As explained earlier in part 1, Life skills are capabilities and skills developed for optimistic behavior to help people effectively tackle the ever-dynamic challenges and tasks of life. So, what other life skills should your kids be building?
Priority Management
Joe, a grade 5 pupil, has been watching television since returning from school. He had watched the same program repeatedly. Why now, when he has assessments to write tomorrow?
Teaching kids to set priorities or do the right things at the right time is not a very easy task. Children must be taught proper time management, planning, and priorities. I have started teaching my kids to write down a to-do list daily. It can be grouped into “Must and Urgent,” “Must and not urgent,” “Not a must but urgent,” and “Not a must and not urgent.” They can turn the list into a checklist marked off once a task on the list is accomplished.
It gives them clarity on tasks that have been accomplished and remind them of tasks yet to be done. Priority should be on “Must and urgent.” They should set time for relaxation and recreation too.
Conflict resolution
Kids need to demonstrate how to resolve conflicts healthily. They learn by observing how parents resolve problems. Firstly, you must master this skill before teaching your child. They must be taught how to develop different action plans for any problem. It builds the “How can this issue be solved?” mindset. The child can be taught how to develop empathy towards the other person. Your child will encounter problems and challenges at home and school, but the right approach to tackling them is a skill the child must learn.
Emotional Intelligence
Academic intelligence is not the only type of intelligence that a child needs to develop. The child should be able to express and manage feelings when interacting with people.
Do you have a child that walks out on his friends or uses abusive words when angry? The child needs to be taught how to develop emotional intelligence. You start first by teaching them how to recognize their emotions. They should be able to recognize when they are angry, shy, intimidated, and so on. Then, they need to learn how to deal with these emotions healthily. The fastest way they can learn this from you is by modeling. They are observing you and know how you express different emotions.
Optimism
Life has its ups and downs. How do you react when things do not go as planned? Your child needs to be taught that life is not a straight-line graph. It can take a downward curve before it goes up.
Here is an example: Jeff and Ted attend a Mathematics competition organized at the state level. Neither makes it to the National level. Both feel disappointed.
Jeff decides to give it a retry next year after several hours of practice. However, Ted thinks it is over for him. He convinces himself that there are better candidates than himself.
Most successful people on earth first failed before they succeeded. Optimism is a vital skill that kids must develop early.
Accountability
We need to teach our kids how to own up to mistakes. Your kids are watching to know if you acknowledge your mistakes. Accountability is taking charge or responsibility for your actions. When the kid messes up the room, they should take responsibility for cleaning it up.
You can also acknowledge their accountability by saying, “Good job done. I really appreciate how you got your room cleaned up even without instructing you.”
Your kid can also have an accountability partner. As a parent, you should be their number one accountability partner. They should be able to relate challenges, complex issues, or events they encountered in school.
You have a significant role in building your kids’ life skills. They can only model what they have seen you do over time.
Be intentional about building these life skills in your kids. You can seek help if you need any.
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