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Before your adult child moves out of your home to live independently or to go away for college, you should ensure they have the life skills they will need to survive. It’s common to assume that children learn what they need to know by watching their parents, but that’s not always true. You can feel a greater peace of mind if you take the time to teach your kids how to meet their adult responsibilities before they leave home.
Personal Finance
One of the most important life lessons to teach your children is how to manage their personal finances. If you’re like most people, you have had to figure out how to manage the various aspects of your finances through a process of trial and error. You can help your kids avoid that process and give them an advantage in life by teaching them early. You should begin by teaching them the importance of saving and how it can be used to help them finance emergency expenses later in life. You should also teach them about building credit and following a household budget. By teaching your children the importance of building credit and how to use credit responsibly, you’ll help them avoid costly mistakes that can affect their lives for years into the future.
Basic Household Chores
You should also ensure your children know how to maintain a household before they move out. This means teaching them the basic skills of life, such as how to prepare healthy meals. Be sure to teach them the importance of eating plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It’s also important to teach them how to choose whole grains and lean meats versus processed meats. Before they move out, your kids should also understand the importance of keeping a clean home to avoid pest infestations, such as fleas, ticks, and bed bugs. You’ll want to make your kids do everything for themselves since maintaining a clean lifestyle will help them live healthier lives well into the future.
Protecting Valuables and Assets
From a young age, you can start teaching your children the importance of protecting the valuables they own. This can start early in life by helping them understand that certain toys may eventually become collectibles. For example, children who kept their Transformers G1 toys in good condition may be able to sell them for a considerable amount in today’s market. As they get older, teach them about other types of investments, such as precious jewels, valuable artwork, real estate, and similar investments. You should also help them learn about investing in the stock market and in funds if you have the expertise. If not, take your older children with you when you meet with your investment advisor. This will expose them to the world of investing sooner, and that will help them plan for their own future.
Home Maintenance
There are some home maintenance issues that need to be resolved by a professional contractor. Minor repairs and updates are typically taken care of by the homeowner, and these are the skills and tasks that you should teach to your children. Give them practice in cleaning the gutters, weeding your garden, and pruning trees. They can also learn to make basic repairs inside the home. This might involve securing a loose piece of molding, removing a window frame that needs repairs, or clearing a clogged drain. Anytime you need to repair something in your home, ask your children to assist you. This will help them learn how to maintain their own homes more efficiently.
Keeping a Personal Schedule
Another area in which younger adults generally have a problem is in maintaining a schedule and managing their time. You should start teaching your kids to get up earlier and arrive early for appointments at a young age. Wake your kids up a few minutes earlier in the mornings to ensure they’re ready for school. When you take them to the doctor, arrive early to show them the importance of arriving in time for the appointment. When your kids are old enough to have their own cell phones, encourage them to use an electronic calendar to track their appointments. This will help them act more responsibly in arriving on time for job interviews, work shifts, and other important events in their lives.
Conclusion
You should encourage your kids to practice these aspects of independent living while they are still at home. As they gain more experience, they will be better prepared to employ these skills in their daily adult lives. As a result, they will live happier and more fulfilled lives as adults.
