Life Lessons You Should Teach Your Kids Today

As parents, we constantly look for ways to make sure that our children have everything they need while growing up. They need their basic needs covered, of course, but they’ll also be watching your every step closely in order to learn from you so that they can grow up to be just like the parents they adore.

Sometimes, however, we need to step in and ensure that they’re being taught the kind of stuff that will make them better people and that will make their lives a bit easier for them. While they can definitely learn these lessons the hard way too, it’s going to save them both money and friends if you teach them this first.

Here is a handful of topics you should go over with your kids so that they can become clever and knowledgeable little people when they’re out there in the big world. It just makes it so much easier to feel that you’ve done a decent enough job when they’re fully grown and ready to leave the nest for good.

Teach Them Character And Gratitude

It’s very important for the younger generation today to learn to be grateful for what they have. Technology is nice to have, but it can also unknowingly cause unnecessary stress and jealousy to these kids as they grow older. When teenagers see a lot of social media posts that are “filtered” to emulate seemingly perfect lives, it’s not surprising that children are under so much pressure. Another most important life lesson to teach your kids is to be generous–you can help your kids learn the value of giving back to the community. One way to do this is by getting them into charity or helping them with their chosen charity. If you are financially blessed, you can even get your kids to work in return for some donations or grants they can receive. This will teach them to be responsible for spending their money and it’ll also give them a chance to give back to the community. Most importantly, it gives them a wider horizon than the one they’re used to. This enables your kids to have more gratitude for what they have.

Teach them about politics

Sure, they’re going to cover these topics at school as well – but what about teaching them that people have different opinions and that they need to learn to listen to others and take them into consideration?

While the schools will cover all the dry stuff and perhaps make them have a few debates, it’s so easy to enter an echo chamber when you’re a kid or a teen where everyone confirms your own beliefs. Growing up in a household of people with different political views can, in fact, be rather healthy as they’ll learn to listen to and respect other people’s opinions.

Although it may seem like your child isn’t always listening to what you have to say, they are still paying attention to what you’re doing and subconsciously allowing you to shape their behavior. They’d never admit to it, though so don’t let them know that you’re aware of your power.

Start by trying to make them a bit more interested in politics and perhaps engaged enough to have an opinion of their own. In order to make your kids a bit more interested in politics, you will need to set a good example. Start by talking about what’s happening in society today, involve them in the conversations when you’re discussing politics, and allow them to form a different point of views as well.

Politics are, after all, not black and white and it’s perfectly alright to share a few opinions from various sides of the political spectrum – and it might open for a few healthy conversations at home.

Share your own opinion on the matter, first of all, give them the tools to learn more about democracy, and let them know that you expect them to have an opinion of their own.

It might be a good idea to point to a few real-time examples while you’re teaching them about politics, by the way, to make it easier for them to connect the dots; if something is happening abroad, for example, ask them about how this works in your country and whether or not they think the system is working.

It’s the kind of stuff that builds more tolerant and knowledgeable people. In case you’re wondering about more than just what they’re teaching your kid at school, you should have a look at this article on behavior problems in school so that you get to read up on the topic. It’s good for both you and your kid when you get a bit more involved, you know.

Talk about saving and investing

Another important topic to have with your kid as soon as possible is, of course, that of money. So many young adults overspend as they’ve never been taught basic budgeting skills – and, in most instances, schools don’t cover this topic well enough. You have to teach your kids the value of a dollar.

Most children would like to spend all the money they get at once but try to talk to them about how they can save the money they get instead. They might be able to save up for something that’s a bit bigger than a candy bar, for example, and you could end up teaching them an important life lesson about how we can get what we want, in the end, if we’re patient and willing to work for it.

Your kids should be taught that money has no worth unless it’s used wisely. They can also learn the importance of savings. You can explain to them that if they want to spend money and they’re not able to save it, they might end up living below their means. This is one of the most basic yet most vital life lessons to teach your kids because, in the long run, it will bring security when they have financial stability.

In case they are already teenagers, you should sit down with them and have a look at this article and advise them on how to avoid paying down their loans for the next couple of decades. It’s the kind of stuff everyone should know about and it will help them to avoid ending up in an ocean of debt by the time they graduate college.

Another way to make your kids a bit more aware of the value of money is to help them keep track of everything they spend. Draw a line between the amount of money and how long they would have to work for something they want; is the purchase worth the work they’d have to put in?

That way, you’ll be able to raise children who understand where the money comes from and what it means to save, invest, and stick to a budget. It’s the kind of people the world needs more of.

Remember to teach them household skills

Finally, you need to think about the one topic that most parents skimp on. It’s almost as if they’ve come to a silent agreement with their children about how they’re going to take care of everything in the home – and, as a result, the kids barely know how to cook and clean for themselves.

Do them a huge favour and involve them a bit in the household. Cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and even fixing those small things around the home are all skills that they will have to learn one day. Take care of it sooner rather than later so that your kids can grow into responsible and knowledgeable little adults.

Even when your kids are still toddlers, you can teach them basic household skills by involving them with your day-to-day activities. You can make this a fun family activity they’ll be willing to engage in by using playful tactics like playing a clean up song.