As parents, a large part of our responsibility to our children is to raise them so that they can contribute to society. This is accomplished by imparting skills useful to society, but before that can be achieved, they need to learn practical skills to help themselves first. This list will cover practical skills that every parent needs to teach their kids.
Fundamental House Chores
One of the most important life skills you can impart is the simple but significant skill of doing house chores. They will eventually leave the house and strike on their own. And when that day comes, you want them to be equipped with self-reliance and the skill to make their daily life efficient. Not many parents teach their kids manual household chores anymore, as technology now exists to make everyday life easier.
But teaching them the manual way of doing things still has benefits; they won’t be rendered incapable without such technology. And when they first move out, they won’t have enough money for such equipment, making the manual skills more critical.
Soft Skills and Communication
As parents, we hope that our children will grow up to be bright and talented, with straight As and honorable mentions. But in hoping for good grades and credentials, some parents tend to forget one crucial aspect of child development: social skills. Being able to communicate your thoughts and ideas effectively and empathetically is a skill that not a lot of us have developed.
Many think it’s an extroverted skill to deliver a speech in front of an audience. But this can be developed even if your child is leaning more towards introversion. This is important because it’s a skill that’s needed in both your child’s future professional and personal life. How they deal with coworkers and how they can develop good relationships with others is just as important as having good grades in school.
Driving Vehicles of All Kinds
Teaching your kids how to ride a bike is a relatively conventional process. Many families do it, and it helps a lot in building your child’s sense of independence and self-confidence.
However, you can extend it to also teaching your child how to drive a car. By teaching them how to drive, you’re imparting safety and responsibility lessons — something that’s desperately needed when driving in the streets. It prepares them for an actual driver’s license, and you can help your child get an online learner’s permit exam to prepare them to get their license.
Basic Electronics and Furniture Repair
We live in a tech-filled world. From computers to smartphones, digital TVs to tablets, we are surrounded by technology of all kinds. It’s imperative to teach your kids responsible use with the ability to repair these things if need be.
Of course, that merits you learning how to repair them on your own, but learning together can be a bonding experience. Learning to repair gadgets and simple furniture is very helpful in this highly consumerist world. By teaching them that they can fix their things, we also teach them a sense of responsibility and ownership.
Personal Finance and Money Management
Although home economics class teaches some degree of personal finance, it helps that children learn about the importance of money management from home. Learning what to do with minor financial crises, knowing how to budget, and understanding how taxes work are all valuable lessons that can help your children move forward in their lives. Financial stability and independence are powerful, and you want to impart as much wisdom about them to your children as you can.
Digital Citizenship
With how we use technology in our lives now, we are exposed to different types of people from all over the world. This is enough to make it into a culture of its own. Because of this internet culture, we need to teach kids how to be responsible and stay vigilant when online. Being accountable not only means minding their words and activities but also means being aware of how they are interacting with other people through digital media.
Digital citizenship is particularly useful in teaching our children online socialization and etiquette, making them gain digital literacy, and becoming aware of e-commerce (you wouldn’t want your child to “accidentally” purchase hundreds worth of toys on Amazon using your card).
Parents want what’s best for their children. And sometimes, what’s best for them aren’t material things that can be bought or given. Most of the time, they’re life lessons that their children will carry well into their adulthood.
