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15 Important Life Skills: An Essential List of Life Skills for Kids is a post by contributing writer Tonya from Travel Inspired Living.
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As homeschoolers, we often like to think that our children are better prepared to handle life situations than many of their public school counterparts. After all, they do see us “living life” day after day. But after speaking with many homeschooling moms that wonder if they are allowing their children enough opportunity to truly interact with others, I wonder if we are really preparing our children to step into their roles as adults.
Are we teaching by example? Or are we too eager to do everything for our children, depriving them the valuable opportunity to learn on their own?
With children that are nearing adulthood, I sometimes wonder how my children measure up in this department. Have I taught my children the necessary life skills that will enable them to be confident and knowledgeable as they make purchases, conduct business, and live their day to day life without my aid?
15 Important Life Skills: An Essential List of Life Skills for Kids
I’ve compiled a list of life skills for kids that have been on my mind lately; in part because of some of the events that we’ve been dealing with in our own home.
The following suggestions of life skills for kids may give you an idea of where to begin, or continue working on, with your own children.
1. Are my children able to create a shopping list, select groceries, and cook simple meals on their own? Do they know how to find the best deals? Do they know basic kitchen and food safety?
2. Do they have basic sewing skills enabling them to sew on a button and complete simple repairs when needed?
Related Post: Simple Sewing Projects for Kids
3. Are they willing and capable to clean the house, including washing laundry and cleaning toilets? Are they aware of the dangers of combining chemicals such as bleach and ammonia?
4. Are they comfortable handling their own basic auto maintenance? Do they know how to check and top off their fluids, check tire pressure, change a tire, and pump gas?
5. Do they know who to call and what to do in emergency situations? Do they know basic first aid or CPR?
6. Do they know how change a mailing address or register with the selective service?
7. Do they know where to register to vote? How to vote? Why it’s important to vote?
8. Do they know how to apply for a job? Have they practiced interview skills? Are they able to select proper clothing for an interview?
9. Do they know how to open a checking account and how to get the best deal? Is there a monthly fee for the account? Does it pay interest? What is the minimum monthly balance? Does the bank provide checks or a debit card? Does your child know how to use a debit card, track purchases, and balance their account?
This free eBook may help!
10. Do they know how to create a realistic monthly budget and stick to it?
Related Post: Home Economics – Budgeting
11. What should they look for in a first apartment? What should they know about signing a lease? Who do they contact to turn on utilities?
Related Post: Essentials for Your First Apartment (Plus a First Apartment Checklist)
12. What should they look for in buying their first car? What about auto insurance? Or license plates?
13. Do they know how and where to have a document notarized?
14. Do they know how to use public transportation? How to hail a taxi? Ride a subway? Purchase an airline ticket and find their gate?
15. Can they handle their own problems when they arise and work things out on their own?
Does this mean I should stop helping my kids?
As a firm believer in hands-on learning, I’ve covered many of the items on the above list by explaining to my children what I’m doing and why in various situations. As my kids have gotten older, I’ve allowed them the opportunity to make purchases, return items, pump gas, and make phone calls in my place.
When it was time to renew my driver’s license, my kids went with me. So then when it was time for them to get their driver’s license, I allowed them to do all the talking, but I was there if they needed me.
When my son applied for his first job, he filled out all the applications. I was available if he had a question, but he did it himself otherwise. When my older son opened his checking account, he preferred to do it by himself. Before he left the house we talked about some of the information he would need, made sure he had the documents that were required and away he went. If he needed me, I was only a phone call away.
As my children grow, I want them to be capable, confident adults. I also want them to know that if they ever need us, their father and I are only a phone call away.
What are some of the life skills that you consider essential for your children to know before they leave home?
Other Posts about Life Skills for Kids That You Might Enjoy:
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This post was originally published on December 13, 2011. It was updated in July 2018.
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Great post! My twins are only 8 so we still have a ways to go, but they do know how to purchase things at the grocery store, and use the self check out lane and pay with cash. They can also do their own laundry and some cooking. I think we are on the right path. Your list is good, I’m going to use it as a reference as my kids get older and keep adding to it.
Thanks, Rana! It’s never too early to teach our kids the essentials that they will need later in life. Sounds like you’re off to a great start. And if your kids have mastered the self checkout lane, I’m impressed. That one frustrates me everytime! *smile*
Good post! As we move into the teen years, it’s something we’re thinking about a lot.
