Did you teach your child life skills? Did you feel comfortable when they went out into the world?

Question

cooking,money management, working on a car,others?

Answer 1

I'll answer your second Q. first: Yes i felt comfortable as my children went out into the world. My son is now 26 and he has his Bachelors degree and as married to a lovely young lady and they have a house and both work on good jobs with real responsibilities that are honorable and challenging. My daughter is 21 and in her third year in college working dilligently to earn her Masters degree so she can enter the workforce as a professional with good pay and benefits.

Now your first Q. I made it a point to focus on Social Skills while leaving the technical skills to the schools. I made it a point also to enroll them into a good Christian elementary and middle school which they both tell me they are glad we as parents did. They were better prepared for public high school and their study habits were better b/c they could focus easier and they were better organized so they could get all their homework done in a reasonably short time which led to them having more time for socializing. This is where we as parents come in. We are their models, positive or negative. I took the role in modeling what a father should, being a leader. Being a self-respecting natural leader, while maintaining dignity with those we interact. Showing respect for elders, practicing patience, being humble. Not flying off the handle when the pressure cooker starts to whistle. Waiting for others to finish speaking and calmly putting in our 2 cents worth. My daughter was a member of the high school debate team which took her places (cities) she wouldn't have been able to otherwise. It enabled her to understand there are always more than one way to look at things, and that regardless what we believe, people will differ with each other . That is all right with her b/c she has had opportunity to argue about a number of subjects safely.

Answer 2

Oh, yes.
And the first 3 were exceptional.
And the 2 youngest are probably
better equipped to deal with real life
that the older ones.
They were with me,
when their Gramma went blind
and they lived through their father's death
and then 2 years later
faced the aftermath of Katrina.
They found
online a military school that offered
free scholarships to a
known school in New Mexico.
They applied & were accepted.
When these 2 decide
when they want to go into the real world.
They will be ready.
All in all,
I'd say that all 5 of my kids
have learned survival techniques,
one kind or another.

Answer 3

They all know how to cook, sew, do laundry, clean house. 1 is a money manager, 2 know how to spend it. They can all iron a shirt or a blouse, two can fix any car, one doesn't know what a dip stick is. One is a clown two are serious, the clown can't fix anything but he is the money manager. Who knows what the years will bring, they were all under the same roof with the same mom and pseudo dad and all have their own bag. Good on 'em.

Answer 4

My mother was diagnosed with MS when I was 17. She was in the hospital 3 months, let's just say I learned life skills real fast. I was responsible for cooking, cleaning , preparing the grocery lists. Now since I'm legally blind the only concession my dad made to me was replace the stove from gas to electric , otherwise I was expected to do what girls are supposed to do.

Best thing that could have happened to me.

When I moved 2000 miles away, where I knew no -one to teach , my parents weren't the least bit worried about me faring well. My brother , perfectly normal, brought his laundry home every week well into his marriage for mummy to do, mum prepared or should I say I prepared meals for them to take back to their house for the week. And when my brother tried to do laundry when my mum died the washer danced all over the basement because he'd overloaded it .

I hope women teach their children whatever sex to take care of themselves and cook and not just microwave popcorn or pizza or kd for their meals.

Answer 5

I passed on what I knew and some I didn't that I wish I did know. (home repair etc.) Some we actually learned together. I think those were the most memorable for me. Hopefully something they remember as well. I wanted them to know it's ok not to know something and then to find out what to do find out.....not to mention you're never to old to learn. Granted it's much easier to bat some eyelashes and have someone do it for you.......but they were both eager to learn to do it themselves.

Money management is something I don't know and everyone is basically still at working with basics.......guess I consider money management knowing about investing and all that as well. Never had enough to manage in that manner. Priorities, good work ethic, etc. yes. Check book, savings account, yes.

Answer 6

I'm very old school and teaching life skills was just part of raising my child. He can do any and all of the above, plus many more things.

It seems with our younger society now, that they've lost something on the way. However, many still pick up those skills later in their lives, because if they don't, they lose, and they know it.

I've always said that we can teach it to our young, but it's up to them to practice it. I still maintain that this is proper thinking.

Answer 7

My husband and I would consider ourselves negligent unless we taught our children how to do the things they will need to do when they are on their own. Everyone,boys and girls alike learned how to cook,clean house,do the laundry and do chores around the house. We also had them help to maintain the cars and mow lawns. They werent always crazy about it,but they were able to take care of themselves by the time they moved out on their own. Another bit of education was in how to handle money. All of our children were more than competent when they had their own places.

Answer 8

Kids leave home before they're 30? Wow!

Seriously, I only have one adult child at home and if he ever graduates college and gets a job he will be fine. His older sisters are doing their best to take care of themselves. We did our best to teach them who to cook and clean. One is great with money - the other isn't. You do what you can and pray they turnout all right.

Answer 9

ya do what you can with what you have. My kids do ok, at least they don't phone home for money. But in honesty, kids are always a work in progress....I get a kick out of parents who brag about this, that...how their grown children are doing so well, etc. None of us can judge success in our children, for they are always a work in progress, just as we are. In the end, it is what it is. I taught my kids what they would learn, but no one can force kids to do anything they do not want to do....the school of hard knocks is the most solid school kids can go to. Again, we do what we can with what we have. If I had told my kids all that I have learned, what to watch out for, etc., they wouldn't have believed me anyway...kids always know so much more than their old fashioned parents! Good luck and peace. goldwing

Answer 10

The attempt was made but in at least one the receptacle may have blown a fuse. But as life is a work in progress there is always hope.