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Leaving the nest is no easy task, and research suggests that living independently may be increasingly difficult for today’s young adults. Though technically old enough to live on their own, many young people aren’t equipped to do so. Teaching our kids life skills for adults is so important. Yet with busy home schedules and meeting overpacked course standards we often don’t give it enough attention.
Its time younger generations beef up their basic life-skills knowledge in order to succeed on their own. Once a week we will take a short time to teach skills essential for adulting/survival which our community feels teens today are lacking. This list could obviously go on and on. Our hope is that this opens the door to discussing responsibility and safety, excitement about what lies ahead.
HOMEWORK TIME! You are about to take a big next step as you and your families prepare for more independence, and we wish you the best of luck! Parents, please, help your child:
- Memorize their social security number!
There is no escaping the need to memorize this nine-digit number. The alternative is your child carrying around the actual card or keeping a picture of it on their phone, which works great until that phone or card gets misplaced. While they’re already memorizing numbers, add learning their new address to the list and having your phone number tattooed across their heart as well.
- Ask a stranger for help.
Admitting help is needed—whether it’s to a professor or coworker—intimidates even the most confident of souls. If the opportunity arises, encourage your child to seek out help face to face from someone they don’t already know, like a school staff member or sales clerk. And remind them that asking for help shows their commitment to learning and achieving. No doubt they’ll miss hearing words of wisdom like this from you when they move out.
- Talk to someone in customer service to solve a problem.
Technology is amazing, but sometimes it breaks. Calling or emailing customer support is a must-have skill, and things like knowing where to find your computer’s IP address or how to reconnect a streaming device makes troubleshooting easier. Next time technology breaks at your house, give your 18-year-old the joyful task of calling to get it fixed.
- Use a map or an app to go somewhere new.
Your kids (and probably you, too) rely on Google Maps to get them places, but what happens if their phone dies? Or their GPS’ quickest route goes through the worst part of town? Or they have to decipher maps at a subway station? While technology efficiently gets people from point A to point B, map-reading skills shouldn’t be underestimated, nor should learning what neighborhoods are riskier to drive through. Now that they can read an actual map, using GPS apps should be easier than ever. Make sure your child has one on their phone and knows how to use it.
5. Make their own doctor/dentist/general appointment.
Half of the parents in this poll said their 18-year-old didn’t know how to schedule a doctor appointment, even though it’s probably one of the most important life skills for adults. Eighteen-year-olds are in charge of their health services, which means parents can’t access that information or intervene unless their child signs a form granting access to their medical information. It’s essential that your child feel comfortable calling their doctor or nearby health clinic to schedule appointments or get advice from a nurse, and it’s equally important that they know their medical history, allergies and how to fill out medical forms.
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