Teaching Teens Life Skills – No Curriculum Required

It’s important that you make time in your homeschool schedule for teaching teens life skills.

The teen years are filled with endless opportunities for growth and learning.  Although teens are busy hitting the books to explore language arts, history, math, and science subjects in detail, it is important to remember another area of study they need help to understand — life skills for teens.

 

When we talk about life skills with our teens we mean all of the things that will help to make them successful and independent adults. Most of the skills teens need to learn are things that we, as adults, do every day. Activities such as preparing lunch or doing laundry have become so routine we usually do them without even thinking about them. As parents we can help to teach our teens life skills by being mindful of the daily life lessons we complete each day and actively involving our teens.

When we talk about life skills with our teens we are referencing all of the skills and abilities that will help to make them successful and independent adults.  This can include a wide variety of topics including personal care, cooking, money management, time management, being a good citizen, and more.

Most of the skills teens need to learn are things that we, as adults, do every day.  Activities such as preparing lunch or doing laundry have become so routine we usually do them without even thinking about them.  As parents we can help to teach our teens life skills by being mindful of the daily life lessons we complete each day and actively involving our teens in activities around the house and within the community.

Teaching Teens Life Skills

Here are some important life skills our teens need to learn along with a few ideas for helping them build and practice these skills:

Food Skills

  • Plan and shop for health foods
  • Reading food labels
  • Preparing a meal
  • Using kitchen appliances and utensils
  • Safe food storage

Here are some of our suggestions for helping kids acquire food skills:

How to Make a DIY Cookbook for Kids

10 Simple Breakfast Recipes Teens Will Want to Make

Life Skills for Teens: Slow Cooking Fundamentals

Teens in the Kitchen: Make an Easy Potato Dish

Teaching Kids Life Skills: Get your Middle School Kids Cooking

Teaching Kids Life Skills: Food Shopping

When we talk about life skills with our teens we mean all of the things that will help to make them successful and independent adults. Most of the skills teens need to learn are things that we, as adults, do every day. Activities such as preparing lunch or doing laundry have become so routine we usually do them without even thinking about them. As parents we can help to teach our teens life skills by being mindful of the daily life lessons we complete each day and actively involving our teens.

Health, Wellness, and Personal Appearance Skills

  • Laundry, reading clothing care labels, folding clothes
  • Ironing
  • Basic sewing to maintain clothes
  • Personal hygiene/grooming
  • Personal safety/basic first aid
  • Exercise and physical fitness

Here are some of our suggestions for helping kids acquire health and wellness skills:

Teaching Kids Life Skills: Necessary Skills and Then Some…

Teaching Kids Life Skills: Sewing

Teaching Kids Life Skills: How to Tie a Necktie

An Easy Sewing Project for Teens Who Love Minecraft

When we talk about life skills with our teens we mean all of the things that will help to make them successful and independent adults. Most of the skills teens need to learn are things that we, as adults, do every day. Activities such as preparing lunch or doing laundry have become so routine we usually do them without even thinking about them. As parents we can help to teach our teens life skills by being mindful of the daily life lessons we complete each day and actively involving our teens.

Social and Self Management Skills

  • Develop and maintain healthy friendships and family relationships
  • Etiquette skills and appropriate behaviors
  • Time management
  • Financial management
  • Goal setting
  • Career exploration

Here are some of our suggestions for helping kids acquire social and self management skills:

Middle School Etiquette: Teaching Communication Skills

Teaching Kids Life Skills: Etiquette When Visiting Others’ Homes

How Creative Kids Are Exploring Career Options

Teaching Kids Life Skills: Goal Setting

Teaching Kids Life Skills: Managing Schedules

Etiquette is an Important Life Skill to Focus on for Teens

How to Develop Social Skills Without Socialization

When we talk about life skills with our teens we mean all of the things that will help to make them successful and independent adults. Most of the skills teens need to learn are things that we, as adults, do every day. Activities such as preparing lunch or doing laundry have become so routine we usually do them without even thinking about them. As parents we can help to teach our teens life skills by being mindful of the daily life lessons we complete each day and actively involving our teens.

Citizenship and Community Involvement Skills

  • Volunteer and support the community
  • Comply with laws
  • Register to vote
  • Learn to drive, maintain a car, purchase insurance
  • Map reading, being familiar with surroundings

Here are some of our suggestions for helping kids acquire citizenship and community involvement skills:

Teaching Kids Life Skills: Flag Etiquette

5 Ways Teens Can Make a Difference in the World

20 Volunteer Ideas for Teens & Families

Learning on Vacation: Map Skills for Kids

When we talk about life skills with our teens we mean all of the things that will help to make them successful and independent adults. Most of the skills teens need to learn are things that we, as adults, do every day. Activities such as preparing lunch or doing laundry have become so routine we usually do them without even thinking about them. As parents we can help to teach our teens life skills by being mindful of the daily life lessons we complete each day and actively involving our teens.

What other important life skills are you teaching your teens? 

When we talk about life skills with our teens we mean all of the things that will help to make them successful and independent adults. Most of the skills teens need to learn are things that we, as adults, do every day. Activities such as preparing lunch or doing laundry have become so routine we usually do them without even thinking about them. As parents we can help to teach our teens life skills by being mindful of the daily life lessons we complete each day and actively involving our teens.

Looking for more ideas about how to effectively teach without a curriculum?  Check out this amazing list from our fellow bloggers at iHomeschool Network:

When we talk about life skills with our teens we mean all of the things that will help to make them successful and independent adults. Most of the skills teens need to learn are things that we, as adults, do every day. Activities such as preparing lunch or doing laundry have become so routine we usually do them without even thinking about them. As parents we can help to teach our teens life skills by being mindful of the daily life lessons we complete each day and actively involving our teens.

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