There are a few things that every person should know. Teenagers might think they’ve got it all down already, but it’s important as a parent to prepare your teen for whatever life might have in store. This seems an impossible task, but there are a few hard and soft skills you should set your teen up with before sending them out into the world.
Curiosity
A voracious mind is one of the greatest assets you can have. Teach your child to be curious and they will strive to know more, to go further and to challenge the status quo.
Healthy and Delicious Cooking
If you teach a man to fish, or a teen to cook, you set them up for future success. You can feel better about them becoming functioning adults away from home if they have a few easy, healthy meals in their back pocket. They might even find they enjoy it!
Self-Awareness
Everybody should know their own limits and set boundaries for themselves. If your teen knows how to assess how they’re feeling and how to address it, they’ll be able to help themselves before their situation gets too overwhelming. This could take the form of knowing when to say no to a social engagement or when to call for help.
Listening
Paying attention to the people around you is crucial to your personal success and your relationships. Having good listening skills means that your teen won’t miss an important detail of an assignment or that they’ll recognize when a friend might be in trouble.
Managing Money
Soon enough, your teen will be responsible for their own finances. Make sure they understand exactly what it takes to afford living on their own and how to plan for their future. Showing them how to create a budget and stick to it is a necessary skill for them to have.
Learning From Their Mistakes
Making errors is a huge part of learning. Be sure that your teen knows mistakes aren’t the end of the world. Self-forgiveness is important so that they can learn from their actions, move on and do better next time.
Reading Maps
Your teen might not always have their smartphone to guide the way. Understanding how to effectively use a map won’t only help with discovering new places on spring break, it could be a total lifesaver when their battery dies.
Researching
In the information age, just about every question your teen could have has been answered online. Encourage them to seek answers for themselves. This skill is vital for everything from writing a dissertation to finding out showtimes at the nearest theater.
Saying “Yes” to Life
Help your teen to build their confidence so that they won’t miss out on life experiences. They should be open to meeting new people and exploring new places. Without this openness, they might miss out on great friends, great loves, great jobs and who knows what else.
There are innumerable other life lessons to impart on your teen, but these should give them a good head start. Portray these behaviors in your own life, and your teen will inevitably learn from you as you lead by example.
Feature Image: Anubhav Saxena
