10 Basic Life Skills Every Child Ought To Know Before They Turn 16

Ogbugoh Terundu Joy

Day by day, children grow from babies into teenagers and eventually attain adulthood. One major goal of any parent is to prepare their little ones for a life of their own. Beyond the classroom, children need to be equipped with basic life skills that will help them live independently By the age of 16, a child is pretty much formed and ready for adulthood. See 10 of them below…

1. Use of basic hand tools: Drilling machine, measuring tapes, blades, paint brush, brooms, are a few of the basic hand tools that are very often used in and around the house. Your child should not be caught ignorant of how to use them.

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2. Cook a Simple Meal: Many kids cannot do as much as turn on a stove, they rely on their parents and house helps to cater to them, then become helpless when necessity calls. To know how to cook is to take control of one’s health, – indomie, porridge, frying with the appropriate amount of oil, boiling yam, rice are just some  examples of foods that your child should be skilled in preparing. This will save him when he finds himself all alone and hunger strikes.

3. Sew a Button and patch a torn cloth. Your teenager should be skilled with the needle and thread for those inevitable times when their clothing gets an unexpected tear.

4. Basic First Aids: Kids get hurt, and this can happen at any time of the day. Therefore, it is important for your teenager to know how to administer basic first aid. You never know, this can even save a life. 

5. Computer Literacy: Computers and digital technology pervade every aspect of our society, making the ability to use them an utmost necessity. This knowledge would come in handy not only for educational purpose but in everyday life such accessing public services, online shopping  and so on. 

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6. Laundry Skills: Whether it is with a washing washing or by hand, every child should know how to care for their laundry which includes ironing and pressing.

7. Organising Skills. This skill will be used not just at home but in school, and where ever they find themselves.You want them to be able to clean up after themselves, neatly fold their own clothes, organise their wardrobes, pack their own bags, organize their rooms and have a sense of putting things in the right places.

8. Money Skills. It is important for children to acquire money skills as this can make or break their personal finances. Teach them the importance of listing out their needs in the order of priority and stick to it. Teach them to be prudent and to save. Let them understand the difference between a credit and a debit card and how they work. 

9. Clothing Skills. A child’s sense of style is likely to evolve as they grow into teens. But it is up to you to lay the foundation. Teach them what is appropriate to wear for different occasions, how to match colors. Let them know that they way they are dressed determines how they are addressed at first impression. 

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10. Driving Skills: Although the official age allowed to drive is 16, a child can start learning the basics about driving from the age of 14. Learning how to drive also comes with other responsibilities such as basic auto care.