Fantastic post! I really couldn’t agree more–all these things are so necessary, but sometimes we just want to hang on to our kids so much… 🙂
Isn’t that the truth? And the closer my kids get to independance, the more I want to hold on to them! Thanks for the encouraging comment. 🙂
Wow – what a great list. For moms of younger children, perhaps revise this list and find the base of each skill –
learn parents’ full names (and their own!), know phone numbers, learn to address envelopes and buy stamps and post letters to grandparents, help plan, buy and prepare a meal, do basic car cleaning, check oil and tyre pressure with dad … all fun and easy skills.
My 17-year old has developed a little part-time business with a friend and for 2 years now have hired halls, earned money to save for their expenses, worked with adults, organized and delegated … become really skilled. Homeschoolers have all the advantages and it shows!
Great post Tonya! I agree all these things are very important. Keilee has filled out my checks [minus the signature], filled out deposit tickets, pumped gas, bought and paid for purchases and other things. I just need to teach her how to do laundry and CLEAN HER ROOM now. 🙂
Loved this!
I think another one to add is change a flat tire. It’s always go to know. And sometimes teens don’t really understand how much umpth they need to get those lugnuts off or on tight!
I’ve been thinking about taking my daughter to an intercessory prayer meeting at our church one morning a week. I’ve never taken her before because I was afraid she’d be too easily bored.. but recently I’ve been thinking it might be the most important life skill she’ll ever learn.
Love this post, sweet Tonya! Don’t like thinking about these things these days. :p Thank you for all of your encouragement. And I love the picture of “C”!
Great list! I hadn’t thought of No. 14. Living in the suburbs, we don’t use public transportation. We never know where our kids will end up living, so I agree this is a good one. I would add one to the list “How to send a thank you card or written correspondence.” In our digital age, this is often overlooked. A followup after an interview should be a mailed correspondence. I try, but often forget, to have my sons send a “thank you” card for a birthday gift. I think it is the ultimate in politeness. Most of your other list was covered in our Math U See Stewardship course. My son LOVED that course! I even learned from it!
Great article! There’s a good book by homeschool mom, Barbara Frank, called “Life Prep for Homeschooled Teens.” The description: “Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers includes step-by-step projects that guide teenagers to an understanding of practical financial matters. It also includes reading and writing assignments that require them to think seriously about their goals for their personal lives, and how they will integrate their values and their work. ” And, the link: http://www.cardamompublishers.com/cardamom-life-prep.htm
And, no, I don’t get any type of compensation for promoting Mrs. Frank’s book. I just know of her & her books because she has been a speaker for our local homeschool group a couple of times. 🙂
That’s a great list! even at 31, I still am not completely aware of what to do with notarizing documents… (go to a bank?? Probably a fee??)… and a few others on the list, like public transportation, since it is not available around where I live.
I would add 2 other things to this list.
-Nutrition. As much as I was a tomboy who rathered take the shop classes than HomeEc, I wish I had to learn more about nutrition and vitamins and hydration.
-Taxes. at 19, if I went off on my own, I probably would have assumed I wouldn’t have to pay taxes. Kids need to learn about our complicated tax system, what number to claim, the difference between a deduction and a credit, and adjusted gross income….and so on.
I lied. I have one more
Healthcare. I remember my first time getting an EOB (explanation of benefits) statement, i sent payment to the insurance company!! Teach kids about deductibles, year maximums, copays and spending accounts.
(auto insurance and renters/homeowners insurance claims go along with this one too)
I guess you could go on and on… healthcare directives/living wills, wills, life insurance….. There is SO much to learn!
In the coming year we will be teaching our children how to read their Bibles, pray and spend time of solitude with the Lord every day. I do think that is a life skill that is so often skipped and one that I have come up short on and still do. To be able to form these 3 life lines into children at an early age will surely set them up for success as adults!!!!
I absolutely love the list. Thank you for creating it.
I’m autistic and living at home, and I don’t have some of these skills myself! I’ll have to see which ones I can learn, or figure out autism-friendly ways to do.
My oldest son has autism, and I would say that there are many of the things on Tonya’s list that he cannot do right now, though he’s almost 18. We have often told him that even if he doesn’t do everything by the same time other people do them, it doesn’t mean that he’s never going to do them. He just has a different pace to his life, and that doesn’t make it wrong (since he’ll often he discouraged). We tell him that life isn’t a race and he has plenty of time to work through things, so it’s okay to move through them more slowly. We’ve been especially talking about that since he is thinking about college and what that might look like for him.
Thank you for putting these together. This is such great information and all of these skills are so important for kids to know.