Kids and life skills

pinkclouds

The budgeting lessons seem OTT to me. Our parents certainly taught us about saving and borrowing but it seems extreme to actually charge your kids interest for the sake of it.

These days, I find it hard to believe that most kids won't grow up with good computer skills as computers and the internet are so prevalent. However, I definitely second the people skills. You can get by without nearly everything else (assuming you're willing and able to learn as you go) but it's really hard to manage without being able to communicate effectively. Not just writing reports or giving speeches. The so-called "small talk" that helps to forge bonds and smooth the road through life. It's not enough to be clever and hard-working. You must be able to interact with people and be, at least, superficially likeable.

Btw, while I don't consider shorthand particularly useful, I do think audio typing is a good skill. Many jobs that involve typing can use audio skills. Tbh, the most difficult aspect is being able to decipher odd accents and bizarre pronunciations. I have done audio typing in various admin roles when I was younger. I think it's rarer than touch typing so it would probably widen the potential job prospects. And, again, surely most kids learn how to touch type? Word processing was a compulsory part of IT when I was at school, donkeys ago. I'm touch typing right now. It would take forever if I had to keep looking at the keyboard!

findingmyownway

Some other ideas:

Abilty to talk to waitresses / bus drivers etc. To know what they want and be able to ask for it politely.

Work out correct change to expect after purchases

Understanding of other people's feelings and putting someone else first

Basic courtesies such as holding doors open, letting ladies with prams off the bus first etc.

Know who to go to for help. Be it a shop assistant if you're lost in a shop, 999 if there is serious danger at home etc.

How to structure a letter (a proper letter, not a facebook message!:cool:)

pinkclouds

Oh, I've thought of a good one: how to pay bills. I know most bills can be paid by direct debit these days but you still use cheques for some things. I remember my dad showing me how to write a cheque properly. In the early days, I used to write out my cheques and get him to verify I'd done them correctly! lol Also, explaining various financial products e.g. how pensions work (and why), pound-cost averaging (buying stocks/shares) and so on. But, really, I think these things tend to crop up as you go along - you probably don't need to deliberately introduce them artificially early.

EpsomOldie

Punctuality
Reliability
Mental arithmetic
Punctuation
Working out percentages
Writing a letter
Behaving politely when you're bored, i.e. not yawning, sighing etc
Considering other people's feelings
How to say no / Not being a pushover
How to complain calmly and politely

Edited to add: Just read the ages of the children...I suppose some of my suggestions might be appropriate a little later on!

Kiboko

findingmyownway wrote: »

Some other ideas:

Abilty to talk to waitresses / bus drivers etc. To know what they want and be able to ask for it politely.

Work out correct change to expect after purchases

Understanding of other people's feelings and putting someone else first

Basic courtesies such as holding doors open, letting ladies with prams off the bus first etc.

Know who to go to for help. Be it a shop assistant if you're lost in a shop, 999 if there is serious danger at home etc.

How to structure a letter (a proper letter, not a facebook message!:cool:)

Yup, we do all of these, and from very young they have chosen from menus and ordered their own meals.

podperson

I don't think the work ones are that necessary, most kids grow up with computers now so find things like typing and learning work based programs fairly easy.
The others though are great! My OH is a mature student and I was having a bit of a giggle in his first year at the younger students who had just left home and had no idea about the most basic of things, eg doing a load of washing or cooking a simple meal - and the budgeting skills were non-existent!
I would also add that (possibly when they're a bit older) basic DIY tasks are very useful to know. Things like changing a fuse (I actually had a friend call me to ask me how to do this!!), wiring a plug, fitting a hinge etc.

LE3

basic sewing skills - sew on a button etc
how to do laundry, inc stain removal
basic DIY - putting flatpack furniture together, hanging a picture, changing a lightbulb etc
as they get older checking the basics on a car - tyre pressure, fluids, etc & how to change a wheel

but for me the one most important life skill that you haven't mentioned: First Aid. I feel EVERYONE should have a basic knowledge of first aid!

Hermia

Great idea!

Kiboko wrote: »

1) Work skills (touch typing, audio and shorthand)

I would agree with the touch typing (it sounds an old-fashioned skill, but so useful if you work with computers) but I think the others are not that relevant unless the kid wants to become a secretary. I would suggest the kid makes sure they have the equilivant of the ECDL when they are older. I work with teens and a lot are amazingly bad at using computers so not assuming they will learn at school is a good idea. I would also suggest basic research/information searching skills. I work in a library and you would not believe the amount of teens and young people I see who are in a panic because their teacher or boss has asked them to do some research on a subject and they have no idea where to start. A lot of bosses seem to assume young people are brilliant at finding information and they often aren't.

Kiboko wrote: »

2) Money, using pocket money I ‘lend’ them money and they have to pay interest, when I ‘borrow’ from them I have to pay them interest. I pay the pocket money monthly so they have to manage their money through the month, until they are eleven it’s paid into a BS a/c with a book, at eleven a Lloyds TSB Youth account. The older two both have spreadsheets for expenditure that they maintain.

My parents gave me my pocket money monthly too and it really helped me. I didn't blow my whole wage packet in a week when I started working and I thank them for that. My parents gave me slightly higher pocket money than my friends, but made me buy some basics out of it. I found that very useful. I think a lot of kids get all the basics bought for them and then get given pocket money to spend on fun things which doesn't really teach them about budgeting for everything. When I started university I noticed a lot of other students getting into a financial mess because they did not know what the basics cost.

Hermia

pinkclouds wrote: »

These days, I find it hard to believe that most kids won't grow up with good computer skills as computers and the internet are so prevalent.

You wouldn't say that if you were in my job! You won't believe how many stressed teens I see every day who have been asked to find information online for a homework assignment and don't know where to begin. They don't know how to search and they certainly don't know how to evaluate information. And some are just as phobic of computers as the oldies!

loracan1

Charging interest: I think it's a good idea to get children used to the concept of interest. I can remember being shocked during maths o'level when mortgages were explained

Touch-typing: do they get taught that in school? I tried getting both of mine to touchtype with various computer programs but they both made their own way with a peculiarly fast yet clumsy random typing method. Very very annoying to see.