A school teaches a child many things. That being said, a school can’t teach a child everything he or she needs to know to become independent and make it in the world we live in as adults. It is the duty of every parent to teach their kids what schools can’t teach them at home. Parents have to become the example. Some of the things that schools don’t normally teach children are life skills essential for everyday living.
Here are 7 life skills you need to teach your children:
- Simple cooking
Some adults don’t know how to cook and if you ask them why they don’t know how to cook, they will say it is because their parents never taught them how. Parents don’t usually teach their kids to cook at a young age because they’re afraid they’ll make a mess in the kitchen or harm themselves with the utensils or kitchen equipment. The kids grow up being used to not helping around the kitchen that parents end up having to do everything as they get older.
You don’t have to teach your kids complex recipes laid out by chefs in cooking shows. All you have to do is let your kids be your assistant in the kitchen and involve them in the cooking process. This way, they will learn how to cook by watching you do it. Make it a bonding experience for you and your child. If it scares you to give them anything sharp, give them child-friendly utensils like a children’s fruit and veggie plastic prep kit for slicing apples, peeling vegetables, and cleaning produce.
- First-aid
Anything unexpected could happen at any moment’s notice. For this reason, it is important to teach your kids how to handle a situation in case of emergencies. As much as we want to always be there for our kids, there will be moments when they will have to deal with things on their own.
Teach your kids the essential first aid steps and they will carry this life skill as they get older. Kids learn better by watching and doing so you can let them watch you do first aid and practice the steps on you. Who knows? This skill might save someone’s life someday.
- Eating healthy
Food is abundant everywhere and it’s easily more accessible than it’s ever been before. People hand out fliers with food menus to different houses and apps were made so anyone can order anytime anywhere without a problem. With the numerous choices of food out there, it can be difficult to say no to sugar and salty food, especially if the cravings hit.
Be the example at home and let your kids get used to whole foods. Their taste buds will get so used to it that when the time comes that they will eat sugary treats or fatty snacks, they will find it unappetizing. You also have to explain to them at a young age why they have to start eating healthy even at a young age. Tell them the risk of eating junk foods and share the benefits they will get from eating fruits and vegetables.
- Cleaning
Don’t you hate it when you have to keep cleaning up after your kid’s mess? Don’t let them get used to you picking up after their clutter. Otherwise, your kid will get used to being taken care of that they won’t clean up after themselves when they move out of the house.
Get your kids involved in organizing and tidying up the house and themselves. Show them how you fold your own clothes. Let them fold their clothes as you are folding yours. Create a specific time for them to do chores like sweeping the floor after eating or putting away their toys after playtime. Make sure to show them where to put all the stuff in. All things should have a home in your house so make use of boxes and containers. Let your kids know where to find and put things. Explain to them that maintaining the house and its belongings is a way of taking care of what is theirs and what they have been blessed with. This way, they don’t take their responsibilities for granted.
- Basic Self-defense
It is our job as parents to do our best to keep our children safe from harm. The best way to do this is by teaching them to defend themselves. Get your kids in a self-defense class if their school doesn’t teach them already. You will thank the stars that you have taken initiative in getting your kids the life skill they need to survive the world.
- Interacting with people
Technology has made children nowadays less interactive. Parents give their kids phones at a young age to keep them distracted and well-behaved. As a result, children would rather spend the weekend holed up in their rooms watching Youtube videos of toy reviews and gaming channels on their tablets than spend the day outside with neighbors. Forcing your kids to be sociable won’t work either if they have gotten used to being by themselves and phones.
To encourage children to be interactive, set aside a time in the day where no technology is around and it’s just fun games and real conversations that keep you entertained. You can walk around the neighborhood after dinner as a family. You can eat together on the table and ask each other how your days went.
- Self-care
Self-care is an important activity to do every day because it helps you unwind and create a balance for your health and wellness. If you can’t take care of yourself, you will have a hard time taking care of others.
Teach your kids self-care by showing them you take care of yourself. Set aside a time in the day to meditate or do yoga. If you are up for it, you can even let your kids join you in doing yoga. It can be a fun exercise for you and your kids. There is a bunch of content online that you can follow that involves kids and their parents exercising together. You can also do journaling with your kids. Set them up to a happy, successful day by teaching them to write down things that they were grateful for the day before bed.
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