Preparing your children for life after childhood isn’t always easy. Whether you want them to be independent as they leave for college or just know practical skills to help them out so they can help you out around the house and be prepared for adulthood, teaching them skills that will serve them well for the next part of their life will never be a wasted effort.
But what skills do your kids need to know that will help them out now and in the future?
Time Management
Time management skills are essential in all aspects of life. From getting themselves to school or work on time to not being late for appointments and managing a busy schedule as a teen or adult, time management skills are required to be able to get on with life, manage the workload in employment, and give yourself enough time to do everything you need to do each day. The better the time management skills a person has, the more likely they’ll be able to meet deadlines where they need to be when they need to be there and the more efficient they will be in general.
CPR & First Aid
You never know when you or someone else will need emergency medical assistance, and your teen’s knowledge of how to help if they encounter a medical emergency can be invaluable to those who need it. Whether they’re in a car accident, come to help a person who is succumbing to a medical condition, or are injured at school or work, knowing basic first aid and coping in a high-stress situation can help them help others. This knowledge can provide a sense of security, knowing that your child is equipped to handle such situations.
They can take an introductory first aid course and learn CPR and how to use a defibrillator; if you don’t know this also, you can learn together so everyone knows what to do. From here, you can add additional medicare skills to their repertoire if they want to do this. Let’s say they have a job in healthcare or want to pursue this avenue post-education; BBP certification can boost their credentials as it’s an essential aspect of their job role. This is also something they can learn if they work or want to work with the public in any role or are certified first aiders with an organization such as St John’s.
Cooking
Everyone needs to eat, and even basic cooking skills can get your child far in life. Allowing them the opportunity to develop these skills at home by helping out in the kitchen can help them learn how to prepare meals, different cooking methods, and techniques and make them self-sufficient when they need to be. Currently, nearly 30% of people in one survey admitted to being three-quarters cooks, and this isn’t a skill everyone has or comes naturally to them. But when your child masters these skills, it’s a moment of pride and accomplishment for both of you.
Despite this, many parents start getting their children in the kitchen from an early age, making easy, simple recipes for preparing ingredients; however, not every parent or child continues this as they get older. Teaching older children the basics can be invaluable, as they can develop more comprehensive skills when needed. Being able to cook allows them to feed themselves, prepare healthy foods, and not rely on takeout or others to cook for them.
Financial Competence
Again, like with cooking, financial competence isn’t something all children are naturally good at; many adults struggle in this area, too. Knowing how to handle money, create and manage a budget, and control spending are valuable life skills that are required in both a personal and professional capacity.
Teach your child how to manage household bills, pay their bills on time, budget income and expenditure, the importance of maintaining a good credit score, how to maintain a good credit score, the impact a poor credit score has, and other factors such as saving part of their income, investing in a 401K for example, pension funds, paying bills and APR. The more financially literate they are, the easier it will be for them to make the right money decisions both in their personal life and their career, too, if this is a requirement of a job role they will apply for.
Communication
The more effectively your child can communicate with those around them, the easier things will be. Everyone needs to communicate in some capacity all the time. From the beginning of life, people communicate in some form, whether verbally or nonverbally. So, teaching your child how to communicate clearly will serve them well as adults.
Talk to them about body language, engaging in active listening, communicating via the written word, and developing their verbal communication skills. Also, consider why it might be worth working with a teen life coach. A life coach may also provide more customized advice on communications and social interactions for your child during his or her growing years. This professional help can empower children and make them more confident, as well as increase their skills at school or in the workplace down the line. In doing so, they lay a strong foundation for your child in terms of the vital communication skills that are necessary to overcome every obstacle and embrace victory with a positive mindset.
Using Household Appliance
Does your child know how to use the washing machine or the dishwasher? Can they use and empty the vacuum cleaner? Do they know how to work the HVAC properly? The more your children learn about common household appliances and how to use them, the more self-sufficient they will be when they live outside the family home and can do these tasks themselves.
Teach them how to use the appliances you have in your home. But not just this; teach them how to clean and care for them, how to identify issues and incorrect use, and the dangers of not using or cleaning appliances correctly.
Taxes
Taxes aren’t the most fun thing for most people, and tax time can be extremely frustrating but can also be incredibly eye-opening. Most people struggle with doing their taxes because they haven’t been taught properly or don’t understand completely what they need to be doing. So, while paying someone to do your taxes for you can be a way to escape the trauma tax season can bring, teaching your child how to do taxes and having them do it themselves at least once can be an excellent learning opportunity to help them understand their finances just a little bit more.
