There is no denying that going to school teaches children valuable lessons in life. Many times, teens learn vital life lessons they can use in the long run in their careers and in the world. But, more often than not, schools have forgone some of the vital life skill classes that could help them become adults in the real world.
Today, teens are struggling when it comes to growing up and doing things on their own.
Eventually, our kids will grow up and go off to college. When kids go to college, they often struggle with how to live on their own and cook, clean, do laundry, and basically survive on their own.
RELATED STORIES
As it turns out, parents can help from an early age.
When kids still live at home, parents can ensure that their teens are getting their life skill intake by assigning specific chores. Julie Lythcott-Haims , former dean of freshmen at Stanford University, says, “By making them do chores – taking out the garbage, doing their own laundry – they realize I have to do the work of life in order to be part of life.”
Parents who constantly do things for their children hinder their growth and learning process.
Lythcott-Haims said, “If kids aren’t doing the dishes, it means someone else is doing that for them. And so they’re absolved of not only the work but of learning that work has to be done and that each one of us must contribute for the betterment of the whole.”
Therefore, parents can start by helping their children become self-sufficient.
Additionally, studies show that kids whose parents assign them chores and things to do around the house tend to be more successful in life and in their career, especially with co-workers.
Starting off by doing little things around the house can get them involved.
If you start small, slowly kids will be able to develop proper life skills to allow them to be fully functioning adults who only need to call every once in a while for advice.
Here are the top seven things every child should master by the time they’re a teen:
1. How to do laundry.
Doing their own laundry is something all teens need to know how to do on their own. Showing them how to separate their laundry and how to use the washer and dryer will pay off once they move out.
2. How to cook a meal.
Some kids move out without knowing how to fry an egg. Others have no boil a pot of water to make pasta. The ride of Seamless and Grub Hub accounts prove that kids need to know how to cook so they don’t waste their money on ordering in.
3. How to manage money.
Kids who grow up with parents who pay for everything hardly know what it means to make a budget. Having your child work a part-time job as a teen or even manage their own allowance can help teach them how to save and manage their own money properly.
4. How to clean a house.
From dusting to mopping to vacuuming the house, kids need to know that you can’t just live somewhere without actually cleaning. Showing them how to properly clean can help them clean their own home.
5. How to shop for groceries.
Many teens don’t shop for their own food — you’re the one shopping for them. But, when they eventually live on their own, they won’t know how to look for the proper food for their own home, or how to shop for sales.
6. How to manage stress properly.
Life can be very hard and stressful at times, and teaching your children how to handle it well is important to their wellbeing and their lives. Show them positive coping mechanisms instead of toxic ones.
7. How to care for their health.
Giving your children positive healthy habits early on will help them become healthy and happy adults. Teaching them to see their doctor regularly, eat well, get exercise and maintain a normal sleep schedule is important for them to carry throughout life.
