My daughter is a brand new driver, within one month of getting her license and enjoying her new found freedom, her car was hit in a parking lot. She was in the bookstore and came out to a freshly smashed bumper and no note from whomever hit her. She came home in tears and of course overwhelmed. She had no idea what to do and we had not prepared her for anything like this because it is just second nature to us with these types of situations. We had a chat about what to do next time, call the police, call us to come to the location, don't drive when you have tears streaming down your face.
We ran this series of ideas during COVID but after this week I felt like we may all benefit from a little reminder of things we take for granted that we know to do but our kiddos may not. I miss the days of Home Ec in school! It may be dated but boy did it help me learn to adult!
- Learn to balance a checkbook
- Learn to write a resume and cover letter
- Learn to cook some basic meals~ One for a crowd, one for a date, one when you are broke and one that takes 30 minutes or less.
- Learn to bake bread
- Learn to make baked goods from scratch, not a box
- Learn to do laundry
- Learn how to get different stains out of clothes
- Learn how to unclog a toilet and a sink
- Learn how to do basic home repairs (change a light, patch a wall, etc)
- Learn how to care for a garden and plant something
- Learn how to understand credit, read a credit report and the implications of credit cards
- Learn about stocks and other investing options
- Learn about compound interest and how to safe for the future
- Learn how to write letters/cards for various occasions
- How to contact someone for home repairs (landlord, repair person etc)
- Learn how to exercise with bodyweight exercises
- Find a new skill to learn from YouTube
- How to make a grocery list and price compare items
- How to select good produce
- Practice interview skills and ask for a raise
- Learn how to sew on a button
- Learn how to iron dress pants and a dress shirt or other dress clothes
- Learn how to tie a tie
- Learn how to jump-start a car
- Learn how to change a tire
- Learn how to write a check
- Learn how to address an envelope
- Learn how to make a budget and how to use it
- Learn how to go to the bank and deposit a check or get help with a bank account
- Read and check your bank statement for mistakes
- Learn how to pay bills
- Learn basic first aid skills
- Learn how and why it is important to vote and where their voter location is
- Learn how to stand up for themselves
- Learn how to ask for what they want or need (like a job, raise or help with something)
- Learn how to read a map
- Learn how to deep clean a house
- How to book a hotel, airfare and how to find the best price.
- How to understand insurance benefits and read the statement
- How to pick a doctor, what are annual exams they need and why they are important
- How to find mental health services
- What to do if they have a car accident
