Children today are adept at handling technological gadgets with some as young as two years old can navigate YouTube and their favorite apps. A recent study said that while children aged 3 to 5 can easily handle a smartphone, fewer than 15 percent know how to make breakfast.
Teaching practical life skills is vital as it educates your children on how to be more independent. So, when should they practice such daily life skills? Never underestimate what your children can do and pass them along with these handy life skills well before they reach their teens.
Preparing a Simple Meal
Preparing a simple meal is another necessary life skill that should be taught at an early age and it’s important that they know they can have fun while cooking.ย Start them early because evenย preschoolers can handle spooning yogurtย into their bowls or spreading peanut butter on bread. When your child can understand how to handle the heat in the kitchen, then it is the time to showย more complicated dishes. Teach them how to make pancakes, pizza, and their favorite pasta dishes. Even allowing them to hang out and observe as you cook is an educational experience all in itself.
Helping them Figure Out a Needle
In their tween years, it is critical that your child can understand the value of a needle and learn how it works. One vital skill that all children must learn is how to mend their own clothes. Just because your shirt has a small hole doesnโt mean it will now be thrown away. Teach them the value of repairing their belongings because this will motivate them to take better care of their own things.
Treating a Wound
It is so easy to freak out at the mere sight of blood. Teaching your children how to calm down and treat a wound, so like you, they wonโt over-react and panic upon seeing simple scrapes and abrasions. If you go through the process out loud of what needs to be done as youโre applying ointment, this will even serve as a distraction for your child to keep him from thinking of the pain. Explain how to apply pressure until the bleeding stops, disinfect with a solution, put antibiotic ointment, and then apply a band-aid.
Wrapping a Gift
Your children love getting presents, and they also understand the importance of giving presents. Early on, include them and seek their assistance in wrapping gifts for their own friendsโ birthdays. Even preschoolers can help cut paper and apply the tape. You can even teach them how to remove the price, and figure out which wrapping paper fits best. Including your children in the process will make them feel even more appreciative of their own gifts received.
There are many other handy life skills and job skills that you have to pass on to your children. Our children need to learn on their own how to navigate life as doing everything for them will only limit their capabilities.
