You can’t force responsibility. You have to invite it. Dr. Sarah Bren explains that true responsibility doesn’t come from compliance. It grows from connection and belonging. When kids feel like valued members of the family, they want to contribute. The specific job matters less than the message behind it: You’re capable, you’re needed, and your help matters here. She suggests giving kids choices that work for everyone - a “menu” of jobs that let them feel ownership while still meeting real needs in the home. And if they resist, it might not be defiance; it might be doubt. They may need your help until they believe, "I can do this." That’s how responsibility develops - not through control or rewards, but through collaboration and trust. It makes us wonder: what happens when kids see helping as belonging, not a burden? Speaker: Sarah Bren Source: Parenting Without Power Struggles: Chores, Allowance & Handling Separation Anxiety w/ Dr. Sarah Bren | KOH Podcast w/ Michael Chernow