To ask what skills you think your children need to adult ?

[adultingskills]

At a dinner party last night and the conversation turned to this and I thought it was v interesting!

What do you want your kids to know how to do?
Some answers were:
Drive
Swim
Cook
Mix cocktails

What else?

Budgeting. And understanding what they'll need to budget for. I went through this point by point with my niece who was under the impression she could afford to get her own place as a 20yo on minimum wage. Gas, electric, water, council tax, internet, contract for servicing the boiler, insurance, everything. Did the sums on paper in front of her and once I'd explained the new concept of council tax she finally saw the point. Her parents are hopeless.

To job hunt, and apply for jobs on their own.

Cleaning (day to day and deep cleaning)
Organisation
Strong life admin
Cooking for self and others, confidently
Hosting with ease
Small talk and chit chat with everyone from a cleaner to a ceo
Answer the phone properly
Business etiquette
Confidence in handling difficult situations
Calmness in crisis

I can’t drive or swim, and I can assure you I’m a functioning adult.

@foreverbasil makes some good points. I’d also focus on the things so many Mners seem underskilled at — to be able to talk to anyone, to be able to circulate confidently and with enjoyment in a room of strangers, being multilingual, confident public speaking, the ability to enjoy being alone, the ability to make and retain good, sustaining friendships, and to handle disagreements and disappointments within those friendships, the confidence to try new things, to fail gracefully etc.

Learn how to think critically, so you are not taken down Internet rabbit holes or believe all you read online.

To be resilient and capable adults who are able to conduct themselves well socially and professionally.
To have a good work ethic
To be prepared to learn from those more experienced than themselves
The rest is just practical knowledge they can pick up as they go along

And to have empathy for others and a social conscience

There are some very subjective opinions on this thread. I've rarely drunk a cocktail, not on my radar at all! ...champagne is for weddings so hardly features.
I'd add be confident using public transport. I know several adults who are fearful of trains and will not use them.
Being able to do basic household maintenance and decorating.
Basic first aid.

Say or send a thank you note in a timely fashion

Manage money.
Keep a home reasonably- so tidying/ bills/ shopping
Self care- e.g. how to get appointments for relevant services, how to keep self healthy- food, exercise, alcohol etc
Relationships with others- how to treat others, what you should expect and what would be a red flag

Critical thinking.
I also taught mine how to clean a bathroom, including the toilet, before they went off to uni. They were amazed by fellow students' complete inability to clean a loo!

Know the difference between nouns and verbs.
Know the importance, or lack of, of alcohol in life.
Know how to do all the things successful adults do, which will depend on the type of adult, where they live, who they live with, what they do, where they go, their environment, their abilities and disabilities, whether they’re male or female….etc.

This is a meaningless question.

As the parent of a teen and living near the beach it is reassuring to know she is a competent first aider and lifeguard so when she's out I know she's equipped to make the best decision possible.

For an adult though
Ambition
Work ethic
Resilience
Delayed gratification

How to manage their budget without accruing debt (other than mortgage or education).
How to live as an independent adult- cooking, cleaning, health, travel etc
How to read between the lines, look for the facts in the massive amount of information that's thrown at them every day.
How to say no.

I agree that swimming is not necessary... but water safety is very important. Everyone should know their limitations.

Some answers were:
Drive
Swim
Cook
Mix cocktails

Well, I'm 46 and I can swim a mean doggy paddle. 😂

#FailureToLaunch

There is some excellent advice and suggestions on here.

I have a niece who is 3 weeks older than DD. DN cannot/ will not order food confidently in a restaurant or make a phone call. She can’t make eye contact with a waitress or waiter and has no small talk or social skills. DD is able to do all of the above and honestly I’m relieved.

I work in a high school and I’d say over half the kids have never made a phone call.