83 Things your Kids should know before they Leave Home

Note: this post was originally published on December 6, 2017, but has been updated.

What life skills do your kids have? Do you know which ones they don’t have?

Some things can make a huge difference in life – like getting that job or not, improving a relationship, or saving money because you can do it yourself.

Here is a list of skills to guide you in preparing your kids for life – these are things they should know before they leave home:

People Skills

1. How to start a conversation with a stranger
2. Healthy boundaries in relationships – not allowing yourself to be a doormat
3. How to say no
4. How to take instructions
5. How to give and receive a compliment
6. Good manners
7. How to make a phone call
8. How to take a message
9. How to resolve conflict and have courageous conversations
10. How to recognize flattery
11. How to be safe from sexual predators
12. How to say sorry
13. How to take ownership of mistakes

Home Skills

14. How to make a simple, healthy meal from scratch
15. How to wash dishes
16. How to sweep and mop floors
17. How to clean a bathroom
18. How to care for a pet
19. How to change an electrical plug
20. How to wash and iron clothes
21. Basic first aid
22. How to make good bread
23. How to clean a car inside and out

Related: 12 Reasons to give kids chores

Life Skills

24. How to create a resume
25. How to type – in today’s techy age this is a must!
26. How to navigate the internet safely
27. How to write, address, and send a letter or card (this does still happen occasionally!)
28. How to make an appointment
29. How to fill out forms
30. Create a signature/sign their name
31. How to use a hammer, pliers, and screwdriver (girls too!)
32. How to sew on a button
33. Basic sewing skills (for girls – and boys too, if they want. My boy cousin once sewed himself an outfit and he was no pansy.)
34. How to give and take directions
35. How to check the oil in the car
36. How to fill a tyre with air
37. How to change a tyre
38. How to swim
39. How to shop for groceries
40. How to persevere when a job gets long or tough or boring

Download a printable version of this list:

Time Management Skills

41. How to plan and schedule a day/week/month
42. How to deal with distraction
43. How to take time out to rest and not feel guilty
44. How to create a to-do list and work through it
45. How to tackle big jobs by dividing them into smaller bits
46. How to be prepared ahead of time

Related: The importance of small, daily habits

Organizational Skills

47. How to plan and execute the plan
48. How to schedule, prioritize, and delegate
49. How to set goals and deadlines and meet them
50. How to keep things neat and tidy in your workspace
51. How to file important papers, invoices, receipts

Money Management Skills

52. Understand interest (why you want to earn it, not pay it)
53. How to make a budget
54. How to work out change
55. How to live within your means

Healthy Lifestyle Skills

56. How to stay physically fit
57. How to eat healthy
58. How to follow other basic health habits – drinking water, getting enough sleep, managing stress
59. How to practice personal hygiene

Healthy Mind Skills

60. How to differentiate between guilt and shame
61. Where to find a healthy self-worth (in Christ)
62. Right thinking vs wrong thinking about problems
63. How to solve problems
64. Choosing what to think about
65. How to forgive – others and themselves
66. How to heal and let go of baggage from the past
67. What to do with criticism
68. How to accept yourself

Spiritual Habits

69. How to pray

70. How to study the Bible

71. How to share what they believe and why

72. How to confess sin and seek forgiveness

73. How to serve others

74. How to surrender the heart in the moment

75. How to recognise and resist temptation

Related: 10 Ways to jumpstart your devotional life

Decision-making Skills

76. How to gather information about the decision and weigh up the pros and cons

77. How to make decisions based on principle not feeling

78. How to evaluate what the consequences of a decision will be

79. How to deal with the fear of making the wrong decision

Communication Skills

80. How to start a difficult conversation

81. How to listen well

82. How to be tactful, yet honest

83. How to deal with conflict in a healthy way

Related: 2 Ways to improve communication skills

There’s a lot you can do to help your kids be well-adjusted when they leave home.  Don’t panic if you haven’t taught your kids everything on this list. Let the list be a guide not a tyrant.

How  prepared are your kids to face real life?  Are there some things you wish you had known before you left home? Share your thoughts in the comments please!