No Excuses!

Let’s get it started!

• It’s common for kids to try to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, especially when the outcome is a negative one.

• Often kids believe that if they project blame onto someone or something else, this relieves them of the need to admit a mistake, as well as the need to solve the problem.

On your sheet of paper…

• Please write down three excuses that you have used recently.

Let’s try a little activity

• There will be an excuse on the board and then let’s try and come up with a way that re-state the excuse in a way them demonstrates taking responsibility.

It broke

She made me do it.

I can’t find it

He started it.

She was doing it, so I did it, too.

I can’t do it.

Discussion Questions

• Why do we use excuses?

• When you use a responsible statement, who is in control?

• Is it easier to make excuses or responsible statements? Why?

• Is it better to take responsibility and accept consequences or make an excuse to avoid consequences? Why?

• How can accepting responsibility help improve your schoolwork or your relationship with your friends?

Let’s wrap this up!