Life skills for teenagers - what have I forgotten?

[MardyBra]

I have a teenager and a nearly teenager. I'm sure I've forgotten some things I need to teach them before they fly the nest.

For starters:

How to change a fuse and a lightbulb.

Basic cooking skills. Lots of subcategories here - how to make a decent roast, bechamel sauce, whip up a few easy meals, chop an onion properly.

Basic Sewing I'm sadly lacking in this area. Despite my mother's efforts, I can barely sew on a button. Will delegate to granny.

How to tip

How to shuffle and deal cards Admittedly not a biggie.

Most importantly - how not to be an arse

There's lots more, I know.

[TwelveLeggedWalk]

How to keep your drink from being spiked
What to do if a condom splits
How to recognise the signs of meningitis

[Still18atheart]

how to make a bed
how to clean their room & toilet
how to iron
how to fill out a tax form
how to budget

[ImNotBloody14]

How to grow veg, care for chickens, and basically how to survive well on very little cost by raising/ growing their own food.

How to see the possible uses of an item/ think beyond it's obvious purpose.

How to make money in more ways than just their employed job. Or to see the value in the various skills they possess and use it to barter/earn extra cash.

How to cook frugally, without waste, in batches, but healthily.

As you can see mine are all about surviving on very little- im skint and wish i was better at dealing with it

[BackforGood]

JammyDodger - you should use ICE (in case of emergency) in your phone, then everyone is looking for the same thing if there's an emergency, as Seagulls said.


I hope when mine leave home that they go knowing that they can always ask for help if they need it.

[curlew]

How to accept a compliment charmingly.
How to let somebody down gently.
How to win, and lose, gracefully.
To realise the importance of kindness.

[ivykaty44]

I have more than one ICE contact in my phone - but I have darling daughter and dad before the names - so then not on;y are they ice contacts the person knows who they are speaking to before the person answers, my dd1 is a fully grown adult and that is why she is ICE my other daughter is labelled darling daughter but doesn't have ice before her name.

[BlackMini]

I consider myself to be very independent, have been living alone for 3 years, but I feel I need some of you to come and teach me some of these skills!

[FishfingersAreOK]

This is from last summer but really stuck in my head. m.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jul/28/modern-teenage-rite-of-passage

[imademarion]

Wish I'd known some if these myself! Esp how to apologise and how to accept a compliment.

I was hopelessly impractical but could order confidently in fancy restaurants, swear fabulously in several languages, mix excellent cocktails and roll a spliff with twelve papers.

I never had problems finding people to sew in a button for me...

[jazzcat28]

Re the ICE numbers in phones - this doesn't help if your phone has a pin to unlock it. Always make sure you have a business card of ICE contacts in your purse/car so emergency services find it when they look for your ID.

At work we have a sticker on the back of our ID cards which we carry at all times for this purpose

[BikeRunSki]

ICE in my phone would get you the Institution of Civil Engineers Paramedic friend says that they always look for " home" first, then " mum".

[BikeRunSki]

Many years ago I sewed a button on for my male flatmate so he could go out with a new girl in his pulling shirt. In return, he roasted a chicken for me ( veggie) to entertain a young gentleman. That was in 1997, and we are now both married to the people we were seeing that night. So sometimes it helps to be a bit helpless..... .

[EduCated]

Ah Bike, that's an ace story

[BackforGood]

Ah - well it was a paramedic friend of mine that first told me about ICE :-)
Jazz - my phone's not that posh, but you are right of course.

[scoutfinch1]

To be confident making 'proper' phone calls e.g to banks, companies, even ringing a taxi or takeaway is good practice.

Moneysense- avoid store cards, interest rates, bank accounts, savings, direct debits, budgeting etc.

In house fire safety- checking doors, electrical fires, cooking fires etc.

What to do if they feel threatened, think someone is following them etc.

How to have a safe night out. Don't leave drinks unattended. What to do if you think your drink has been spiked. Don't use unlicensed taxis. How to take care of drunk friends.

How to use public transport including flying.

How to complain politely and how to return goods to shops.

How to find jobs, write a C.V and behave in a job interview.

How to read a payslip/ tax forms.

How to behave and feel comfortable in a nice restaurant

How to resist peer pressure.

How to shop on a budget

How to pay bills

As well as everything else already mentioned. Wow there are lots. It is great that you are thinking of this now OP. It is shocking how many people I remember at uni that were completely incapable of basic tasks or lacked basic 'street sense'

[scoutfinch1]

Another few to add but it would be good to teach them what certain organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, Womens Aid, Samaritans etc do and how to contact them if you or a friend needed to.

How to locate and register for services such as a GP and dentists. How to find Sexual Health services such as testing, morning after pill, contraception and give them the confidence to use them if necessary. When to make a GP appointment, when to ring NHS direct etc and when to go to the hospital.

How to travel safely, where to keep important documents, dangers of pickpockets, what to do if abroad and something goes wrong.

How to shop for and buy travel/car/home/contents insurance.

How to set heating systems and boilers. How to turn off the gas or water.

Some of these might be a bit far off for your pre-teen but worth thinking about for when they are a bit older.

[MardyBra]

Just discovered another one. How to wrap a present. Neatly.

[themaltesefalcon]

How to put on makeup, check your stockings for ladders, dress professionally. It's mortifying to have a colleague or boss kindly point this stuff out when they're 17 or 18.

[BerkshireMum]

I love this thread - and need to cut and paste the ideas before it disappears.

[Capitola]

Def making a bed - my teen recently went on school trip and was the only boy in his room that could happily put a duvet cover, pillowcase and sheet on. Shockers.

[Mabelface]

How to relate to work colleagues and employers.
How to have a good work ethic.
Take the time to learn to spell properly and use correct grammar.
Read, read and read some more.
Keep up to date with current affairs. It's very useful to know what is going on in the world.
How to meal plan.
Always keep a condom or two in your bag or wallet.
Know when to buy new shoes (lads especially!)
Remember that you can find really good clothes in charity shops for very little money.

[JenaiMorris]

I can't do some of these things.

I am 40

[JenaiMorris]

The difference between antiperspirant and deodorant.

[MardyBra]

Don't worry Jenai. Neither can I. But they're all useful ideas.

[MardyBra]

I've never quartered a chicken for example. I either buy portions or roast it whole.