Pay your children small allowances for chores completed around the house. If there are toys or goods that they desire, teach them to save their allowances each week and purchase the item with their own money. When an individual buys something with their own funds, they are much more likely to take care of it and make it last because they have worked harder for it.
Show your child the importance of sharing their own property from an early age. This may include forcing them to share their toys with their siblings or friends. While the act of sharing alone will not teach respect for property, they will begin to understand that they want their friends to treat their property with respect. Explain to them that if we want others to expect our belongings, we must show the same respect to theirs.
Discipline your child when you see them disrespecting another person's property or thoughtlessly taking a toy from another child. In order to make the connection between bad behavior and destroying others' property, they must be scolded as the bad behavior is occurring. This is especially essential for younger children such as toddlers of 2 or 3 years of age who have not developed the brain functions to associate punishment a day later with a wrongdoing from earlier in the week.
Create a punishment or consequence which matches the disrespect of someone's property. For example, if you have a teenager who egged someone's house for Halloween, have them return to the house to clean it off or have them do similar activities at your own house.
Model respect for others' property in your own life, and explain what you are doing to your children. For example, if you borrowed a dish from a friend for a casserole, clean it thoroughly before returning it. Explain to your children that you want to show respect to your friend and to his property by returning it in better condition than you received it.