When I got my first car, I purposely chose a stick shift because I wanted to learn how to drive one, and knew I would be very motivated when it was going to be my only mode of transportation! It was fuel efficient – and probably the most important factor was that my boyfriend thought it was cool! Little did I realize how important this skill would be when, many years later, on a family vacation to Germany, I needed to be the driver of the rental VW van – and a manual transmission was the only option available to us. I can’t imagine the angst that would have occurred had I not been equipped to drive this vehicle, not to mention that I was driving my four kids on the Autobahn!
My manual transmission skills empowered me and opened the doors to my kids being able to visit Neuschwanstein Castle (the one the Disney Castle is fashioned after), and we drove up to it in a magical, breath-taking snow fall.
All because I learned something new.
How are you doing in teaching your kids to do new things? Things that will serve them well in life?
And even though learning new things may seem like a chore at the time, be assured that it will be worth the effort. When you master something new, you gain some knowledge, and with that comes some confidence and at times, a sense of power.
Your idea of what is an important life skill may not be driving a stick shift, but what other skills really ARE things that, if learned, could foster confidence, and give your kids a helpful boost?
I was recently talking with some moms of teens and college aged kids. They were having to help them learn how to endorse the checks they got as graduation gifts. Or how to navigate the sea of selecting their benefits choices when they got their first job? Do they know how to handle a credit card? Do they know how to shop for the renter’s insurance they will need when they rent their apartment? Do they know how to put together a budget that they can live on? Do they know what to do if they are in an accident? Do they know self-defense? It’s good to have conversations with your kids before they get there. And it is important, along the way, to be helping them learn how to solve problems and how to ask for help. Don’t wait until they are in panic mode to build their skill set tool chest.
You may be enabling your child to be chosen over others in a key moment because of their life skill set. They may be the one promoted – or elected to an important position because of their knowledge and their sense of being “ready” to take on problems or situations that take that something “extra”.
And it can be fun!
Ask Taylor Swift:
“When I figured out how to work my grill, it was quite a moment. I discovered that summer is a completely different experience when you know how to grill.” — Taylor Swift
You see? Something pretty mundane can bring joy and open up a whole new level of possibilities.
Be like Taylor!
And make it happen for your kids. Foster learning and equipping with life skills.
My All Done Day Plan can make it easy to build these teachable moments into your family and parenting. Click here to learn more!
Check out Ann's Audio version of this post
