Kids have done an awful lot of learning from home over the past year or so. It’s been up to us, as parents to teach them things like adding up, counting, their ABCs and how to read- all while trying to work from home! However, the parents’ place of being a teacher may have made us forget about the important life skills that kids should be learning from us in the home.
School work is, undeniably, incredibly important for them to do well and progress in their future careers. However, learning some of these vital tools for life can be extremely beneficial from a very early age.
HELPFUL TIPS
Here are some of the things that we can be doing to teach our kids at home to prepare them for the future.
Laundry
As a parent you know just how much laundry you have to get through on a daily basis to make sure that our children have clean clothes to wear throughout the week. Not all of the work has to be left up to you, however! Have your kids help you sort out the colours from the darks and the whites, and teach them how to load the machine and unload and fold/ put away at the end.
Sure, at 1st to put in your way may not be to your standards but it gives your kids a sense of responsibility for looking after their own things and the belongings of others in their families.
Cooking dinner
Some people find cooking incredibly relaxing, and the thought of having your kids in the kitchen with you may seem like an absolute nightmare. However, learning to be around food and kitchen equipment from a young age is incredibly important for their development. When kids are fast learning about food as they are wind. You want to be giving them access to as much food as possible. That involves allowing them to play and explore the food. Yes, it will create a mess but it is worthwhile in the long run when they have good relationships with food later on. Have your kids find ingredients in the fridge and pantry, have them help with measuring things out and storing things together. Keep them away from heat and sharp objects until they are a little older and can manage the responsibility. Kids will be proud to have participated in preparing the meal. They may even like eating some of the veggies they swore they’d never eat!
Non screen time
Much of the world is dominated by screens. Even while kids are being homeschooled. The majority of the time they spent was face in front of the WebCam with the rest of their classmates. Too much screen time could be bad for your children, so it’s important to get away from screens where possible. When the weather is nice have them play outside and explore their surroundings. When the weather is less nice, stay cosy with Puzzles from PennyDell or an exciting reading book.
It’s also a time for them to be creative so paints, pencils, pens, and paper are a great place for them to start with exploring their creativity
xoxo
ANA