<p>So I'm sheltered and spoiled. Really sheltered and spoiled. I've never gotten an allowance or held down a job that paid, so I have no idea how to manage money. I just learned to pump gas a week ago, get hopelessly lost without (and with) my GPS, and can't cook anything except for pancakes. I live in the suburbs, and my parents think the bus is dangerous - so I have 0 street smarts. What kinds of "real-life" skills have you taught your kids before going off to college (serious and humorous acceptable)? Before landing their first job post-graduation?</p>
<p>How to use credit card responsibly. Scramble eggs. Laundry.</p>
<p>Write a reasonable business letter (or email).
Good for scholarship requests, job applications, etc.</p>
<p>thisyearfashion,</p>
<p>You sound like my daughter I think the fact that you acknowledge that you are sheltered and spoiled is good. Last summer, between her HS jr and sr years, my daughter did an internship program in NYC. She lived in a dorm with other HS kids doing other internships. The first few days, she called every morning wondering which subway to take (she had to take 3 to get to Brooklyn) and where she could find a Starbucks (none near her internship). After about a week (I had returned to CA b/c my conference in NYC had ended), the calls ended. When she did call, she would be talking to me and asking directions of a person on the street at the same time. I never got her to use a map, but she did become more resouceful and, as best I can tell, she did her laundry. The biggest problem, and I worry about this for next year, I don't think she ate--other than at Starbucks and the meals the program went out for as a group. I don't know that she ate anything in the dorm (other than grabbing a box of cereal if she had the time). Good luck, you' do fine.</p>
<p>Make sure you know how to write a check, balance a checkbook, and pay bills ON TIME, and you will be okay.</p>
<p>wow u=me...yay i found someone i could relate to on this website...</p>
<p>hmm uve gotta get a life dont spend as much as daddys money..wow(i should b saying this im the one who just spent that huge amount on that one outfit at the fashion show ::findsbranchhitsherselfw/it::)</p>
<p>Laundry, deposit a check, cook pizza and burritos in the microwave, and use the NYC and Boston public transportations systems. Not nearly enough IMO. Oh and he can troubleshoot a computer better than any of us, we're going to miss him there!</p>
<p>My husband taught our older kids (now college freshman and senior) how to do basic maintenance on their cars including changing tires, checking and changing the oil, and jump starting the car with my daughter who has a manual shift car. My daughter can cook anything. My son knows how to put frozen waffles in the toaster. He has zero interest in cooking. When he's home alone with his 13 year old brother, it's the younger one that will cook a real meal. Our youngest cooks dinner two nights a week, so I guess I'm not a complete failure as a cooking teacher.</p>
<p>Both understand how to travel alone via car, airplane, busses and trains. Well, not sure about my son and busses or trains but my daughter has navigated all of them, even out of the US alone. Biggest thing about travel (IMHO) is to have self confidence, bring maps and figure out alternate ways. </p>
<p>My daughter told us that when her flight was cancelled at the airport last week she found out before it was announced over the loud speaker because she had signed up for the text message alert on her cell phone on the American airline website. She immediately walked to the podium and dialed American at the same time to arrange another flight!</p>
<p>How to call a cab. Made D memorize phone numbers of 2 biggest cab companies in town. I also told her, if she ever comes home in a cab, there will be no questions asked, and I will pay for the fare. This, so she would never, ever, under any circumstances, drive under the influence, or even be forced to be in a car where the driver/passangers had been drinking.</p>
<p>Type at the speed of light
Make friends with lots of different types of people
All things transport--incl international solo travel first and third world, tubes and subways
Read voraciously
Talk sense when it is called for
Listen carefully
Laugh at everyone's jokes
Tell a joke
Kindness will be returned to you
When gretting a new person, shake hands, smile and look them in the eye
Children are a lot of work (mind your protection)
Marriage is a lot of work (wait for the fantastically capable low maintenance girl)
Know the difference between 'need' and 'want'.<br>
Lower your needs and be happy.
Eat veggies and fruit
Go to the gym and play intramural sports
Bleach is not detergent (one learned that the hard way)
Ask for advice and the world shall be yours.
Mom and Dad can wire money and credit cards to all corners of the earth.
Stretch yourself. Go for it. We've got your back.</p>
<p>thisyearsfashion... I agree that your parent's protectiveness of you has left you at a disadvantage -- but you can take initiative and start doing many things on your own. My d. has plenty of street smarts, but I'm going to list some of the things that she did without my urging or teaching: </p>
<p>She started cooking on her own, at age 4 - when I found her in the kitchen on a stool in front of the stove, standing over a skillet stirring her eggs. We had a discussion about safety and the need for me to be around to supervise- but after that I pretty much let her try whatever she wanted. Baking cookies was her favorite ...</p>
<p>My d. started riding the bus on her own, with friends, in middle school. They wanted to go to the mall, their moms wouldn't take them... hence, the bus. </p>
<p>She started doing her own laundry about the same time she started mall-shopping on her own, at around age 12. I found out why later when she missed an item while unloading the wash -- she didn't want me to see her newly-acquired thong underwear. </p>
<p>She also started looking for work in high school. It took a long time before she actually got her first job, but by that time she had definitely had plenty of experience in filling out job applications, being interviewed, and making persistent inquiries about the position after the interview. </p>
<p>Anyway: I think right now it is great that you recognize that you could use some more life skills. I'm sorry that your parents didn't teach you more -- but you can start taking initiative now - at least with things like cooking and laundry.</p>
<p>Thisyearsfashion,
Get a paying summer job quickly. Learn to deposit the paychecks, balance a checkbook; also get a 'student checking account' at your bank-------it has no fees, and you can easily get a debit card as well as a credit card through the same bank. This will help you manage money. If you get a small paying job, next year you could be filing your own taxes :eek: so you can get those Federal deductions back.</p>
<p>Everyone should know simple cooking. Making pasta, grating cheese, baking a chicken breast, and cookies from scratch :) Try stuff on the weekends when a parent is home. Or try hanging out with friends who cook.</p>
<p>cheers - great list!</p>
<p>Laundry
how to earn money, tithe, save a lot, be frugal with the rest, and delay gratification ... wait for the best price ... or the best month to buy something ... or clearance. Stretch those dollars. :)
cook: I am the primary caregiver of the fourth, and last, parent; kids learned at an early age how to grocery shop, plan a meal, and cook it. More than just frozen pizzas.
