7 essential life skills for children every parent should teach

Have you ever wondered if your child can look after themselves if left alone for a while? Is your child independent? Does your child have the essential life skills to survive in this world?

It is essential for parents to teach life skills for children alongside academics. Enrolling children for various classes or activities does not necessarily help in developing the skills required to be a strong, independent adult. After all, as a parent, your biggest responsibility is to ensure that your child is equipped to face the real world once they grow up.  

Here are the most important life skills for children that every parent should teach their child.

1. First-aid

It is painful for a parent to see their child getting hurt, yet it might not be possible to be there with your child to protect them at all times. It is common for children to fall down, get bruised, bitten or even cut while playing; it is an essential part of growing up. This is when the need for basic first aid knowledge arises. If by chance your child gets hurt when there is no adult to take care of them, they should know the basics of first aid. This is not only for themselves but also comes in handy if another child is hurt while playing.

Many schools today teach children how to do basic first aid, but irrespective of that, you should still teach your child how to do it at home. It is advisable to make a first aid box with your child so that they know what is there in the box and learn the use of each medicine and equipment.

2. Being healthy

Taking care of their health should be made a priority and is one of the most impotant life skills for children. By developing this value in them early, you are ensuring that they follow it well into adulthood as well. It isn’t advisable to force them to eat vegetables and fruits as this can create a negative association of healthy food for them. Instead, talk to them about the importance of eating healthy and make it fun for them. You should also give them specific reasons why you don’t want them to eat unhealthy, junk food. Children are a lot more likely to avoid unhealthy food if they understand the risks associated with it rather than if you just forbade it without an explanation. Showing them the impact unhealthy foods could have on their body is one of the most important life lessons to teach your child.

You can use examples to explain to your children why it is important to eat healthy and have a healthy lifestyle. If a child is interested in sports, explain the benefits of eating food that helps in building stamina and strength.

3. Making them independent

Whether it is for college or for work, most children at one point will have to move away from parents. As a result, it is very important to make sure that your children are independent and are fully equipped to make responsible decisions. Helping them become independent from a young age is also one of the best ways to stimulate brain development in children.  Be it doing the laundry or packing their school bag, there are numerous opportunities to teach your children how to be independent, no matter what their age is. If you have a pet, for example, you can make your young child responsible for feeding it on time. Older children can start doing their own dishes and making their bed every morning. 

4. Time Management

Time management is the most important and essential life skills for children that every parent needs to inculcate in their child. Most parents tend to wake their kids up in the morning to get them ready in time for school. While this is a good practice, this also makes your children dependent on you to get to school on time. Instead, you can get your kids an alarm clock so that they can wake up by themselves.

A week planner is a good birthday gift for their next birthday. With the help of the weekly planner, they can list out their school work which might be due on a later date or an activity that needs to be done within the week. This also helps the children keep track of their progress with regard to what is pending and what is done. The planner works very well when it comes to preparing for exams.

5. Simple cooking

Cooking is an essential skill for everyone be it a child, a teen or an adult. Knowing how to cook is always a bonus irrespective of age or gender. Learning how to cook early on in their lives makes children more independent. For younger children, it might not be safe to let them cook unsupervised as the fire and sharp knives can hurt them. But they can definitely be taught how to cook a simple dish like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or even a simple salad with some dressing. Teaching children to cook at a young age is beneficial especially when they are alone at home or when they move out. It can also be one of the most sentimental life lessons to teach your child as it’s something they can pass down to their loved ones eventually.

6. Environmental Preservation

It is the duty of parents to teach their children to respect nature. The younger generation must understand the importance of environmental preservation to make the world a better place to live in. Many schools also focus on this as one of the most crucial life skills for students. 

One of the most important lessons to teach your child is to not litter anywhere and use the trash can to dispose of waste. This is the most basic etiquette to be taught to children by their parents. If you have a backyard or a small balcony which can be used to grow plants, make sure your children help water the plants and create compost for them. Help them in sowing seeds, nurturing the plant and make them understand the benefits of greenery. If your child is going to be starting school soon, finding out the importance placed on outdoor activities and environmental preservation is one of the most important questions parents should ask when choosing a pre-school. 

7. Buying Groceries

Taking your child to the supermarket might be a little cumbersome, especially when you pass through the candy section and the toys section. But the grocery store is actually an excellent place to teach your children what are essentials needed to run a household are. You can start by telling them to make a grocery list before going shopping, based on what they think are essential items.

The best way to teach kids how to buy groceries is by asking them to go get the items on their list. Guide them while buying fruits and vegetables, teach them how to identify what is fresh and what isn’t. This way they will know how to get groceries even if the parent isn’t around which will come in very useful when they are on their own or living elsewhere.

Be it basic first aid or some simple cooking, these life skills for children will always come in handy!.

Make learning fun and teach your children the essentials for an independent tomorrow by with these essential life lessons to teach your child. Consult the city’s top paediatricians for anything your child would need, only at mfine.