Homeschooling & Loving It!

Episode 13: Importance of Teaching Life Skills

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Hello and welcome back to the homeschooling and loving it podcast! This week is episode 13 and we are Talking about the Importance of Teaching Life Skills!

Just for fun, I have a bit of trivia for you? The National Household Education Survey Program says that there are approx. 1,689,726

homeschooled children in the US – –  Do you think this is accurate? Stay tuned at the end of the show we’ll chat about that more!

Have you ever heard of life skills? Sure I know we just did a podcast on Character training, and while I believe wholeheartedly in giving your child a solid foundation with good character traits. Life skills are equally important.  And what are life skills you might ask? They are considered to be those fundamental skills that every person needs to participate fully in everyday life.

It’s important that we teach our children practical life skills–skills that teach them how to survive in society–how to thrive in society. These practical life skills can be divided into at least six categories and the skills that fall within each category are many, varied and probably endless.  The question then arises as to which life skills you value and which life skills you and your spouse want to teach to your children. I’d like to share with you what I am teaching my children–

  1. Communication skills.  It is absolutely critical that people learn how to effectively communicate with one another, both verbally and through the written word.  I’m teaching my kids the following–
    • Be truthful–your word means everything
    • Speak kindly–don’t be hurtful with the words you use
    • Say please, thank you, no thank you, etc. People appreciate manners
    • Eye contact is very important
    • As important as your words are, your actions are even more important
    • When in doubt, ask questions
    • Being able to organize and write your thoughts down on paper is important
    • Realize that what you write may be read by many people–unintended readers as well as intended readers
    • Be very careful what you write/post on social network sites
    • Never, ever, ever use your communication skills to bully or make fun of anyone
    • A similar important skill set is the formation and maintenance of relationships. The ability to form and maintain relationships affects every aspect of our lives.  Relationship beliefs and skills that I want my children to master include–
      • Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself
      • Do not confuse kindness for weakness. Recognize and value kindness
      • It’s important to be reliable
      • There is no such thing as being too polite, too kind, or too reliable
      • Value other people’s time
      • Friends come and go–but your family is forever! Homeschoolers tend to this more.
      • Empathy–it’s very important
      • It is better to love and to be hurt than never to love at all  – – Tis better to have loved and lost, / Than never to have loved at all” is from Tennyson
      • You love people for their faults as well as their strengths. It goes both ways… you love them in entirety and they’ll love you.
      • It’s important to treat animals kindly
      • Treat other people’s property with respect – just ask!
      • Actions speak louder than words!
      • Be kind to those that love you – return kindness for kindness!
      • You have instincts for a reason. If something or someone doesn’t feel right trust those instincts!
      • Compromise is important
      • You don’t always have to be right
      • It really is more fun to give than to receive

        • So back to the trivia question – – In my humble opinion the National Household Education Survey is way off – because of several things

        1. They don’t include students who have had to homeschool temporarily as homeschoolers
        2. They don’t include students who are homeschooling through the public school’s online homeschooling programs – – like K-12 and the FL Virtual School
        3. Those students who have chosen to homeschool yet report to an umbrella school are also not included in the homeschool numbers

          4. I’m thinking the number of homeschoolers in the U.S. is at least 2 million if not more. What are your thoughts?

          Thanks for joining us this week on the Homeschooling and Loving It Podcast Hope you have an amazing week and as always-

          With grace and joy,

          Jamie

          The post Episode 13: Importance of Teaching Life Skills first appeared on Homeschool .com.
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