Learning Life Skills
You know how every adult says “I wish I had learnt how to do my taxes at school.” and other valuable life skills. Well the biggest advantage of homeschooling is that we have the freedom to teach our children these real life skills that they will use one day.
Towards the end of last year I made the decision to embrace unschooling in all its beauty. It has been in the back of my mind since we started homeschooling but it took me some time to really let go of the idea of traditional learning. Since I let go though and started really encouraging my kids to find their interests, our whole environment has changed for the better.
Emma as learnt how to crochet. They are both attending weekly decorating classes. Emma is learning about different types of dogs in preparation for the dog shelter she wants to open. Jack is knee deep in Canva and learning how to design. I almost wish now we had embraced it more.
As they get older, there are a few practical life lessons I want to teach them that will make their adult life a little easier. Some of the concepts, like mortgages and budgeting, might seem too complex for them, but there are so many different ways to introduce these concepts that are age appropriate.
These are just a few things on my to-teach list and a brief explanation of how I plan to introduce them.
Budgeting: This is actually a pretty easy one to introduce. Our kids get pocket money once a week. They know how much it is and how often they are going to get it, this means they can plan and budget what they want to do with their money. Emma in particular always has a plan for her money, she is currently saving for Olivia Rodrigo tickets in the US (it is a slightly unrealistic goal but we are still encouraging her to save). This has definitely helped them understand that if they don’t plan, they won’t be able to get what they want.
Handling Money in Shops: This might sound obvious but it can get a little overwhelming in a supermarket trying to find what you want, work out the price and understand how to pay etc. A fun way to introduce this is through online games like the ones found here. The Grocery Cashier game is a fun one because it teaches them how quickly items add up. There are also a few BitCoin related games to help teach kids more about that.
Car Admin: This topic came about by chance. Emma started asking about number plates, which led to a discussion about what the purpose of number plates exist. It then led to a “spot the number plate” game every time we are out, which led to us discussing how cars from other countries get here. It also opened up discussions on car and drivers licenses, how to get them, where to get them and what they cost.
Recycling and responsible spending: We have been talking about this in our home for years. It is something that is very important to me and is a big part of our lives. But I do find it does take a lot of reinforcement with the younger kids – their need to consume stuff is strong. Again, an easy way to encourage learning about this is through online games, making it fun. The World of Resources game is a fun game to reinforce types of resources, this is on all curriculums and this game helps to change it up a bit.
Completing Forms: This one is a bit tricky to teach but I do feel it is so important for them to have an understanding of how to complete an online form. Emma asked me why it is important and I explained that everything you want to do requires a form – join the gym, start karate, apply for a job, get a bank account – all requires a form!
Time Management: This is such an invaluable life lesson. Jack had his first assignment with a due date recently and it was a little stressful for him. He had more than enough time but he kept putting it off. He got it done but just in time and found it very stressful, so now he plans out his time better.
What are some of the life lessons you think kids should know.
18 Responses
It’s inspiring to see how you’ve embraced unschooling and tailored learning experiences to their interests, fostering a positive environment for growth and discovery.
Lavanda Michelle recently posted…90 Lighthearted and Inspiring Spring Quotes to Brighten Your Day
We always talk about this. It is so important that kids know basic skills, managing money, paying bills, basic cooking and home maintenance skills are all so relevant and the kids should be learning these.
Bravo for you! Your children will be well-prepared for life learning all these skills. We as parents, whether our children are home-schooled or no, need to take much of this responsibly.
Time management is a big one for teaching my teen. He used to be so good at it, so self-disciplined but lately he’s been a lil’ lazy and letting tasks pile up.
Time management is a big one for teaching my teen. He used to be so good at it, so self-disciplined but lately he’s been a lil’ lazy and letting tasks pile up..
This is so important for all parents to read. We all teach our kids right from wrong, but it doesn’t stop there. They have to be able to navigate life!
I love this so much. School teaches our kids a lot, but it doesn’t teach them everything. It’s up to us to teach them how to properly navigate the ins and outs of life.
Time management and budgeting are huge in my opinion…We started teaching our kids a bit about budgeting, they got excited about it lol…
It is good for kids to learn some life skills. I know a lot of parents who coddle their kids and don’t let them make decisions or be exposed to any kind of situations where they would learn life skills. It is so important!
Time management and budgeting are really very important. I need to teach my kids about budgeting,
Every child is different and I think it is important to teach them how to make those important life choices early because the older they get the more impactful those decisions will be. Very interesting read!
In my opinion, teaching kids important life skills is critical for their successful future. Thanks for shedding light on this crucial topic!
These are all important things that all kids should know how to do and I love this list of topics! I am bookmarking this to come back to and appreciate you sharing! Great post!
During lockdown, I really heavily considered just homeschooling, especially as it seems like the entire day’s work could be done in about 3 hours. Unschooling sounds very interesting too.
Thank you for this post. So many kids don’t know or understand simple the way to survive in life.
These are the kinds of things I’d love schools to teach. Even if it wasn’t a super regular lesson but life skills and practical things they’ll need to know when they leave education/ get older x
Thanks for sharing this , absolutely to educate all these skills to the young one. Saves this so I can guide my little niece. Cheers SiennyLovesDrawing
Thanks for sharing this , absolutely to educate all these skills to the young one. Saves this so I can guide my little niece. Cheers https://siennylovesdrawing.wordpress.com/
SiennyLovesDrawing recently posted…A New-Generation Flagship Pioneer In Photography & Aesthetics with HUAWEI Pura 70 Series