approach to raising responsible children focuses on helping parents steer children in the right direction. “Formal education cannot do it all. As parents we must help our children become independent,” says Joy Berry. “As children become teenagers, they begin to pull away from their parents and want to begin living their own lives. It is important that several years before a child leaves home, that they are fully responsible and are making good decisions. Following these basic steps can really provide children the tools they need for making all the right choices.”
