Do you want your parents to be proud of you? Do you want them to trust you and believe that they can count on you? Do you want to be the role model of good behavior? Then here is your guide!
StepsMethod 1Method 1 of 4:Being Responsible
1Stay neat and organized. Parents love to see clean rooms, organized closets, and floors that don’t have piles of things on them. Do a little bit of cleaning each day so it is never overwhelming. Try setting aside a time to do five minutes of cleaning, such as after supper each evening.
2Dress well and take good care of your body. Find your own personal style: cute, preppy, girly, boyish, serious, or whimsical. Whatever your style, your clothes should be neat. Brush your hair and teeth. Be hygienic. Shower often, wash and brush your hair and clean your face. This will help you look and feel like an angel child.If you can’t do everything by yourself yet, that’s okay. Ask a parent, sibling, or another caregiver for help.
3Stay on top of your responsibilities. Do your homework as soon as you come home, which will please your parents and give you the rest of the day free. Put effort into your schoolwork, and get the best grades you can. Remember that in the long run, effort is more important than doing a perfect job. Even if you can’t get above-average or average grades, an admirable work ethic will pay off. Your parents will be proud of you for doing your best.Get plenty of sleep, eat well, and spend time outdoors. This shows your parents that they taught you well.
4Acknowledge your mistakes. Blaming other people is immature (and parents can usually tell when you’re doing it). Instead, go to your parents and say, “It was my fault. I messed up, and I’m sorry.” Even if they’re unhappy about your mistake, they’ll be proud of you for owning up to it. But don’t answer back, they can surely get angry and would always point out your mistakes the next time. So, control yourself and stay calm even in the time of worst situations.
5Keep your promises. If you offered to help, do what you said you’d do. Parents appreciate reliability, and they’ll trust you when it comes to the important things. If you aren’t sure whether you can do something, don’t promise to do it. Instead, say “I think I can,” or “I’ll try.”If for any reason you can’t keep a promise, say so right away! Explain what’s going on, apologize, and talk with the person about what to do next.
6Get help when you need it. Nobody does everything on their own all the time. Everyone needs help sometimes. If you tried doing something on your own and it’s not working, ask for help. Problems aren’t always about tasks. Sometimes they’re about feelings. If you’re feeling really upset about something, it’s good to talk to someone about it and ask for help.Don’t keep big problems a secret. They tend to get even worse.Method 2Method 2 of 4:Being Good to Your Siblings
1Try to get along with your siblings. Play with your younger siblings, and offer to keep them out of your parents’ hair when your parents are busy. Hang out with your older siblings, and leave them alone if they say they’re busy. Never call names, hit, or be mean.Stop teasing if your sibling doesn’t like it.Don’t pick fights with your siblings, and if your siblings pick fights with you, don’t fight back. Ignore them, walk away, or ask nicely for them to stop. If that doesn’t work, try politely asking an adult “My sibling is bothering me. Could you please help me?”
2Be extra kind when a sibling is having a hard time. It can be easy to ignore a sad sibling or laugh at a sibling who makes a mistake, but it’s not very nice. Try being a good friend to them instead. Your sibling will remember that you helped them.
3Stay out of it if your siblings get in trouble. You are not competing with them, and it’s not very angelic to be happy when something bad happens to your sibling. Give them some privacy or pretend not to hear if they are being scolded. When it’s over, you could do something nice for your sibling like hugging them, sharing a cookie, or drawing them a picture to cheer them up. This can help them feel better. They might also want to be left alone, which is okay.
4Have fun together. Your siblings can also be your friends. Try doing fun things together. Method 3Method 3 of 4:Being Good to Your Parents
1Show your parent(s) that you care. Say “thank you” when they do something for you, even if it’s something they do every day. Do what they ask you to do without talking back, and only contradict them if you feel that it’s important.
2Work on doing your chores when you’re supposed to. You might hate it when your parents ask you again and again to do your chores—and your parents hate it too. Parents love it when you listen to them, and they really love it if you do something without them needing to ask. Try to make it so they don’t have to ask you twice.
3Give them quiet time when they need it. Being a parent is hard work, especially if they also have to worry about jobs, money, and adult problems. Sometimes they need a break. If your parent seems stressed, try to give them quiet time. If they seem stressed, try to leave them alone. Play with a sibling or do something fun on your own.
4Listen to them unless you have a really good reason. Sometimes your parents might annoy you or frustrate you. Try to do what they say anyway. They usually have important reasons for telling you things. It’s okay to talk about it if you don’t agree with your parents. Try asking them why they want you to do something. They might have a good reason. You can also share what you think. Maybe the two of you can come up with a better answer together.If you think your parent wants something that would hurt your health, safety, or schoolwork, then stop. Try telling them what you’re worried about. If they don’t listen, ask another adult for advice.Method 4Method 4 of 4:Being Good to Your Whole Family
1Focus on what you love about your family. What makes your family special? What do you love about each family member? Think about that appreciation, and try to show it every day in one way or another.
2Avoid arguing with your family members. If you’re involved in a disagreement, don’t lose your cool. Stay sweet, and genuinely listen to the other person. Understand what they’re saying, and try to work something out so everyone can be happy. Always speak respectfully. For example, if you do not feel responsible enough to do the dishes, speak about it but offer to help in a different way. For example, you could say: “Dad, I don’t think I’m old enough to wash the dishes. I’m worried that I would drop them, and I don’t think I’m strong enough to scrub everything away. But if you want me to have more responsibilities, maybe I could do a different chore, like vacuuming.” Write a letter if it is difficult for you to express your feelings.If you feel yourself getting angry, take a break instead of shouting or saying mean things. It’s okay to say, “I’m really upset right now, and I need to go cool off.” Return to the argument once you feel calmer.
3Respect people’s stuff. While the house is a place for everyone, not everything in it is yours. Don’t mess with other people’s things. Ask for permission before borrowing someone else’s things.Be extra gentle with other people’s stuff. Try to take good care of it.Never snoop in someone’s room.
4Help out and surprise your family. Try offering to watch younger siblings, giving gifts and crafts, cleaning up, or baking (if you’re old enough). People will love the generosity.
5Practice kindness. Forgive people easily, accept their quirks, and cultivate good relationships. Your parents will love to see you being so kind. Forgiveness and kindness are the best forms of love.
6Don’t worry too much about the way other people see you. You can control your behavior, but you can’t control the way they think. That’s not your fault. Remember to relax, have fun, and enjoy your childhood!