<p>How to leave a message when you’re calling an adult who doesn’t pick up. That person may not call you back just because they have a missed call.</p>
<p>^This is “impossible” skill any more. They do not check their messages, so they assume that nobody does. Sometime my D. remembers to leave a message, but frequently not, unfiamiliar way of communication…
We also have learned not to leave any messages with our grandkids for their parents, they do not understand at all what that means…this is beyond impossible for them…</p>
<p>It drives me nuts. I call my son, leave a message, and he calls me back without listening to the message. If the message was long enough, I make him hang up, listen to it, and then call me back.</p>
<p>^^^^ My boss actually has on his voicemail a message that says to not leave a message. He’s not going to listen to it anyway. You are instructed to text him instead…</p>
<p>Phone etiquette is a big one. While I’m 20 years old, I work in an office and often get those “Hey, is <em>insert name</em> there?” “No he/she isn’t in the office at the moment. Can I have your name so that I may leave him/her a message?”</p>
<p>Whenever I need to call my school (with a student body of about 30,000 students in 4 campuses around Florida) I immediately give my name, and my reason for calling. That way, they are aware of who they are speaking to (because that is always nice) and my situation so that either they can assist me or at least direct me to someone who can. </p>
<p>I’ve actually had to call my Sheriff’s Department’s non emergency line because my friend is so inarticulate on the phone that they can’t even take her seriously. She’s the same age as me but sounds 12 years old on the phone. Not necessarily by her tone of voice but her vocabulary voice and all those “ummmmm, huh?, ahhhh, nahh” that always seem to add 15 points to your IQ.</p>
<p>I think I know everything that is listed so far. </p>
<p>One lesson not yet mentioned, that I think is very helpful: when you meet someone introduce yourself, (find a way to say your name twice if it’s appropriate.) Make sure the other party knows your name and you know their name. Use their name when you talk to them - both to help you remember it and to connect with the person. It’s impossible to build connections if people don’t know who you are and if you don’t know who they are. </p>
<p>And also never burn bridges. Everyone has something to offer to you. The time may not be now, but you never know when they will be able to help you in the future. The flip side being to help out others when you can - they’ll be more likely to help you.</p>
<p>My parents and I have been discussing a lot about savings and investments lately. I’m surprised no one has mentioned this yet either.</p>
<p>Another one: appearances count. I tend to want to wear workout clothes and sneakers. My parents took me to the post office one day, when I was dressed like this and told me to pay attention to how the clerk treated me. Then a few weeks later my mom had me put on a pressed pair of jeans, nice shirt, clean shoes and took the same trip. Maybe the clerk was in a better mood, but there was a subtle difference in how she treated me - she was more responsive to my conversation and told me to have a nice day.</p>
<p>And one from my trainer - if you aren’t tired at the end of the day, you didn’t do enough. What part of life did you miss out on that day?</p>
<p>Finally, there’s more than one way to solve any problem.</p>
<p>The campus doctor (not me) taught my sick son it is a good idea to wrap a scarf around your mouth and nose when walking outside in the winter. </p>
<p>And after his sophomore year of college, my son asked to be taught how to iron a shirt (which his Dad has never done) and cook meat on the grill (which I have never done).</p>
<p>MidwestMom17–I have a package sitting on my desk with my “recipe” for grilling steaks and the steak seasoning I like to give to a college junior living in her first apartment. We were talking about grilling and she and her boyfriend had an “interesting” experience last week with some steaks. I told her what I do and will give her this for the next time. They are very good if I do say so myself!</p>
<p>I forgot to teach D about filling out forms at the doctors office (ie group number, insurance info our cards are a little confusing) we had given her the card before she left. First week of school she got sick and had to go to the doctor… the receptionist was very sweet and helped her find all the info on the card to put on the form…</p>
<p>When we were traveling to do college visits, H and I would get to the airport and make our kids navigate to the ticket counter, gate, rental car pickup, etc. I think this prepared them well for being able to navigate airports by themselves. </p>
<p>I didn’t realize til they started that neither of them really knew how to withdraw money from an ATM. But, that lesson takes about 20 seconds, so no big deal.</p>
<p>Also teach them how to hail and pay taxi, and how to figure out a tip in a restaurant.</p>
<p>I go to school in Oregon, and I’ve met kids here who grew up in the state and have been driving since they were 16 but never learned how to pump gas (you can’t pump your own gas in Oregon, for those who don’t know). It’s kind of hilarious.</p>
<p>Re posts #16 and #70: QMP had no difficulty withdrawing money from an ATM without instructions. But I have no evidence of QMP’s ability to deposit money in an account. :)</p>
<p>I need to learn how to iron a shirt…</p>
<p>Hunt–hailing taxi’s is illegal in our state…</p>
<p>If you move, make sure you let the kids know what their new address is…we forgot to do that when we moved here, right before our oldest started high school-oops.</p>
<p>Memorize your social security number!</p>
<p>I’ll say the obvious one - learn how to swim. It astounds me how many people are utterly helpless in the water…</p>
<p>“They do not check their messages,” - True. You might as well just hang up and le them see Missed Call. Or sent a text with brief message or “please call me” request. </p>
<p>I tried (with not to much success( to teach the concept of “backup plan” for meeting place/time, in case somebody’s cellphone is dead or not getting a signal.</p>
<p>Here are a few not mentioned. ( we live in Colorado)both we considered a life skill that could be life saving.</p>
<p>Both D’s learned to drive a stick shift car- (we intentionally bought a stick shift car) -in case they were stranded or had to drive another persons car- yup both then had circumstances- one D (at 21) drove a new car home for a male friend because he was embarrassed he could not drive one- she also taught him how to drive it. other D had to help a guy who owned one to get home -he was sick. This idea was H’s.</p>
<p>Both D’s (at age 17 and 23) one summer took a ‘Wolfer course’ which is a like 10 day long wilderness first responder course when you are out in the middle of no where without medical help with no equipment- it included a CPR course. Both have been in circumstances where they have already used the knowledge- one guy had a seizure and dropped in front of D and everyone panicked but her and other D had circumstances the first day in a habitat for humanity in east asia a guy had an acute hernia. The idea to take the course was D1’s.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I had many life skills when I went off to college. Buttons, ironing, balance a checkbook, write a resume, change a tire, check oil, … . I don’t think I knew any of that. I think I barely knew how to wash and dry clothes. Somehow, I survived. Went to three of HYPSM, had some pretty good jobs and now run my own company. I still can’t iron a shirt or sew on a button and wouldn’t know how to handle a carpet spill.</p>
<p>In the Shawbridge family, I doubt ShawSon can iron a shirt or sew a button. ShawD can definitely do the later as she has designed and sewn dresses (not from a pattern). Neither writes checks, though that is about to change for ShawD. I’m still handling money to a large extent – they deposit money they make in an account and pay for it with credit or debit cards that are paid from that account.</p>
<p>Both are excellent cooks – want a pavlova with pureed raspberry sauce (ShawD) or homemade tomato sauce for pasta or curried shrimp (ShawSon)? ShawSon cooked each night this summer for his fellow dormmates and makes breakfast in bed for GF. ShawD is cooking 2 nights out of three in her apartment and one of her roommates does the cleanup (she apparently can only cook pasta). They know how to reorder prescriptions and leave messages.</p>
<p>Incidentally, I use software or Google Voice to transcribe my emails so I never have to listen to messages (unless the transcription is so garbled). I have set that up on all of my family members’ phones.</p>
<p>Both are responsible kids and will learn what they need when they need it (likely by calling me the first time). </p>
<p>I like a couple of items on Forever58’s list.</p>