Skills we need to teach our child before they leave home

Mums Tips

Parenting Skills

Published on Wednesday, 20 May 2020 20:01

Last Updated on 30 November 2020

Monica Costa

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With more time on our hands thanks to the lockdown, it’s understandable that many parents, like me, have started thinking about how little time we have left with our precious children.  

After all, your kids will eventually leave home, either for university or to start their own family. When they do move out, you need to make sure that they have all the adult insight and skills they need.

While school provides children with a vital education, the curriculum doesn’t usually contain many basic life skills, meaning it’s up to you as a parent to prepare your child for the future.

With this in mind, here’s a list of some of the essential skills that your child needs to know before they fly the nest and start making a life of their own.

Cooking

If you went to university, then you’ll remember the kids who arrived for Fresher’s Week with bags full of brand new kitchen tools they didn’t know how to use. They quickly reverted to frozen pizza and takeaway because they didn’t know how to make even the simplest of snacks. Teach your child to cook their favourite meals and treats so that they don’t rely on expensive, unhealthy processed foods in the future.

Driving

Learning to drive is a rite of passage for young adults, so it’s vital that you help your child to learn so that they have the freedom to travel independently. While you should allow them to practice with you in the car, you should also get them professional lessons from an experienced driving school. Tuga Driving School is pupil focused and committed to helping its students to pass their test and spend many years driving safely, so you know that they’re in safe hands when you get your child driving lessons with this driving school.

Car Maintenance

As well as teaching your child to drive, you also need to make sure that they know how to keep their car running smoothly. While major repairs need to be undertaken by an experienced mechanic, simple tasks like checking the oil, changing the tyres and replacing headlight bulbs are important life skills for your child. Knowing how to undertake these tasks will save them time and money in the future, as well as helping you to form a stronger bond with them. Teaching these hands-on tasks is an enjoyable experience, so make it fun for you and your child. You’ll both cherish these memories in the future if you take the time to teach them how to keep their car well-maintained.

Washing And Ironing Clothes

It might seem like a simple skill, but for many teenagers, using a washing machine is an alien task, and ironing clothes is just a boring chore. Teach your children the importance of taking good care of their clothes, and how they should separate them by fabric type and colour to ensure that they wash properly without the colour running. Also teach them how to pick the right irons like steam generator irons from Kitchen Home, so they will do the job quicker and easier. When it comes to ironing, you should make it fun by allowing them to watch TV or listen to music while they do it, and show them that ironing will make their clothes last longer and look better.

 

By teaching your children basic life skills while they’re young, you will be able to give them the knowledge and outlook that they need to succeed and become well-rounded adults. This list shows you a selection of the tasks that they should be able to complete before they leave home, but there might be others that are dependant on their situation and lifestyle. As such, you should adapt your life lessons to suit your child so that you can send them out into the world fully equipped to deal with whatever life throws at them.

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