If you have a child that’s nearing adulthood you might be a little worried about whether or not they’ll be ready to handle life on their own. It’s a big change to live with your parents and then take on the world by yourself.
If you want your kid to succeed once they are on their own, here are a few skills to help them develop.
Keep Track of Dates
Allow your kid to manage their own life. Don’t feel like you need to be the keeper of their schedule.
If they have a job they should be able to manage their schedule.
If they have something at school they need to attend, they should write it on the calendar.
Set Appointments
It doesn’t matter if they need to schedule a dental appointment or want to have a party with friends. These are both things your kid should be able to plan and set up before they leave your home.
If you do it all for them then they won’t know how once you’re no longer around to do it.
Build Credit
There’s no safer place for your child to start building credit than your own home. They will eventually need a credit score to rent an apartment, buy a car or take out a loan for a home.
You can start teaching them safe and smart ways to build up their credit score.
Keep Track Of Finances
Since your kid lives under your roof they probably haven’t had to keep a close track on their finances. Teach them about the importance of saving and how to keep track of what is coming into their account and where they are spending their hard earned cash.
Cook
If your kid doesn’t know how to cook pasta before they leave your home, then you have done them a great disservice. Take the time to teach them how to make at least a few simple meals before they are out on their own so they don’t have to rely on TV dinners and takeout to survive.
Handle Problems
You’re not doing your kid any favors by fighting their battles for them. If they are having an issue with a coach, let them handle the confrontation on their own.
If they are struggling in a class let them talk about it with the teacher. You don’t need to and shouldn’t get involved.
If you trust them to have the keys to the family car and carry around a debit card then you should trust them enough to handle their own problems. They are going to have to grow up eventually whether you are ready for it or not.
It’s better you help them along the way instead of crippling them by doing things they are capable of. Enable them in all the right ways.
Enable them to take care of themselves. Enable them to find their own solutions. Don’t enable them to rely on you for the simple things they can do on their own.
Boundaries are an essential part of any healthy relationship. They define what is expected, what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. When thinking about what boundaries you need to have with your adult stepchild living at home, here are some things to consider.
