As kids and teenagers grow older, they look toward the future.
Behavior
Independent living skills
As kids and teenagers grow older, they look toward the future.
For many teens, this will mean going away to college or moving out and living independently. Moving out is a big step, and your child must be ready to live independently. It can sometimes be difficult to tell if your child is ready to leave home but helping them prepare and teach the skills they need is a great way to support them. This article explores independent living skills and suggests preparing your child to live independently.
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Essential independent living skills for teens
Independent living skills are vital for managing your own life and home. When teens prepare to do this for the first time, they might need support to develop relevant skills to cope alone. Helping your child cultivate these skills is important because it can significantly impact their quality of life. These are the independent living skills that are important for teenagers to develop.
Personal care
Taking responsibility for personal care and hygiene needs is vital. Difficulties in these areas can affect your child’s relationships with others. Personal care includes personal hygiene, taking medication, and seeking medical help when necessary. It also includes taking care of their physical health through exercise. Another aspect of personal care is understanding the dangers of substance abuse and unprotected sex and how to avoid these issues.
Money management
Living independently means managing your finances and covering your household expenses. Helping your child to understand budgeting and how to manage expenses is important, especially for a teenager who is unlikely to have done this before. There are tools that kids can use to help with budgeting, such as smartphone apps.
Laundry
Until now, you’ve probably done laundry for your child, but if they live independently, they’ll need to know how to do it themselves. You can help by showing your teen how to use a washer and dryer and practicing at home. It’s also important that they understand the supplies they need for laundry and how to use them.
Shopping and food preparation
Shopping for and preparing appropriate meals is vital for your child to thrive independently. You can support them by teaching them some basic recipes. You can practice shopping for ingredients and preparing the meal, so your teen feels more confident in the kitchen. It is also important to understand nutrition and what types of healthy food they need to stay healthy. Being able to shop for themselves and stick to a budget is also important for other purchases aside from food.
Travel and getting around
Whether your child is going to college in a new city or staying closer to home, traveling and getting around independently is vital. You can prepare your child by ensuring they understand how to use public transport and the time and cost of getting to their destination. If your child has a car, they’ll need to know how to look after their vehicle, what to do if there’s a problem, and how to navigate while driving. Road safety is also vital for young drivers.
Household chores
When your teen lives alone, they’ll be responsible for managing their home. Parents can prepare them by teaching kids how to complete typical household chores, deal with damaged items, and use cleaning substances and tools safely. A great way to start is having your teen help with chores in your house.
Responding to emergencies
Emergencies might arise, and kids must understand what to do in these situations, including who to contact for help. Discussing potential emergencies, for example, a fire or a serious injury, and how to respond is a great way to get kids prepared. Your child will need to respond quickly in a real emergency, so it’s important to prepare them before such a situation arises.
Emotional resilience
As well as having the practical skills for living alone, young people living away from their families for the first time need to develop emotional resilience. This helps them to cope with challenging situations. It can be helpful to discuss coping strategies with your teen, so they have ideas for how to manage difficult situations. You can also take steps to build their resilience.
Although it’s important that kids can cope with challenges independently, knowing that they have support can also make them feel more resilient. Reassuring your child that they can contact you for advice or support can help them cope more easily with living independently.
Ways to prepare your child for living independently
Your child might already have some skills for living independently, but you can do plenty of things to ensure they’re as well-prepared as possible. Doing certain activities with your teen in the lead-up to them moving out is useful, and there’s no need to wait until just before they’re ready to go. There are some tips you can use at an earlier age to start getting them ready. Some of the things you can do to prepare your child before they move are:
- Give them opportunities to carry out errands independently
- Allow them to shop for some items, such as clothing, by themselves
- Practice budgeting and shopping within a budget
- Give them the freedom to manage their allowance or salary
- Share simple recipes and help your child to practice them, including shopping for ingredients
- Have your teen help with more chores at home
- Purchase the items your child needs to live independently, for example, bed linen, kitchenware, and cleaning supplies, and ensure they understand what each item is for
- Show them how to do laundry and have them practice
- Talk about what support is available if they’re struggling academically or at work
- Discuss emergencies and how to respond
- Talk about what to do if they don’t know how to respond to a problem
Supporting your child while they’re living independently
Young people living independently for the first time might still need support from their parents, regardless of how well-prepared they are. Even after they’ve moved out, there are things you can do to help your child live independently and ensure they’re properly supported. Some tips for supporting your kid after they’ve moved out are:
- If you send them an allowance, make weekly or two-weekly payments like a paycheck, so they become more comfortable with budgeting
- Keep in contact regularly and ensure they know you’re still available
- For college students, find out about what student services are available so you can direct them to the right support if they need it
- Send a care package if they’re missing the comforts of home
- Visit your child if possible but avoid doing this too regularly because it might make independence harder
Supporting your teen to live on their own
Having your teen move out and live independently is a big step for them and you. Although it can seem scary, helping your child to develop the skills they need to live alone can make the transition easier and ensure that you both feel more confident about the future. By preparing your child before they make a move, you’re setting them up for a successful future and living happily on their own.
