How To Teach Your Kids To Be Prepared For Life

As they say, children are our future. As adults, we need to teach them how to be prepared to handle this crazy world.

It breaks my heart to have to teach my children about the realities of life. I want them to stay young, adventurous, wild and carefree forever.

Unfortunately, we all have to grow up. We can still keep all of our child-like qualities, but we also need to know how to navigate the world in order to succeed as well as stay safe. Our school system will only teach so much (or little), so it’s up to us to fill in the many gaps that are left.

Here are 10 ways we can teach our kids to be prepared for life:

Teach them about finances – It’s extremely important for children to know about the value of a dollar. Teach them about budgets, about debt, how to save money, when to spend money, how to find deals, etc.
Show them where food comes from – Garden, hunt, fish, wild forage, etc. Show them that while it’s fine to buy groceries, we need to know where our food comes from and how it’s made.
Teach them respect – Not only should we show our children respect, but it’s a great lesson to teach them how to respect others. We all have to live on this orb we call Earth so let’s try to get along and show respect to each other. Open doors for others, say thank you and please, chew with your mouth closed, understand how to talk to people, etc.
Show them how to cook – Cooking seems to be a dying art. Sure, we see a ton of cooking shows on TV, but cooking shows don’t represent most of America. Eating out or ordering in are extremely common practices. Let’s show kids how to make our favorite meals right at home.
Encourage them to read – People seem to be reading less and less these days. Encourage them to read as often as possible; read with them not just at bed time but throughout the day.
Teach them to love the outdoors – So much can be learned from getting outdoors. Not only does it encourage us to stay healthy, but we can get back to our roots.
Show them how to stand up for themselves and others – Teach children right from wrong and when they should stand up for themselves and others. They should know how and when to use their voice. They should also know when injustice is happening to others, who can’t stand up for themselves, but also know when to run.
Encourage them to help out around the house – Doing chores is a great way to prepare them for living on their own, as well as contributing to the household. Kids love to help, make it fun! Don’t force them, but definitely encourage them and always lead by example. And remember that they’re kids and are always learning and might make mistakes. Be patient. They’ll have fun while learning valuable skills.
Teach them to be prepared – Teach them to keep a first aid kit handy at home in their vehicle. Teach them to check their carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms regularly. Teach them self-defense. Teach them survival skills. Teach them how to thrive during emergencies and disasters.
Show them how to fix things – Show them how to change oil in a car. How to change a lightbulb. How to paint. How to fix things around the house. Knowing how to fix things is a great confidence booster, as well as overall valuable skills.