5 Skills Teens Need For Adulthood & How To Teach Them

As a parent, thinking about everything you want to teach your teen can be overwhelming. A lot of it will come naturally, but the most important thing you can do is ensure they’re prepared for adulthood. When they step out into the “real world” on their own, you want to be sure they’re confident enough to make the right choices.

So, now is the time to start teaching them the skills they’ll need to “adult” on their own.

One of the best ways to teach them these skills is to lead by example. When your teen sees how you handle your regular responsibilities, they’re going to learn a lot from it. But, there are also some things you can directly teach them. 

With that in mind, let’s cover five skills teens need for adulthood and how you can teach them. 

1. The Basics of Budgeting

Money management isn’t always easy for teenagers. If your teen has a part-time job, they’re already one step ahead. But, they might be used to being able to spend their paychecks on “wants” rather than needs.

Teaching your teen how to budget is an essential skill they’ll carry with them forever. By teaching them healthy financial habits now, you can help them avoid severe debt and make it easier for them to make smart investments in the future.

It’s important to talk about money and how to think about it. Model for your child how you approach money, how you go about making choices about where you spend your money. Model for your teen that resources are not unlimited and choices have to be made. 

Remember, you’re not on your own. There are resources that you can access that will help you teach your child about money and budgeting. 

 If as you think about talking to your child about money you find yourself becoming anxious, then it might be time for you to consider exploring your own anxieties around money management. Consider working with a therapist to help you explore and resolve these issues. 

2. Time Management

When you’re a teenager, it’s easy to think you have all the time in the world to get things done. Your teens might know how to manage their time when it comes to getting schoolwork done or getting to work on time.

But, teaching the art of time management is more complicated than that. You can help them master this skill by setting boundaries with things that distract them, including electronics. Help them establish a daily routine and encourage them to stick with it, and help them with to-do lists so they can prioritize the most important things first.

3. Problem-Solving

As a parent, it’s sometimes tempting to fix everything your teen might struggle with. However, letting them work things out independently will benefit them more in the real world. If you see your teenager struggling, give them suggestions and a different perspective on how to reach their goal, but don’t do it for them.

Letting your teen “fail” sometimes is one of the best ways to build resiliency and make them better problem-solvers.

4. Emotional Intelligence

Some people seem to naturally have more emotional intelligence than others. But even if you’re concerned that your teen lacks strength in this area, you can help them build more EI.

Encouraging your teen to recognize how others feel, being an active listener, and prioritizing communication within your household will help boost their emotional intelligence. They’ll step out into the real world with more empathy, and their relationships will likely be stronger and healthier. Emotional intelligence can also help them succeed in their career.

5. Self-Care

It might seem silly to think that you have to teach self-care, but not everyone prioritizes their well-being the way they should.

One of the best ways to teach your teen self-care is to model it yourself. Get enough sleep. Maintain a healthy diet. Stay physically active. Make sure your teen sees your efforts, as well as the benefits. Self-care isn’t just great for your physical health but your mental wellness, too. If your teenager sees you prioritizing your mental well-being, it can help to eliminate any societal stigmas that might keep them from taking care of their mental health, too.

Obviously, there are  many additional skills you might want to teach your teen before they reach adulthood. But these can help you get started. The more you involve yourself in your teen’s life now by helping them learn these skills, the more comfortable and confident you’ll be when it’s time for them to leave the nest.

Chanderbhan Psychological Services

About: Chanderbhan Psychological Services is a therapy practice located in Laredo, Texas. We help individuals and couples who are struggling in different areas of their lives gain the clarity they need to grow and change. We also offer telehealth to individuals located in the wider State of Texas.  To read blogs on mental health and relationships, visit our website.