Skill up during lockdown: life skills to teach your children

What are the things you wish you knew when you were at university or when you moved into your first apartment? 

There are certain life skills that every person needs to become well-functioning, independent human beings. Luckily, these can easily be woven into your day-to-day routine, meaning that now is the perfect time to help your children develop these skills. 

Budgeting 

Budgeting may not be the most exciting topic, but it is never too early for children to learn to be financially responsible and, considering the current economic climate, there has never been a better time to talk to them about the importance of budgeting and money management. 

Tip: If you only teach your children one financial rule, it should be the power of compound interest. They will thank you for it later.

Cooking

Having the ability to cook from scratch is essential. Also, bonding over food is an activity the whole family can enjoy together. Cooking has several benefits: it allows children to put effort into a tangible goal and see it through. It shows them how to follow a set of instructions in the right order, and teaches them things like patience as they must finish each stage before moving on to the next.

Tip: Teach your children about meal planning. Encourage them to help you plan family meals by checking the fridge and cupboards to see what’s there and what you need. Then let them make a shopping list that fits your budget.

Also read: Do’s and Don’ts for Making Healthy Food Choices During the Lockdown 

Dishes

Young children can help with loading the dishwasher or washing up by hand. Depending on your child’s age, supervision is important to ensure sharp or breakable objects are handled carefully and correctly. 

Tip: You can start by teaching younger children through play, for example, they could wash and dry a plastic tea set.

First aid

Teaching your children basic first aid is a great way of empowering them and may even enable them to help others in an emergency. While you are at it, add some general lessons on the importance of good health and hygiene. 

Tip: Let your child help you stock your first-aid kit. As you add items, ask if they know what each one is for and if they know how to use it.

Gardening

Whether you have a large backyard or a few pots on a balcony, gardening is an engaging and satisfying activity for children. Younger children can plant seeds and be responsible for watering them regularly, while older children can get involved in weeding and mowing.

Laundry

Show your young ones how to use the washing machine, select the correct programme, and measure the right amount of detergent. They can also help by hanging laundry out to dry, folding their own clothes and putting it away, and learning how to iron.

Pets

For many children, owning a pet is their first experience of caring for something. Use this time to teach your children to take responsibility for pets by feeding them, taking the dog for a walk, and cleaning small animal cages.

Sewing

Sewing is quickly becoming a lost art. But luckily, most children love the hands-on nature of needlework. You don’t need an expensive sewing machine to teach this skill; you can start by teaching your children the basics such as sewing a button and mending small tears. 

Vehicle maintenance

After a few demonstrations of how to change a tyre, let your children to try it themselves. Even if they are too young to properly secure the tyre at this stage, just knowing how to change a tyre is essential. Also, show them how to check the water and oil and, while you are at it, tell them what the warning lights inside the car mean. 

Wrapping a gift

You don’t have to wait for someone’s birthday, simply provide paper and tape and encourage your children to wrap household objects of different shapes and sizes.  

Tip: This is also a great creative activity. Let your children design their own wrapping paper using coloured pens and stickers or cut up old cards to make gift tags. Bonus life lesson: reuse and recycle.

Home schooling will give you more time to teach your children these life skills — which, as adults, we take for granted.

Impaq provides all the tools you need to educate your children at home from grade R to grade 12. This means that you have time to equip your children with the tools they need to become independent and responsible human beings.

This article was paid for by Impaq.