For us; one of the purposes of homeschooling is to help our children become a force of nature for good in society as adults. But how do you get from diapers to discipling? There are so many skills that many of today’s adults are missing from their repertoire that really shouldn’t be.
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
– Fold a fitted sheet
– unload and reload the dishwasher
– change a diaper, when to use what kind of cream, etc
– drive a manual transmission vehicle
– how to budget
– how to navigate their health insurance plan
– register and learn the process for voting
– how to mend some of their garments
– how to write/ send a letter
– tithing/donating
– an address book with the names, numbers, birthdays, and addresses of people they love.
– how to find/choose and PRAY FOR a good church in a new place
– how to find/choose and PRAY FOR a good spouse
– Apply for a tax file number
– Open a bank account
– Change a tire
– Check oil and water
– How to dust a house
– How to choose good car/house/personal insurance.
– Change a leaky tap washer.
– Paint a room. or furniture
– How to deal with electricity control box – read meter/find tripped switches/locate and isolate different areas of power in the house etc.
– How to understand various bills – rates, water, electricity, gas, phone/internet.
– gun safety and proficiency
– self defense
– advanced first aid
– creating a resume
– online job applications
– filling out a w2 form
– answering phones for a business environment
– customer service etiquette
– emergency preparedness
– patching and painting drywall
– install interior doors
– house work had to be done on days off/in free time
– Budgeting and how to balance an account
– Menu planning (wiith a revolving tried and true dinner recipes for a month)
– how to do individual chores but how to look at a room and identify all the things that need to be done to keep it clean & well maintained
– Addressing an envelope
– Reading a contract
– Yard work of all kinds
– grocery shopping & couponing
– Comparing prices of items to find the better deal/ lower cost per ounce
-License and vehicle registration/renewal
-Credit cards/debt management
-Accessing credit report and how to build credit score
-Home upkeep they may not have paid attention to as kids, such as replacing fire alarm batteries, cleaning gutters, replacing central air filters
-How to respond to a car accident
-Birds and bees, birth control methods
– Online bill payment
– If they take any medication, have allergies, and/or heath problems make sure they know and can either keep a list handy or remember this information.
– CPR/basic first aid
– computer maintenance
– how to write meaningful thank you notes and sympathy cards
– buying a home
– how to buy/sell a used car
– what to keep/for how long/what to shred and when
– Maintaining all the important legal documents
– how to create a Will
– How to take care of their body: nutrition (vitamins, minerals, gut brain connection, exercise, rest, how to relax when super stressed, what antibiotics do, how vaccines work, fertility)
– basic car maintenance
– how to read an old school map
– renewing driver’s license and passport
– Set and keep a budget.
– Change a furnace filter and fire alarm batteries
– Re-secure a tension rod (shower curtain, etc)
– Light a pilot (gas stove/hot water heater)
– Check a toilet tank if the chain gets stuck and the tank doesn’t seal
– Locate and operate pipe shutoffs
– Snake a drain
– Basic gardening
– How to pack up a house. Chuck, donate, minimize.
– how to be their own health care advocate
– HOW to file a complaint against a healthcare provider
– party planning: scheduling, getting supplies, set up, and being host
– INVESTING
– Basic sewing skills: buttons, repair seams/hems.
– Make appointments: doctors, dentists, repairmen
– Apologizing (especially without using the word “but.”)
– How to use basic tools and power tools
– How to use jumper cables to jumpstart a vehicle
– how to trade and bargain
– Mastering the art of laundry and how to treat different types of fabric for longevity
– Gathering and storing food for the off season
– Gathering and foraging (even if you live in an urban area)
– clothing repair (buttons, rips, seams, etc)
– learn/understand the work that goes into our food like eggs, milk, meat, etc
– how to maintain your morals and ethics in a work environment that may want you to alter them
– time management
– How to arrange furniture and decorate walls, etc.
– fire drills, tornado drills, earthquake drills
– How and when to declutter
– How to have a yard/garage sale
– How to get background checks (a variety of them)
– Know when to go to the doctor office, immediate care, or emergency room
– fix/maintain a bike
– Setting healthy boundaries with difficult people
– basic carpentry and some construction skills
– How to resist and deflect salesman pressure (auto, furniture, insurance, etc)
– How to mail a letter and package at the post office, & certified letter with a proof of delivery
– How to get registration and tags for a vehicle
– Cooking for someone on a limited diet without using salad
– How to plan (for a month, year, decade) and how to set goals
Any time I find myself learning something new, I try to draw my kids into it so they can learn it NOW. It does a few things: shows them how to do it; that adults sometimes struggle with things, too; that you are forever learning.
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list; so here are some great resources:
