Educating at Home with Life Skills
Due to the pandemic educating at home has really changed. This was a huge change for parents and children, as well as educators. The number one educator has always been family. Children learn by their environment and their psychosocial development begins from birth and interact with family and close friends.
Life skills can help prepare children for life as well as compliment their academics from school. I used to take my children shopping with me. When they were old enough I started showing them how to read the labels and price tags on the shelves so they could decide which buy was the better deal and save money. Family budgeting and taxes should be in the high curriculums. I have ma a list of a few suggestions from a young age to older that you can do to help your child:
Make sure they get physical activity at a young age and learn simple motor skills. From picking things up to crawling and walking. Rolling a ball is always fun for little one and parent.
Read to them and sing to them. Even when a child is young this is important to learn verbal skills. When they are talking ask them to read to you let them use their imagination and tell you a story by what they see in the pictures.
Teach them to pick up toys and how to put things away. Putting things in a waste basket or even taking a dish to the sink. My rule is if you can take it out you can put it back. The sooner they learn the sooner it becomes habit.
Writing and coloring. By the time they were 3 my kids could write their names if nothing else. Get a writing utensils in their hands and let them scribble at a young age. It may take a lot of time to teach, but let them get use to the skill. My oldest when he was as little as 11 months I got a non toxic homemade recipe for finger paint and sat him in his highchair and let him paint. He loves creating art to this day using many different materials.
By age 3 or 4 if they do not know how they should be learning to dress themselves and bathe themselves. Also matching socks, coaster sets, or other things is a good activity. They should be singing songs, learning shapes, know the alphabet, numbers and colors.
Begin teaching simple board games like candyland and matching at a young age.
Helping with household chores can be started young. The older they are the more they can learn. At age 14 or 15 my kids each did their own laundry.
By age 4 or 5 they should be learning their address and phone number.
At 6 years old a child can learn basic cooking. Well they can make toast, make a sandwich, little things.
As they grow older teach more challenging chores and teach more advanced cooking that is age appropriate.
When they are old enough have them help with the store list and doing shopping. I used to keep a dry erase board on the refrigerator and when something was out of when we needed something anyone could write it on the list.
Socializing with friends and family. Going to movies, restaurants and museums. A lot of these things have changed due to the andemic, but there are still ways to do this. Socializing online, museums even have virtual tours, and you can host a movie night.
Get them a house plant or a small pet to care for as they get older. to teach them responsibility and caring for others.
Teach them how to save money, do a simple budget, and simple taxes when they are the appropriate age. Even if they do not work around age 16 is a good time to talk about money. Actually before, but at least at age 16.
Support them in leaving home and being an adult. Look at your adult life. What do you do daily? What life skills can you teach your child that they do not have or should? What did you not learn until you were on your own that you wish you had known before? Budgeting, cooking meals, laundry, chores, taxes, and more that they need to know. Home economics, shop class, and many other classes are no longer in a lot of public schools. Just remember there are so many things they can learn from home to make their life successful.