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Do you remember when little girls were taught important life skills like how to cook and clean and the boys did nothing but play all day? It may seem like a ridiculous notion now but not too long ago gender roles dictated everything, especially the kind of skills you taught your kids. This put girls at a disadvantage because they never learnt how to change a flat tire and put boys at a disadvantage because they never picked up on basic skills like how to make healthy meals for themselves. Thankfully, due to several changes in society, this delima has somewhat resolved itself as parents now understand the importance of splitting chores between all kids in the house, irrespective of gender. But there are some crucial life skills that you can’t afford to miss out on teaching your kids. Here are 5 life skills that every child should know:
1. Organizing Your Space
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All children should be taught the importance of keeping their space tidy and neat. Teach them how to organize their things in a way where it looks orderly and is efficient. For example, assign different shelves for toys and books or how to organize their wardrobe by finding a place for every clothing item. Show them how beneficial it is to clean up after themselves. This also means tidying up after playtime, helping around in household chores in any way they can and taking responsibility and ownership for their things. This will encourage your child to be self-sufficient and independent in nature which is a huge plus point when they grow up.
2. Cooking
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Nothing feels better than being able to cook yourself a nice hearty meal. We all need to eat in order to survive and ordering take out on a daily basis isn’t feasible or healthy. So teaching your kids how to cook should be on top of your list of priorities. This doesn’t mean that we all need to train our children into the next Gordon Ramsey but they must understand how to put together a basic meal. This skill will help immensely when they move out and have to take care of themselves. Let them practice their cooking chops with you in the kitchen to guide them. They’ll definitely thank you later.
3. Financial Responsibility
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As an adult your child will need to be accountable and smart about the financial decisions they undertake. Be it taking out a loan, increasing their credit score or just keeping track of monthly expenses and savings, learning how to handle money is extremely important to lead a good quality of life. So, teaching the art of money management is the greatest gift a parent could give their child. It is your job as a parent to educate your child on the value of money and how best to spend it without squandering it away. And the sooner you start, the better.
One way to teach your kids how to manage their money is to give them a weekly allowance and help them figure out how best to use it. Once they get the hang of it, you can give them a monthly allowance. Help them make a small spreadsheet to keep track of their expenditure. The importance of saving up for a rainy day is a crucial lesson to learn, so make sure your kids don’t skip out on this one.
4. Self Defense
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As much as we want to protect our little ones from all the ugliness in the world, the truth is that we live in a dangerous world and preparing our kids for it is crucial. This is why learning self defense is an important skill to have. It is a necessary protection tool for every child and should be prioritized. Besides, learning how to defend themselves will boost their confidence and help them tread carefully in tricky situations. It’s also a great way to put all their excess energy to good use. Teaching children how to hold themselves and take action in unforeseen situations can do wonders in terms of ensuring their safety and protection.
5. Health And Hygiene
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Teaching your kids how to be healthy and to practice good hygiene is an integral part of their personality development. Encourage your children to eat healthy, nutritious meals and to practice daily hygiene, like a set bath time. This will ensure that they grow up to be disciplined individuals who know how to present themselves well and therefore have good self esteem.
Being a parent is a skill unto its own. You need to cater all of your kid’s needs and with it comes the added responsibility of being your child’s teacher. Teaching them about the world around them and how to navigate life can get overwhelming from time to time. It’s hard to sort through what to prioritize and give extra attention to. This is where our list comes in handy. We hope you impart these five basic life skills to your children. Happy parenting!
