Well, we did it! She made the decision and now we’re looking toward August and the day when she will leave home. We don’t know what that will look like exactly with the Coranavirus in town, but we have to make plans that she may be moving away. She is ready to launch out on her own now!
When you think about your child moving out of your home, it can be a daunting idea. Are they ready? Did I teach them everything? I truly believe one of the first things they need to know, is that they don’t know it all and they can learn from others, from research, and from reading. Being a life-long learner will help anyone achieve their dreams.
But there are some specific things I can impart to her before she steps out into the world. What are some things I would want her to know and prepare? I made a list of 15 items – these are practical things you can do to make sure they are ready for life. We’ve been working on these all along, but now we’re double-checking that she’s ready to go.
Fifteen Things to Teach Your Senior
- How to spend time with the Lord, listen for His direction in your life, and get involved in church life
- How to deal with the current worldview issues of the day – where your family stands on cultural issues like racism, abortion, politics, submission to authority, etc. and equip them with the skills and resources to research and learn on their own
- How to serve others and give back
- How to manage a work and school schedule in order to meet deadlines, balance your life, and have good exercise and diet systems to manage stress
- How to manage your money in three ways: spending, savings, giving. This should include: balancing a checking account, setting a budget, how to deposit and withdraw money at the bank, and get cash back at a store.
- How to interview for a job/scholarship
- Dealing with conflict at work and in relationships – how to manage yourself in stressful situations and how to approach someone to discuss issues
- Car maintenance – cleaning the car, putting on new wiper blades, changing a tire, checking the oil, checking the tire pressure and putting air into the tires.
- Managing your stuff: keeping things like clothing and toiletries neat and organized, calendar management, how to RSVP, replying in a timely manner to emails
- How to do some basic cooking, laundry, and cleaning skills in the home
- Healthcare basics – How to make a doctor appt., what is routine vs emergency care, what normal annual visits are about, both for medical and dental, how we should take care of ourselves, learning to fill out forms, and pick up prescriptions
- How to vote – get them registered and help them through their first voting process
- How to drive defensively and how to avoid dangerous situations
- How to get stamps, address envelopes, ship packages,
- How to travel – pack a suitcase, get a passport, manage your luggage in an airport or hotel room
These are some of the things we have focused on in raising our children. Do you have something else to add to the list? Let me know in the comments!
Blessings,
Michelle