They can clean a house from top to bottom, too. ;)</p>
<p>They travel a lot, including internationally. From an early age, when we'd travel, we made them get us through the subways, onto buses, and at the right airport gate. I needed to know they could do this before I sent them off.</p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>But thisyearsfashion, forgive yourself for not knowing things and being sheltered. We don't have public transportation or taxis in our small town. The best my kids did before they drove was talk parents into things by using the carpool incentive - if you drive us to the movies, Katy's Mom will bring us back. </p>
<p>The best way to get better about navigation is to simply do more driving, get lost and then figure your way out with maps. This works better in suburbs then cities. If you live in the Northeast ADC bookmaps are the best.</p>
<p>I absolutely agree with calmom about the cooking and laundry. Ask if you can take over dinner one night a week and start reading cookbooks!</p>
<p>I bet the majority of college kids are in the same boat, but don't worry, the learning curve is a small one for most practical things and it just takes some hands on practice.</p>
<p>Learn how
- to deal with adults (be respectful of their time, position and different views)
- to organize people and things for a project
- to read a map
- to save (at least 50% of your HS earnings)
- to clean a bathroom and kitchen properly
- to diffuse an argument and to communicate effectively</p>
<p>My kids know how to do a good job interview. They had plenty of experience from auditioning, and it gave them poise. They are very fluid, good writers, and speak correctly. With that you can never go wrong. They can cook, and do laundry. They're not great at cleaning, though. They are confident travelors, and are reponsible with their debit cards. They also have a good work ethic. Both are well spoken and friendly. The younger one is a whiz with a hair straightener, too!</p>
<p>We live in the country so our D has been in one taxi in her entire life and has never ridden a city bus. She has never traveled anywhere alone. She knows how to do laundry and can cook enough not to starve. She is good about not blowing her paychecks. She will begin checkbook lessons very soon. She knows how to clean but prefers to live in a pigsty, heaven help her roommate.</p>
<p>I saw this list years ago and tried to check off a lot of it with DS.
[quote]
It Would Be Great If By 18 Years Every Young Person Could Do The Following:
�� Domestic Skills
�� Cook (don’t just open and pour) a traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner.
�� Wash and iron clothes without ruining them (plus removing spots).
�� Replace a button and baste a fallen hem.
�� Basic house cleaning, not mixing cleaning agents.
�� Physical Skills
�� Throw and catch balls of all sizes without breaking your fingers.
�� Swim half a mile, tread water for half an hour and float for an hour.
�� Ride a bike with confidence.
�� Handyman Skills
�� Hang a picture straight without making extra holes in the wall.
�� Paint neatly, including cleaning up the mess.
�� Know which tools perform what functions and how to use them around the house.
�� Know what a fuse box looks like and how to reset it if a fuse blows in your house/apartment.
�� Outdoor Skills
�� Hike with friends without getting lost, bitten, sunburned or covered with a rash.
�� Practical Skills
�� Type well with both hands in the proper manner.
�� Set up your own computer system without help from anyone.
�� Drive a car, including one with manual transmission and maintain it properly.
�� Learn to parallel park.
�� Organizational Skills
�� Create a budget. Note: It takes longer to earn money than to spend it.
�� Balance a checkbook manually, even if you bank online.
�� Maintain an address book and a personal appointment calendar.
�� Set up a filing system to keep all the paperwork in your life in one place.
�� Social Skills
�� Start and carry on a conversation for 15 minutes with a person you don’t know.
�� Speak before a small group of friends for a few minutes.
�� Learn enough ballroom dancing so you can have fun at parties. (Trust me on this one!)
�� Artistic Skills
�� Draw an illustration at least well enough to get your point across.
�� Have enough confidence to sing aloud, even when everyone else can hear you.
�� Human Skills
�� Care for a dog, cat, or other animal, including when it’s sick.
�� Baby-sit for children ranging in age from 6 months to 6 years.
�� Aid elderly or handicapped people without looking superior.
�� Volunteer.
�� Orientation Skills
�� Get around town on public transportation even if you usually walk or drive.
�� Read a map, including road maps.
�� Know what to do if you find yourself in a bad neighborhood.
�� Know which direction is north, south, east, and west (without a compass) whenever you’re outside.
�� Recreation Skills
�� Play a team sport instead of watching.
�� Maintain a fitness regimen.
�� Learn a game (like bridge or chess) you can play with friends for life.
�� Survival Skills
�� Know basic first aid and maintain a complete first aid kit.
�� Know what to do if you get sick, especially if you’re alone.
�� Know when to defend yourself, then know how to be effective.
�� Know CPR.
�� Know how to turn off the gas line of your house/apartment in case of emergency.
[/quote]
I certainly didn't succeed with all of them. And, though he willingly washes and irons his own clothes, is great with managing money, can and does do some cooking... he looked at me incredulously when I wanted to teach him to clean a bathroom before he left for college. Told me he'd learn that when he needed it, and not before. I guess he's smarter than I am. ;)</p>
<p>Healthy eating-- fruit every day, limit red meats and fatty foods, etc.</p>