How to teach a 'tweenager' responsibility

Children need to learn responsibility before the "grown-up" world forces them to be responsible. Here are a couple of tricks that I have learned that created a basic understanding of responsibility in my own children. You can tell them everything they will ever need to know, but people usually learn from doing and these are simple things that can be done to make the lessons easier to learn.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• PATIENCE!

1. Growing up can be very difficult. We do our best as parents to protect our children but, unless we teach them how to be responsible for their actions, how well are we protecting them from the REAL world? Children need to understand the concept of social responsibility before they are grown and ready to leave the house.
2. One of the first things a child needs to learn is accountability. I am teaching my children this by "hiring" them to do chores around the house. They are assigned jobs each day, but only get paid if they do the jobs and do them correctly. This will help to prepare them for the work force because any employer is only going to pay someone for a job that is performed up to the established standards of excellence. If you don't do your job, you won't get paid for it. Actually, you will most likely get fired.
3. Children also need to be responsible for their actions and words. You cannot tell a co-worker off just because they make you mad or you don't like them. My children have to pay the sibling they treated with disrespect out of the "paycheck" they earn from their jobs. The arguments in my house decreased dramatically in a matter of weeks, which is quite remarkable considering I have four children. My children are making a conscience effort to think about what they say BEFORE they say it.
4. These "tricks" have helped me and I hope that they might help you. I have also started letting my children take the money in to pay the household bills (cash, not checks) so they get a good idea of how much things cost and where their money focus needs to be. I feel like they are getting a good idea of how the REAL world works and I believe they will grow up to be responsible adults in the next few years.

Tips & Warnings

• These "tricks" may not work with every child and if you have other "tricks" that you have found to be effective, please share them with me. I would LOVE any suggestions. It takes a village to raise a child.