Which Life Skills Should Kids Be Taught?
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what sort of life skills would you say should 100% be taught to children ? I'm currently teaching mine about equality
we do alot of cooking lessons as my kids love cooking i got them out in the garden and showed them how to plant things and spoke about plants life cycles and growing food. was actually really fun
I would have loved to have learned how to cook when I was younger, it's a basic life skill. I don't think there should be a problem handing a knife for a kid to chop something, obviously with the parent next by.
Also how to properly clean your house, ironing and all.
These are things we will have to do for the rest of our lives.
Wish id learnt this at a young age also wish schools would put on classes on to teach teenagers about real world. I left school not knowing anything and was expected to already know everything. The world is scary when you dont know anything and hard when yiu have to learn yourself
Good manners and respect and i think setting an example is the best way to teach these, children will naturally mimmick their parents/carers. I also believe simple things such as good personal hygiene, keeping their bedrooms tidy, putting things away. More so as they get older learning to handle money, forming positive relationships and generally becoming more indeoendant. Children grow naturally its up to is as parents to steer them on the right path. I also believe that in some ways you have to let them make mistakes to learn obviously within reason you wouldnt allow them to walk in front of a car or anything but if they insist on not doing their homework for example dont argue but let them get the consequence from their Teacher that kind of thing. Also i think as parents we need to accept that our kids are their own person with their own likes and dislikes, thpughts and opinions and we should encourage that
There are some fantastic YouTube videos that 100% support your first point. Take a look at 'Children see, children do'. The reason society will never become civilized or crime free etc is because of such parents who raise their children in their own image rather than raising them to be better.
There are loads more!
i love this, i really like pushing the fact on them they they can all like and dislike different things. and the fact sometimes we may just not get on with certain people (they had conflicts at school etc )
i really push manners and respect. only because i see it as i teach they learn its up to me what sort of person they will turn into. thank you for your comment
That's a really good point. Accepting the consequences for our actions (good or bad) most don't learn this.
Equality definitely, basic first aid too and what to do in an emergency such as a fire (stay low, cover your mouth, find nearest exit etc)
yes! i think thats probably one topic we dont discuss ! and we should be! thank you for your help
I think I could have spent a lot less time on algebra, equations and trigonometry, and would have got got a lot more benefit (and enjoyment) from learning about gardening, cooking, DIY, public speaking and negotiation skills (for building self-confidence), self defence, savings and investments, household budgeting and debt, how to dance, and how to drive. Kids would also benefit from being taught how to write a decent CV and some interview practice.
In an ideal world I'd like kids to experience a lot more of the great outdoors whilst at school - from fishing and horse-riding, golf and skiing, to sailing to camping. It's such a shame so many children start work without having experienced any of these fun things to do.
i really love this comment. i want my kids to learn but enjoy and learn to enjoy life.
thank you for your comment its very much inspired me where to push their learning
My kids were very fortunate (as I was) that we lived in a rural area. They did a community scheme and Duke of Edinburgh Award, run by the school and the John Muir Award which was a voluntary scheme on a Saturday. They can both garden (and know what is what), follow outdoor pursuits and prepare/cook/eat what they bring home. Between them they have cooking/budgeting/first aid/taekwondo/sign language their heads screwed on and feet on the ground
Lots of great ideas. I think it’s very important that children learn that it is alright to fail or get things wrong, so learn resilience.
This. I think alot of schools hold sports days & such days now that are non competitive so that kids don't fear losing or failing. Iv never understood it. Failure is a fact of life. A life skill we all need to experience, not only to learn resilience but also to value our successes more. Often it's our failures that bring about great opportunities we otherwise might not have considered or had.
It’s not as easy to do right now, but just having them spend more time outdoors is a must. Even travelling is a good one. I worked with someone many years ago who said that she didn’t want her son to read about the pyramids, she wanted for him to see it for himself. Kids definitely take more interest in things when they can be hands on
Being able to care for yourself - cooking, cleaning, shopping, budgeting money. There are far too many general life skills that you learn along the way to list.
'Do unto others as you would have them do to you'
Kids need to be taught that when they grow up and are criticised by someone, it's probably not down to the other person being sexist/racist/anti-LGBT etc, but it's down to their own shortcomings.
Generation Y & Z always seem to have someone to blame and it's never their fault.
I teach my little one manners and how to politely ask for something. We also enjoy baking together and on the odd occasion he helps me tidy up his toys.
Basic skills such as how to change a lightbulb or a plug, how to use an electric drill, where the fuse box is etc.
Also, how to sew on a button and make basic repairs.
cooking simple meals from scratch
budgeting
TheChimp the same happens here! So long as someone in the house knows how to do these jobs, it’s not too bad.
Money management, housework / cooking, how to be reliable / organised, to respect authority, that nothing should be handed to them on a plate (can’t stand the snowflake generation who think they are entitled to everything just for being alive)
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