Basic independence skills you can teach your children ideas please

[nevernotstruggling]

I've just showed the 8 and 11 year old dds how to inflate tyres at the petrol station. They quite enjoyed that 😂. I need ideas on what else I can do with them and make a list. Obviously I can think of more than the above but really curious and want to get a broad spectrum.

I didn't learn how to do quite a lot of things until I was a lone parent that I now know can be googled/don't need a professional/can be done at home for free. Not because I thought I needed a man but more a lack of confidence/initiative thing.
Except building a shed alone. That was too effing much.

I can think of ways you could turn this to your advantage. Surely they'd enjoy:

• loading and unloading the washing machine
• using the hoover
• sweeping the patio
• mowing the lawn

😉

Rewriring a plug
Cooking and food prep
How to recycle properly, checking the labels.

Changing a light bulb.

Basic DIY skills, so how to drill into different kinds of walls, put up a shelf, etc.

Literally hundreds of ideas on the Scouts website and easy how to guides too.

www.scouts.org.uk/information-for-parents/what-do-scouts-do/

Sewing on buttons
Hanging a picture
Meal planning/ Cooking
Budgeting
Looking up the best route to get somewhere

As things need doing like decorating get them to help

I have an top up keypad for our electricity, I taught my two how to top up the electricity and where the fuse board is and how to reset if a fuse blows.
How to read a bus/train timetable.
Cooking a few basic meals from scratch.

I've started a list of my own for my DC, this is what I have so far, based on things I wish I'd been taught as a kid.

• what the symbols mean on clothes labels for laundry,
• how to prep and cook a variety of meals,
• how to check a cars oil and water,
• how to change a lightbulb,
• how to change a fuse,
• how to assemble flat packed furniture,
• how to budget their money,
• how to change the bedding,
• how to call the emergency services,
• how to swim,
• how to change a babies nappy,
• how to clean a bathroom.

We live in London so I always got the kids to ‘lead the way’ by looking at the tube map and following the signs to the right line and platform.

Same with buses: look out for approaching buses and tell me which one to stop.

Give them sections of shopping list in the supermarket

Mine did the screen wash from about 12 but I supervised propping the bonnet up.

Check the weather report before a day out and suggest what clothing to take.

@Brackenandbramble

I have an top up keypad for our electricity, I taught my two how to top up the electricity and where the fuse board is and how to reset if a fuse blows. How to read a bus/train timetable. Cooking a few basic meals from scratch.

The timetable one is exactly what I mean and also the meter readings will add that

And the fuses I only did that the other day

@Mommabear20

I've started a list of my own for my DC, this is what I have so far, based on things I wish I'd been taught as a kid.

• what the symbols mean on clothes labels for laundry,
• how to prep and cook a variety of meals,
• how to check a cars oil and water,
• how to change a lightbulb,
• how to change a fuse,
• how to assemble flat packed furniture,
• how to budget their money,
• how to change the bedding,
• how to call the emergency services,
• how to swim,
• how to change a babies nappy,
• how to clean a bathroom.

Now we're flying ❤️

Bike maintenance.
Yes to the decorating - my ds rollered his bedroom walls while I did the cutting in at the beginning of lockdown last year.
Cooking skills like cooking rice, pasta, eggs in various guises etc

Sewing on buttons, ironing, using the washing machine and dishwasher, setting a central heating controller, a basic repertoire of meals to cook, making and stripping beds, cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, washing up by hand effectively, vacuuming, sweeping and mopping floors (had to teach a pair of year 9s how to sweep not that long ago), refilling washer fluid in the car, checking tyres and oil, packing a suitcase or rucksack, meal planning and budgeting... The list goes on!

I learnt to rewire a plug at school but I have never, ever in my 46 years had occasion to do so.

Cooking - all aspects of.
Meal planning
Shopping according to a budget and meal plan (finding best value pack size etc)

Changing a tire
Refilling windscreen wash
Changing a car lightbulb

Changing a house lightbulb
Locating fuse box and checking for blown fuse

What to do in an emergency at home or out

How to hang a picture/ mirror

How to paint a room...

How to light a camp fire, barbecue, wood fire in a fireplace

How to use all household appliances - hoover, washing machine, dryer, iron, dishwasher... lawnmower (ideally cordless).

Give them a fiver each and let them plan a meal and cook it.

How humane mouse traps work is always a good one, just in case they ever get a little pest.

My DS was recently treated to "how to check the oil levels and screenwash" on my car. Who said the school holidays weren't exciting?

Definitely the 'how to screw into different types of walls'

I, until v recently, assumed you could just hammer away into any type of wall

Oh dear, I don’t know how to inflate tyres at the petrol station..

Whenever you eat out get them to add up the bill before the check arrives or if you are in a hurry get them to estimate how much it is expected to be

• so they will know how much things cost and will also know when a billing mistake is made.

Sewing (basic repairs) and bike maintenance especially surrounding chains, tires and making sure that bikes not used recently are roadworthy are good ideas above too.

Ah, building sheds.
DH and I have had literally 1 row in almost 30 years... and it was about putting the shed up!

How to hang washing correctly efficiently
How to make a budget spreadsheet
How to keep track of what they have left in the fridge, freezer, and cupboards.
How to repair clothing so they don't just throw away something because it needs a new button

How to calculate the amount of paint/wall paper needed.

How to cut out a pattern to maximise fabric but also get the direction right

How to clean a bathroom (clean from cleanest to grossest - a surprising number of adults don’t grasp that) - and more generally how to clean dirty/contaminated things without sparking off a health crisis

How to navigate - map reading is one component, also paying attention to landmarks, roughly telling time and direction by the sun, how to use google maps (I was shocked a couple of years ago on a trip with a group of university students to realise how many couldn’t use google maps)

How to touch type. Awesome skill!

Working out train timetables.

How to light a gas cooker. And why you don’t turn on a light switch if you smell gas!

Washing windows
Sorting laundry
Pegging out clothes and folding them when dry
Polishing shoes (yes, I still do this)
Threading a needle
Replacing shoelaces
Pruning a shrub, bush
Flower arranging
Weeding and basic gardening skills
Planting and growing anything
Bird, tree and plant recognition whenever possible in different and varied locations
Understanding counties and the composition of the UK. Great Britain and Ireland.
Continents and How to use a globe.

Basic first aid eg cold running water for a burn, pressing hard to stop blood flow, recovery position. Definite yes to calling emergency services.

Lifesaving.
What to do if they fall into water.

Yes to using buses, trains etc. I got mine to tell us all which one to get on, when to get off etc when we travelled together so they’d had plenty of practice by the time they had to do it on their own.

Definite yes to cooking and shopping too. Also explain about a balanced diet. There’s a reason parents go on about eating fruit and vegetables. (Or do they do that in school now).

Seems obvious, but how to ride a bike.

Writing a formal/business letter or maybe it’s just mine who were surprisingly clueless about that!