Responsible Decision-Making

Weighing up choices and thinking before acting — 17 skills across 9 years. Every skill below shows what it builds on and how to tell your child has it.

Personal & Social Development17 skillsages 5–14

Grouped by the age children typically start each skill. Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace.

Around age 5

Actions and Their Consequencesages 5–7AC ✓ Everyday Safety Awarenessages 5–7AC ✓ Right and Wrong Choicesages 5–7 Rules and agreements existages 5–7 Vocabulary: making decisions and keeping safeages 5–8

Around age 7

Basic digital citizenshipages 7–9AC ✓ Bystanders and Upstandersages 7–9 Stop, Think, Then Chooseages 7–9 Understanding Bullyingages 7–9 Vocabulary: ethics and citizenshipages 7–11

Around age 9

Community Rights and Responsibilitiesages 9–11AC ✓ Difficult Ethical Choicesages 9–11 Ethics in Real-World Issuesages 9–11 Peer Pressure and Resisting Itages 9–11

Around age 11

Risk, Uncertainty, and Cognitive Biasages 11–12

Around age 12

Online Identity and Misinformationages 12–13

Around age 13

Ethical Frameworks and Moral Reasoningages 13–14

← Friendship & Cooperation · Self-Awareness → · more Personal & Social Development domains