The Blame Game: Whose Fault is it Anyway?

When young people experience something bad, many of them want to blame someone else. While blaming can get rid of the feeling of pain or discomfort, it doesn’t help them grow from self-reflection.

Helping young people learn to be accountable for their part in any difficult situation is very important. Start by listening and empathizing with their situation. Once we can listen, we can begin to ask gentle questions about how they might have made different choices that might have led to a better outcome.

The best way for you to encourage self-reflective behavior in young people is to model it yourself. Holding yourself accountable, admitting when you are in error and reflecting on your own behavior is a great example for youth to follow.

To understand more about the role of taking accountability, check out Brené Brown's video on blaming.