Parents and caregivers are constantly teaching life skills to children who watch and learn. Though example, discussion, reading and rules, parents teach children how to manage their world. According to the U.S. Department of Education, children typically take on their parents' values. Children need continuous reinforcement of life skills parents want to instill in them.
Step 1
Provide your child with options to teach decision-making skills. According to Education.com, you can start with children as young as 3 by offering a choice between apple and orange juice, or the blue shirt or red shirt. Older children can help plan family activities by the time they are 8; adolescents should be encouraged to choose their own sports or hobbies.
Step 2
Discuss your child's decision-making process to find out why she makes certain choices. Talk about the consequences of her decisions. Guide her to think in different ways. For example, while your child may choose to go out for cheerleading, it may be because she thinks she will be more popular. If you help her consider her future, however, she may realize she is better suited to actually compete on a sports team.
Step 3
Explain your house rules and any expectations you have of your child and stick to them. You may need to repeat the fundamental principles by which you live and expect your child to live by. According to the Child Development Institute, the main reason children do not develop healthy life skills, even when parents are well intentioned, is because of inconsistency.
Step 4
Teach children how to manage money by setting up various funds and helping them decide into which fund their gifts and allowances should go. According to TheMint.org, if children don't start early managing their money and thinking about the long-term effects of their spending, they will have a difficult time sticking to budgets as adults.
Step 5
Use four jars and label them accordingly. Label one jar as the source of savings for a long-term goal. Another jar can be used for money that's available for immediate use; another is for savings. Use money lessons to incorporate teachings about charity and giving that are an integral part of your value system by labeling the fourth jar "charitable contributions."
Step 6
Involve kids in meal planning and grocery shopping so they can begin to understand nutrition and appropriate weight control. According to Life Skills 4 Kids, children are becoming obese in record numbers because of sedentary lifestyles and parents who don't teach the life skills needed to understand the role of food.
Tips and Warnings
- Remember that your kids are watching. When you are faced with a situation that calls for a value judgment, explain to your kids the dilemma and how you go about making a decision to handle it. Allow them to know your decision-making process, what variables you consider when making a decision and what consequences you hope to achieve. Keep them in the loop as the situation plays out so they can understand how the process works.
- According to the Child Development Institute, parents must set realistic expectations for their children to build an environment in which the child can be successful. For example, expecting a 4-year-old to choose the best preschool is unrealistic, and forcing an adolescent to stop worrying about what her friends think is impossible. Consider children's social and emotional development when placing expectations on them.
Things You'll Need
- Four labeled jars
- Money
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