11 Lifeskills you should teach your kids

Life skills are those valuable lessons that your kids will use throughout their life and go hand in hand with their development. But, in today’s fast-paced world, there is so much for children to learn in today’s tech world that it has become all too easy for them to miss out on practical life skills. 

Instead of focusing on developing a path for their future, you should focus on preparing them for the path. You can do this by imparting your life experiences, being honest with them, and teaching them skills necessary for their overall growth. Here is a list of some life skills that you can teach your child in their growth years. 

Decision-Making 

Education, career,  partners, friends, business, there are so many crucial decisions we need to make in our lives. Teach your child in small and simple ways how to make wise decisions at an early age. You can begin by asking them to choose between 2 games, types of clothes, different food items, etc. After this, the child will understand the consequences that each decision has. The ability to make good decisions is a life skill every child should begin learning at a young age!

Health & Hygiene

Health and hygiene is an essential aspect of our lives that needs to be taken care of, more importantly in the case of children. When your child is an infant, you try your best to keep your baby healthy and their surroundings hygienic. But as your child grows, you should teach them to carry this out themselves. 

In our day-to-day shuffle, we always tell our kids to take a bath, brush their teeth, wash their hands and change their clothes. Explain to them why health and hygiene are always going to be crucial parts of their lives. 

Management of Time 

Every human knows how crucial time management is to keep our lives on track. But it’s also essential for kids to start learning time management lessons at an early age.

You’re probably wondering how. You can do this by making your kid claim responsibility for their time.

Money Management

Managing money is a crucial part of every individual’s life. Hence it is essential to teach your child how to manage their money. This includes understanding how to spend and save money and the responsible ways to handle debt and investment for future goals.

Having conversations with kids about money is one of the most significant ways for kids to learn. When they grow a bit older, letting them manage money independently provides hands-on education and helps them understand how finance works.

Basic Cooking

Invite your child to make small meals, assign them helping jobs to do like handling ingredients or clean the table while cooking. Teach them how to prepare their own peanut butter and jam sandwiches, teach them how to butter the toasts, and so on. You will need to stay calm when the flour spills, jars break, or eggshells fly. 

Cleaning

Getting kids involved in cleaning activities is hard! Start by teaching them small things like keeping their bedroom clean, folding their blankets, making their bed, etc. 

You can also assign them household chores like dusting the tables one day and setting the following table. 

Shopping

“I want it! I want it!” We are sure you have heard this when your child spots a toy, a candy or a T-shirt, or just about anything else you can think of that children think they’ve got to have right now? When we grow up, we understand the value of the dollar and the importance of comparison shopping. 

Tell them why you have to choose appropriate budget options sometimes. This kind of budget training develops a habit in your child to know the value of money and not waste it.

Moral Values 

As a parent, you have many responsibilities for the promising future of the life you’ve brought into the world. Not just physical, but every aspect of your child’s spiritual, social, psychological, and emotional state is essential. You also have to ensure they grow to be a good citizen who contributes positively to the community. 

Most parents live under a misconception that moral values are to be taught at a very later stage in life. Whereas in reality, it is vital to instill moral values for kids at an early age.

Self Defence

We are sure that all of you will agree that safety is of utmost importance in today’s world, and developing self-defense makes them independent and more confident. Basic self-defense must be taught, be it for your son or your daughter.

Resilience and adaptability

Empower your child to solve problems independently so that they are ready to face challenges when they appear. They should learn resilience to adapt to different environments and circumstances.

Ensure you have an open communication channel with your child to understand what they are going through and help them out.

Environmental Consciousness 

Saving the environment is incredibly important, and the sooner your child learns it, the better.

Teach your kid why it is necessary to preserve the environment. By making small lifestyle changes at home itself, you can play your part in saving the planet. Tell them to practice eco-friendly methods in everything they do and set an example by following it yourself. 

Bottom Line

By the time your child is seven or eight, they’ve probably acquired a  personality, and this kind of life skill development enhances positive personality traits.

At this age, they should be independent in the way they function inside the house. Developing life skills is significant, so your child has a brief idea of what they want to do in their life and essentially keeps in mind the kind of person they want to be.