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Life Skills for Kids

May 20, 2015 By Christine Field

This post may contain affiliate links.

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I began to think about whether I was adequately equipping my children for life with practical life skills when:

  • We had a teenage babysitter who wasn’t able to count out change when paid for her services;
  • When I realized that one of my children (then age 7) was a voracious reader but did not know how to dry the dishes.

I was not prepared for adulthood.  Part of the frustration I have experienced in parenting is because I was not raised to be a wife and mother.  I grew up in a generation and a culture where women were groomed for careers and accomplishments in the world.  After practicing law for years, I landed at home with four kids and I was clueless about parenting and domestic skills.

As my kids came alone and matured, I began to feel a burden to equip them with the skills they need for maturity, wherever they land in life.

It began with imagining each child as an adult.  I did not focus on careers or jobs for the purpose of this exercise, but on independence and character qualities.  As I brainstormed, I tried to be as specific as possible about these skill areas:     Life skills for kids

 

 

When I did this exercise, I came up with certain Maxims of Maturity:

 

  1. Maxim One:  Responsibility begins in small things, and with good timing.  Do not start too early or too late to expect things from your child.  You may be grooming a child who cannot do anything for themselves or others.
  2. Maxim Two:  Children must learn to get along with others and resolve conflict.  This starts at home with parents and siblings.
  3. Maxim Three:  Everyone lives somewhere.  We need to take care of that somewhere and make it a place to nourish ourselves and others – a place to call home.
  4. Maxim Four:  It is a great big, and sometimes uncertain, world out there and our children need to navigate it safely.
  5. Maxim Five:  We only are given a certain amount of time.  We have to use it wisely.
  6. Maxim Six:  We all work in a physical space life.  We need to manage that space.   Your child’s spouse and employer will appreciate this.
  7. Maxim Seven:  Things break and need maintenance.  The more we can do on our own, the more self-reliant we will be.
  8. Maxim Eight:  Much of life involves money.  Will you learn to handle it or will it handle you?
  9. Maxim Nine:  You only have one body.  You have to take care of it.
  10. Maxim Ten:  Your brain is a valuable thing.  Learn to make it work at peak performance.
  11. Maxim Eleven:  If you have not found a spiritual center for your life, it will ultimately be unsatisfying.
  12. Maxim Twelve:  You must make lots of decisions in life.  The more decisions you make, the better decision-maker you are.
  13. Maxim Thirteen:  All of life involves creativity, whether you choose to be an artist or an accountant.  Develop and nourish that creativity.
  14. Maxim Fourteen:  Rejoice and be glad!  This day is all we have.

We kept a Life Skills Notebook for each child to track progress in these areas.  You may also add sections of your memories of mentoring as well as treasured photos.  To give some ideas, our notebooks have included photos of bread baking sessions, summer lemonade stands and favorite pets who have helped us teach responsibility.

As each child became more skilled at life skills, she would add her own materials and resources she had uncovered, or information on career areas to explore based on these experiences.

The point is to plan ahead for independence.  It will be here faster than you think.

See my book, Life Skills for Kids.

What life skills are you concentrating on with your children?

 

Filed Under: Life skills for kids, Relationships Tagged With: importance of teaching life skills, life skills help, life skills management, useful life skills

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Hi, I’m Christine

Have you been a wholehearted mother, but time, toddlers and teenagers have moved on? If you are wondering what comes next for you, you’ll feel right at home here.

Or, are you a mom for whom family life has been non-Pinworthy and parenting has been downright painful? I hear ya. There are many of us around.

Are you looking for a life full of exploration and adventure after the nest empties, but maybe you have no idea how to go about doing that? Stick around! We’ll explore adventures together to help you gain more clarity for your own path.

After a couple decades of writing books and articles about parenting, homeschooling and adoption, speaking to homeschoolers and other parent groups, and reaching out to the mom in the trenches who was trying to make the best of it - my kids grew up. Some grew up and grew away. I was determined to find a way out of the pain, emptiness and lack of direction.

For many of us, the journey starts with something we moms are not accustomed to. After years of caring for and serving others, sometimes we forget the beauty and wonder of US. We need to spend some time getting to know the parts of ourselves that have lain dormant, and take the time to explore interests and passions that we set aside.

I’d like to invite you to get the “What’s Next for Mom” workbook and jump into this growing tribe of Moms who are emptying the nest and filling the life! Let’s reignite your Mojo after Mothering!
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About Christine

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At Real Mom Life, my passion is to provide resources and reassurances for moms facing the surprising challenges of family life. In my writing and speaking, I explore solutions to unexpected issues in adoption, homeschooling, special needs, and more while encouraging moms to extract the maximum joy out of each day. Read More…

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