Are your kids looking forward to summer but as a parent you’re wondering “How the heck am I going to keep these kids entertained”? Don’t worry, I have a solution that you and your kids will both love. Why not use the time to encourage your kids to tackle a new life skill in a fun way? Let’s talk about Outschool.com!
As a parent, you want to make sure your kids are prepared for the real world. That means teaching them essential life skills that they will need once they’re out there on their own. While some of these skills may be taught in school, there are others that parents need to take the lead on. In this blog post, we will discuss five life skills that your teens should know and how you can go about teaching them!
6 Life Skills Your Teens Should Know
There are many things that teens should know how to do before they leave the nest. Here are five essential life skills your teen should have before they head off into the world:
How to Read and Follow a Recipe From Start to Finish
The first skill on our list is an important one – how to read and follow a recipe from start to finish. This is a lifesaving skill for those who don’t know their way around the kitchen.
While your teen may be a whiz at making their favorite dishes, they may not know how to branch out and try new things. Reading and following a recipe is a great way to learn new dishes and expand their cooking repertoire.
How to Grocery Shop, Read and Understand Nutritional Information and do Self Checkout
The second skill on our list is grocery shopping. It may seem like a no-brainer, but there’s more to it than just grabbing items off the shelves.
Your teen should know how to read and understand nutritional information and how to do a self-checkout. These are essential skills that will come in handy when they’re on their own.
How to do Laundry – Sort, Wash, Dry, and Fold Clothes
The third skill on our list is laundry. It’s a chore that nobody loves, but it’s an essential life skill nonetheless. Teaching your teen how to sort laundry based on color, how to read care labels, how to hand wash delicates, and how to fold to save space is a skill they will need in the future.
It’s also important to point out that laundry is not a one-size-fits-all task. Different fabrics require different care, so it’s essential to know how to read and follow care labels.
How to Write a Letter or Thank You Note and Properly Address an Envelope
Did you know most teens still struggle with addressing an envelope correctly? Thanks to new technology like email and text messaging, many teens have lost the skill of letter writing. While as adults we may not sit down and write letters often, we still write letters and thank-you notes and have to occasionally address envelopes (not everyone pays those pesky bills online).
Knowing the proper way to address an envelope is an important skill to have. Use this summer to master that skill with a fun interactive online class. In this class, teens learn how to properly address an envelope as they work on their writing skills by doing fun projects like sending thank you cards and short letters.
Teaching your kids how to properly communicate offline is just as important as learning how to communicate online.
Banking and Budgeting Basics (How to Shop Online and Pay a Bill)
Last but not least, your teen should know the basics of banking and budgeting. This includes how to shop online and pay a bill. With so much of our lives moving online, our teens must know how to navigate these waters.
Basic budgeting methods your kids should know include the 50/30/20 rule, the envelope method, and how to use a debit or credit card. Teaching your teens how to set up auto-pay and make transfers, how to avoid high-interest rates (and why), and how to protect themselves against fraud online are all important life skills teens should know.
Get Comfortable In The Kitchen
Eating is not only fun, it’s an important part of life, and knowing how to cook should be a life skill every teen learns. Knowing how to cook a healthy meal can help teens save money in the future as well as live a healthy lifestyle. If you have a teen whos interested in exploring more in the kitchen consider a cooking class on Outschool.com.
In Independent Cooking: A Teen Cooking Class each week teens work together to make simple meals to sustain a growing appetite all while fostering their independence.
Where can your Teen learn these skills?
We have been HUGE fans of Outschool ever since we left the public school setting. Whenever Reese needed to learn something I didn’t know how to teach, Outschool.com was my go-to. Outschool offers 140,000 live online classes, including a wide range of “life skills” focused courses that are not only helpful but fun.
With Outschool, your teen can learn to improve their study habits, start their own business, maintain their car, or make pad thai.
Let’s face it, as parents, we’re busy and we don’t know everything. The good news is, that you don’t have to be an expert on everything to equip your kid. As the saying goes, it takes a village, and Outschool offers a village of teachers and professionals ready to step in and help.
By enrolling your teen in one or more of these classes, they can start learning the skills they need to be successful adults. And since all of the classes are taught online, they can do it from the comfort of their own homes.
My Recommendations
Looking for the perfect class for your teen? Check out a few Outschool classes we’ve completed that we highly recommend. If you have never tried Outschool before, now is a perfect time. Sign up for your first class and use my promo code to get $20 off your first class. For some classes that means you can try them for free.
Life skills for Kids 11 -14:
In this class Life Skills for Kids 11-14, kids will learn fundamental life skills such as laundry techniques, budgeting basics, button mending, handshaking, and decision-making.
Our goal as parents is to send our kids out into the world confident while presenting the best versions of themselves. Teaching them what it means to give a solid handshake might just help land them their first job. Learning how to sew a button might seem basic, but it can save your teen a lot of money down the line because they have learned how to fix something rather than just replace it (or come to you for help).
If you’re looking for a fun way to help your child transition into adulthood while connecting with other teens this summer, this is definitely a class to consider!
Barclays Life Skill Lessons:
In this class, Barclays Life Skills Lessons, students will learn key financial terminologies, the value of money, how to manage and use money in an increasingly digital or cashless society, and how to keep money safe. These lessons are great for students who are starting to think about their future and finances.
I highly recommend these classes if you have a child who is interested in learning more about personal finance. This is a great class if you are looking to set your child up for financial success in the future!
How Can Teens Use the Time Over SUMMER to Learn These Skills?
Summer can be a time of boredom or a time of new opportunities for your teen. Taking online life skills classes is convenient, and affordable, and you’ll be helping them prepare for their future. Plus, you’ll empower them to be more independent and to make mistakes while they’re still in the safety of your home.
Why are these skills important to learning?
These skills are essential to learning because they will set your teen up for success when they’re out on their own. Budgeting, cooking, and laundry may seem like simple tasks, but they’re actually quite complex.
Don’t wait until your teen is an adult to start introducing these skills. Start teaching them now to give them time to practice and become pros. You might find that you have a teen who’s an AMAZING cook and you can get a few home-cooked meals out of them before they head off to college!
It’s never too early to start thinking about the life skills your teen needs. We hope you found this blog post helpful and that you will check out the Outschool classes offered for teens.
Outschool teachers are professionals in their field and passionate about teaching kids. Get your teens signed up for a class today and help give them a head start on the path to success!
