So, you have already enrolled your kids in music classes, and maybe, dance classes too? You are also tutoring them to be a great sportsperson. But what about basic life skills? Are you providing them enough guidance on how to deal with life?
More often than not, parents do not teach the basic concepts of dealing with life until they are in secondary school which is disappointing. It is essential that parents start teaching their kids some practical lessons like basic decision making and others right from an early age.
Here are some of the basic life skills you should teach your children:
1. Reading and Learning Habits
A well-read person is above all! The more a person reads, the more they learn. Thus, make sure that you inculcate a reading habit in your kids. It will open up their mind and will help them become wiser and smarter.
Additionally, always indulge your kids in long talks with you. This will enable them to interpret the life situations easily.
2. Teach Them to Play Fair
Teach them to play with other kids fairly and to accept defeat happily. More often than not, kids resort to false pretensions when they start losing while playing. This creates a negative personality. Let not your kids do the same.
Spend some time with them and point them out when they go wrong. Teach them to be empathetic and respectful towards other feelings and emotions. Teach them the value of teamwork and how to work together in unity to accomplish goals.
3. Teach Them to Stand Up for Themselves but with Dignity
It is highly recommended to let your kids know that you won’t always be by their side to protect them. Thus, teach them to be bold enough that they can be vocal about their opinions when they are right. Additionally, encourage them to be brave enough to not only stand up for themselves but against all the wrongs.
4. Teach Them to Write a Letter
With the advent of emails and chatting, it becomes all the more important to teach your child the essence of letter writing. Help them write and post letters to any of the faraway family members.
If your child is old enough, educate them about the importance of salutation and how to start and end a letter. Though times have changed, communicating through a letter is something kids should know to keep up with the old traditions.
5. Teach Them to Take Decisions
Start down with the basic choices they make. Decision making is an essential part of their life they should excel at. They should be able to differentiate between the good and bad decisions and their benefits and repercussions.
Guide them through the decision-making process and let them take the final call. Make them weigh all the options and the pros and cons of their choices. This would help them in taking the wise decisions, with time.
6. Make Them Habitual to Savings
If your kid has mastered the basic math, they must have developed the ability to calculate by now. In addition to giving them theoretical knowledge, it is essential that you teach them the real-life implications as well.
This can be done by teaching them the value of money and how to calculate savings and expenses. Teaching your kids the value of money at this stage will inculcate a habit of saving money for the future. They will also learn how to handle their expenses and savings wisely when they receive a paycheck
However, if your kid is not good at math, you might like to hire a math tutor. The bottom line here is to introduce your kid to the concept of saving, no matter what.
7.Teach Them the Importance of Apologizing and Forgiving
It is important for kids to use the word ‘Sorry” in a correct manner. They should actually feel sorry while apologizing. Also, they should learn to forgive others for their mistakes easily. Further, they should not feel ashamed to seek forgiveness and in forgiving others.
8. Indulge Them in House Chores
Little kids should be involved in household chores, be it a girl or boy. Involve them in daily household work like cleaning, helping you while cooking, gardening, laundry, and the likes. This way, they not only learn the household tasks but also develop practical knowledge.
You can teach them different colors, along with the names of veggies and cutlery, the basic prep meals and much more, depending on their age.
9.Teach Them to Take Care of the Environment and Treat Animals Well
Is your kid cruel to animals and throws stones at them either out of fear or for fun? It is highly recommended to keep a little watch on your kid’s activities and teach them to treat animals well. They should know animals are not something to have fun with. They should be encouraged to feed the birds, water the plants and walk the dog.
Additionally, kids should be continuously reminded about keeping their surroundings clean. Most importantly as parents, you need to prevent them from littering and avoid performing such deeds in front of them.
10.Teach Them to be Considerate and Kind
This world needs more kindness. As parents, teach your children to be considerate and kind. Encourage them to help others and be compassionate. This will make them love others, and be more empathetic towards them.
These were some of the essential life skills that every parent must teach their children. What are your views on this? Did we miss anything? Do let us know in the comments below!
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