Oftentimes parents get caught up in the monotony of child rearing; it can become a never ending cycle of: wake up…off to school and work…come home…dinner and bed.
When it comes to children, it is important to remember they will one day become adult members of society and life skills are essential for all people; no matter the race, sex, or creed. Essential life skills help to maneuver through complex situations, critical information, and deciphering what’s right or wrong for an individual.
Accountability
Understanding that life doesn’t just “happen” to you, but can be directly affected by personal choices. Teaching the essential life skill of accountability to a child may look like:
Cooperation
Teamwork makes the dream work is not just some cliche bosses tell their employees to get them to do extra work; being able to cooperate is an essential life skill for your child because working as a team, being able to delegate, or complete delegated tasks, and come together for a common goal will help your child become a successful teammate. Teaching the essential life skill of cooperation to a child may look like:
Communication
It’s not just about how you come across or are received; communication is a two way street and a huge part of that is LISTENING to understand, not to rebuttal. Communication is an essential life skill for your child because being misunderstood causes frustration, and frustration can cause stress. Once communication is out of order, it makes it harder to cooperate; many essential life skills work hand in hand with one another. Teaching the essential life skill of communication may look like:
Self Validation
We live in a world of likes and comments, it can be easy to get swept up in follower counting and being obsessed with who’s watching our stories. The essential life skill of self validation will teach your child that their worth has nothing to do with anyone else’s opinion. Teaching the essential life skill of self validation may look like:
Self Motivation
Being motivated is not a simple feat, so the sooner this essential life skill is incorporated into a routine, it will be automatic by the time they reach adulthood. When external factors are the only stimulus for motivation, what happens when there’s no one around to push you? Teaching the essential life skill of self motivation may look like:
By instilling these essential life skills, your child will be better equipped to handle real world situations that aren’t always the most ideal. Taking accountability for their actions, cooperating with others for a common goal, communicating effectively, validating and motivating themselves will provide a foundation for being a successful adult. It’s important not to get lost in the day to day and recognize the bigger picture: they’re only a child for 18 years and the rest is adulthood.