Are you looking for books that teach responsibility and accountability to children? Books that will help your kids understand how important it is to take responsibility for their actions — and even mistakes? These are just the books for you!
One of the things I hit hard with my boys is teaching them to own up to their mistakes. And man, sometimes, it is downright tough. It takes courage for any of us to admit that we were wrong about something, and a lot of times, that fear of shame is crippling. I won’t ever give up on this though, because I strongly believe admitting we made a mistake is a life skill that’s vital to raising healthy, compassionate and, well-rounded kids, as well as critically important when it comes to our children’s friendships and other relationships. It goes to the whole idea of growth mindset – recognizing how we can learn and grow from our mistakes and missteps.
Thus, to say I love books that teach responsibility and accountability is an understatement. When I find a good book that will help me address these issues with my kids, that book is like gold! So I wanted to share these two with you as they will surely help spark conversations about these important concepts with your little ones, and they do so in clever and engaging ways. These books have helped so much in our house, and I have no doubt they will be valuable in your homes and classrooms too!
2 Children’s Books That Teach Responsibility — Our Must Haves for Your Bookshelves!
Accident!, by Andrea Tsurumi, is amazing and especially perfect for those of you with younger kids at home. Accidents happen to the best of us, but you know what can make us feel better after they happen? Fessing up, apologizing, cleaning up, and moving on… NOT running away from the problem. Accident! teaches responsibility to kids in a quirky, fresh and crazy fun way, with animals running far away from their catastrophes (to the library, of all places!) where they then encounter even more problems. Only when a wise little birdie whispers the word “accident” do the animals realize how they can make things better. This is a wonderful romp, one your kids will laugh with, relate to, and undoubtedly learn from. Want the book? Get it here!
Even Superheroes Make Mistakes, by Shelley Becker and illustrated by Eda Kaban: I fell in love with this book the second I saw it because I knew it was going to resonate perfectly with my six year old. And I was right. What is it about superheroes?! In this story, all of the superheroes make mistakes. They blunder, they stumble, they slip up and err. And when this happens, do they shout, “it’s not fair?” Absolutely not! A real superhero fesses up and admits his mess ups. They take responsibility for their actions. This may make him sweat, blush or get really, really nervous, but owning up to where he went wrong is the key to becoming an even greater superhero. Even Superheroes Make Mistakes is a fabulous book for helping kids recognize that everybody makes mistakes and no one, not even a superhero, is perfect. It is how we handle our mistakes, even when the admission of our own guilt is so scary, that leads to growth, understanding, and the all important ability to accept responsibility without denial or blaming others. Yes, the story is a bit didactic. But guess what? With this one, that didn’t matter to me at all. The books is so much fun, and so accessible to children, both of which give this story two trunks up in our house! Want the book? Get it here!
Happy reading! We hope these children’s books that teach responsibility and accountability get two trunks up in your homes and classrooms, too!
RELATED: We’ve got all the best children’s books for you on Happily Ever Elephants, so be sure to check them out!
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