6 life skills your kids must learn

Teaching begins at home. You can start with these essentials skills your kids must learn

6 Life Skills Your Kids Must Learn

Formal education is designed to give our kids a competitive edge in the workforce. It doesn’t purposefully cover life skills that we’d like our children to imbibe.

Parents need to create a distinctive curriculum for their offspring to prepare for a more meaningful life beyond academics. These skills can be taught by leading with example, heartfelt conversation and above all - trial and error.

So what are these skills that your kids must learn to be a functional adult? We bring to you a list of the six most important ones. Start GALLERY.

Critical thinking is a skill your kids must learn to question the status quo

The world is shaped by people who don’t follow the herd but who get heard. We need to learn from an early age to speak our minds. A conformist attitude without reasoning may lead to inflexibility. If you want your children to think out of the box and be the unique people that they are, they need to learn to ponder objectively for themselves instead of thinking with blinders on.

Adults can encourage critical thinking by asking more questions and offering fewer answers so that they are constrained by fewer assumptions, creating a more conducive atmosphere for innovative thinking.

Listening is a skill your kids must learn for better communication

Listening is one of the most sincere forms of respect. As a skill, it involves eye contact, alertness, receptive body language, interpretation and retention of information, and an attitude of tolerance. Listening is crucial for language development, learning how to focus and following directions.

One way to teach kids the relevance of listening is to repeat what they have said so that they know you were interested in what they were saying. While reading a story, pause and ask them to give a recap of the narration, so far. Sing nursery rhymes and leave out a word. Let your child guess the missing word.

Independence is a skill your kids must learn for self-reliance

Perpetually doing things for kids that they can do for themselves can lead to a ‘learned helplessness.’ Let your kids achieve small things like assisting in setting the table, undressing themselves, pouring water in a glass etc. to encourage confidence.

Instead of rushing to solve problems, let your kids come up with their own ways to fix things, with your strong presence in the background. The ‘I did it all by myself’ feeling can be very empowering for kids.

Saving is a skill kids must learn since money is a limited resource

Financial skills are imperative to navigate life. Mortgage crisis across the world indicates that adults have not really learnt enough lessons about money. Research indicates that monetary habits are formed as early as at the age of 7.

Delaying gratification – saving and waiting to buy something is an invaluable lesson. While shopping for daily staples, involve kids and ruminate aloud if the particular item is absolutely essential to buy. Is there an alternative? Can it wait? Is it worth it? This will help inculcate judicious spending habits.

Mindfulness is a skill kids must learn for emotional regulation

Mindfulness is about being present in the moment. It is about noticing and being in touch with our thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations. It goes a long way in teaching kids impulse control, helping curb issues like temper tantrums.

Though observing the rise and fall of their breath may not always be simple for kids, you can teach them mindful eating where they are encouraged to pay attention to the appearance, texture, smell and sensation of something as ordinary as a raisin. So, they are more likely to relish every bite, eat slowly and digest the food better. Maintaining a gratitude journal also goes a long way in acknowledging the abundance in their lives.

Social Skills are essential for kids to connect with others

It is these skills that help kids initiate social contact, share, interact with their peers and negotiate conflicts. In case of poor social skills, kids may end up feeling isolated. Social skills help them understand empathy, fair play and personal space. Letting kids take turns, handing toys to each other and teaching them how to be a good sport can help in cultivating compassion.