Kids and life skills

dizziblonde

I think the university stories just show the LACK of some people's life skills.

My housemate only ever learnt in an entire year to cook jacket potatoes in the microwave - then came home in raptures as she'd discovered M+S sold ready-grated cheese!

I'm the only person in my family who can't do shorthand btw... my mum and brother are journalism trained so know it from that - but then my entire childhood was dominated with shrieks of "don't talk to me now I need to type this up while I can still read my own shorthand!"

Kiboko

Person_one wrote: »

Not every week though, that's overkill!

I agree, it probably is, but the few minutes every week are routine, if I did it randomly I might forget. Checking your car regularly is good for safety and also for spotting potential problems before they become expensive actual problems.

Person_one

dizziblonde wrote: »

I think the university stories just show the LACK of some people's life skills.

My housemate only ever learnt in an entire year to cook jacket potatoes in the microwave - then came home in raptures as she'd discovered M+S sold ready-grated cheese!

Its always been a bit of a learning curve when young adults live independently for the first time though, they get there pretty quickly for the most part. My parents and grandparents both have similar stories to tell about when they first moved into their own homes after getting married. A lot of the time the men never had to learn this stuff as long as their wives did, my granddad couldn't look after himself for more than about 2 days if he didn't have my grandma!

I bet that student loan didn't last very long buying food from M&S though!

Mojisola

Person_one wrote: »

Hang on a minute, I nearly let you get away with this one!

How do you teach audio typing and shorthand 'naturally' and not in lesson form?

In the same way that we "teach" our children to talk, walk, hold a spoon and other skills.

Scenario - child is curious about Mum's shorthand notes and asks "What would my name look like?", Mum demonstrates, child copies, asks about other words and Mum shows. Child gets interested and gradually learns more - no serious "school" lessons, lots of fun time with Mum and a new skill learned.

I_wanna_live_for_free

When we moved into our first house my then-partner was going to phone a plumber to come and connect the washing machine up... :eek:
He would also just turn the cooker off without checking if anything was cooking (must have been the perfume I was wearing, that smell of roasting beef!) and then complain that dinner was a long time coming :mad:

Kiboko

Person_one wrote: »

I don't think its a pointless thread, there have been a lot of good posts, I just think your approach in particular is a bit over-prescribed and that you're way overthinking it, especially as one of the kids is only three!

The person who starts the thread doesn't own it, no matter how many times they wish death on the people who disagree with them.

OK, I really think you misunderstood me, it's all stuff that's come up over time, I do keep pointing out that I don't stand over them demanding they do their daily lessons. I'm so sorry that I may have come across that way, you do seem to have a real problem with me for some reason, I'm not trying to force anything on anyone and I am pretty upset that caring about my kids has come across as me being a terrible parent. What is it you want me to say?

Mrs_Optimist

Great Thread. I teach my children aged 13 and 10:

1. Manners at all times - treat and speak to people as you would expect to be treated, with no exceptions.

2. Debt is bad - never spend money before you have earned it (with the exception of a mortgage and perhaps Uni fees if they want to go onto further education). They practise this with their pocket money (I dont charge them interest as I don't lend them money as debt is bad). If they have spent their pocket money they have to wait until the end of the month and learn to budget better.

3. If you treat your body with a lack of respect other people will too (particularly emphasise this with my DD who is 13).

4. Treat school as if it were your job; turn up on time, work hard, be respectful, dress appropriately. In the workplace you won't be given a second chance so school is good training for later life.

5. Work as hard as you can at school and try your best to pass every exam you can. Not for your teachers, or your parents, but yourself as you are the one who will reap the rewards and have a head start in a competitive workplace.

6. Basic life skills, cooking, cleaning being responsible for your own room and posessions.

Finally I always trust my children not to lie to me. I have an open and honest and frank relationship with them. They perhaps have more freedom than they should at their age but they are always where they say they are and are always home on time. They know if they abuse my trust then their freedom will be curtailed until they make effort to earn it back - not that they have done that - yet.

I set clear rules and boundaries whilst letting them think for themselves. It is "dog eat dog" in the real world and I want them to be equipped to stand on their own two feet and be able to deal with it.

Person_one

Mrs_Optimist wrote: »

3. If you treat your body with a lack of respect other people will too (particularly emphasise this with my DD who is 13).

Can you expand on this a bit please? What exactly does it mean?

Kiboko

Mojisola wrote: »

In the same way that we "teach" our children to talk, walk, hold a spoon and other skills.

Scenario - child is curious about Mum's shorthand notes and asks "What would my name look like?", Mum demonstrates, child copies, asks about other words and Mum shows. Child gets interested and gradually learns more - no serious "school" lessons, lots of fun time with Mum and a new skill learned.

Thank you! That's exactly it, I was beginning to feel I was speaking a foreign language, I mean English isn't my first language but I don't think I am all that difficult to understand.

Mrs_Optimist

What I was trying to say is "If you don't treat your body with respect others won't either" basically meaning that if you sleep around, engage in sexual activity etc freely you get a reputation for doing so. If you are careful and choosy about who you offer your affections to, the right people will come your way. I am absolutely horrified about the number of girls in my DD year at School (year 8) who regularly engage in sexual activity, sometimes with several boys in any one evening, and of course the boys flock to them, but it isn't love, just easy opportunity. they dont treat their bodies with respect so of course the boys they "entertain" don't treat them with respect either. I have told my DD that once you have lost your good reputation it is very difficult to get it back so to be very choosy and very careful. Hope that explains it a little better, I didn't explain it very well in my first post but you get the gist...