Just because your teenager is headed into young adulthood doesn’t mean they don’t need your guidance. Turning 18 comes with an entirely new set of rules and responsibilities, not to mention freedom. And with freedom comes a new feeling of independence, which means your teen needs to learn necessary life skills to be successful as they enter this new chapter of life.
Proper Work Etiquette
Even if your child is an honor roll student, they still need to learn the right skills for finding a job. They need to know how to write a resume, how to behave during an interview, and the right way to conduct themselves in the workplace. If they’re still in high school, taking a part-time job can help ease them into the workforce while learning valuable skills.
Creating Life Goals
Whether they want to own their own company or travel the world, your teen needs to learn how to set life goals. Dreaming about the things they want isn’t the same as creating an action plan to achieve them. Teach them how to define their goals and then ways to track their progress. Seeing positive results from their efforts is the best form of motivation. This same holds true when it comes to educational goals. If your teen had their eye on attending college, they need a way to cover the cost of tuition. In addition to financial aid or scholarships, you can apply for a low-rate private parent loan to help pay for your child’s education. Your child will not have to pay back, and it can make the transition of going from high school to university less stressful.
Emotional Growth
Between the ages of 13 to 18, your teen goes through so many physical and emotional changes. Emotional regulation is probably One of the most important life skills your child needs to learn. When they’re younger, they have you to protect them and make them feel better when things go wrong. But as they get older and branch out on their own, they’ll need to learn how to manage their emotions, especially when things don’t go their way. This will boost their self-confidence and help them evolve into well-rounded adults.
Managing Finances
Knowing how to manage money is something you should teach your child starting at a young age. Basic banking skills, in addition to credit card management, can’t be stressed enough. It’s important to explain how not to overspend on credit cards and not to apply for too many at once. Even the thriftiest of spenders can go overboard and end up with a mountain of unpaid interest on their credit cards. Help your teen compare children’s credit card options to build credit when they are old enough.
Home Maintenance
Running a household is more than just doing laundry and cleaning the shower. Even though you probably did most of the chores in your home, your teen still needs to learn how to run a household efficiently. Make sure they know how to cook at least three different meals, wash laundry properly and identify common household problems that can occur. They also need to learn how to perform routine home repairs, like changing unclogging a drain or changing a warped sink washer.
