Right now is the perfect time to school your children on basic life skills.
Say what you will about the education system in America, but I’ve always believed there are valuable lessons to be learned, both inside and out of the classroom.
First off, I want to say that I have great respect for teachers. Taking on the responsibility of molding the minds of our future is a big challenge, to say nothing of the budgetary restraints.
As parents, we often forget that teachers spend the majority of their days with our children. If we have learned nothing else from this lock down, we should at least have acquired a healthy dose of respect for teachers.
That being said, currently we are sequestered with our children, and we have been charged with their education. So this is really a perfect opportunity to teach them some of the things you don’t learn in school.
Here is a short list of things you should aim to teach your children during lock down lessons:
Balancing a Checkbook. Just Kidding! Credit Scores. Teaching your children how credit and finances work in this country will benefit them ‘bigly’ in the long run. If you want to award extra credit points, teach them about student loans, too.
READ MORE: Teaching the Importance of Routines During Lockdown
Basic Household Chores. Unclogging a toilet, laundry, hanging a picture, and spackling a wall are just a few things every child should know how to do. Not only will it teach your children to be self-sufficient, but teaching these lessons early on will probably save you time in the long run. After they know how to do these things, you can safely delegate chores and household projects to them in the future.
Changing a Tire. Changing a tire is actually pretty easy, and its something everyone should know how to do, given how spotty cell phone service can be. It can also be really rewarding for your daughters to have this knowledge, to throw in their boyfriends’ faces one day.
Healthy Habits. Healthy habits, like jogging, biking, or working out are supremely beneficial to mental health. Teaching your kids the importance of creating and maintaining these healthy habits will make them more well rounded, and better suited to cope with mental issues in the future.
Cooking Simple Meals. Not everyone is a Michelin star chef, but at the very least your children should now how to cook an egg. Teaching children to cook is actually one of the most rewarding lessons because you get to do it together, and create lifelong memories.