Family

Your kids won't stay your babies forever. Eventually, they'll need to spread their wings and leave the nest. But before your kids start applying for colleges and start thinking of living on their own, it's important that they have life skills under their belt. Here are a few important lessons to teach your own kids before they head out on their own. How to handle stress in a healthy way Stress can come from anywhere: school, work, family, friends, or living situations. Unfortunately, when you don't know how to manage your stress, it can turn into burnout or chronic stress. Approximately two-thirds of full-time employees, including 40% of physicians, experience burnout on the job. Teach your kids how to handle their stress by providing them with healthy coping mechanisms. Show them how to do deep breathing and other emotional wellness exercises. How to perform basic car maintenance Considering 77% of vehicles on the road need some type of maintenance and repairs, it's a good idea to teach your child the basics of car maintenance before they're old enough to drive. Some of the basic car maintenance tasks to teach your kids include: :: Reading gauges in the car :: Replacing filters :: Replacing headlights :: Changing tires :: Adding air to the tires :: Changing the oil :: Checking a vehicle's fluids Kids who learn how to perform basic maintenance on a vehicle are less likely to get stuck on the side of the road when they're older because they don't know what's wrong with their car. How to be eco-friendly Many kids learn the basics of how to be eco-friendly in school like learning the importance of recycling and how to recycle. But it's also good to teach your kids how to reduce the amount of trash they create, how to be mindful of the electricity they use, and how to reduce their carbon footprint. Consider making activities that have eco-friendly lessons like cooking or fishing. If your family likes to cook, try making a recipe without creating any trash so your child becomes more conscious of each piece of trash that's created. If your family likes to fish, teach your child about the importance of catch-and-release fishing. About 49 million Americans went fishing in 2017. If every fishing family kept the fish they caught, it would damage the local ecosystem. By teaching your kids how to be eco-friendly through activities like these, they can become more eco-conscious of their choices in their everyday life. What their laws, rights, and responsibilities are Your kids might pick up on laws and legal rights when they're talked about on the news or by other adults. But it's important for your kids to know what their legal rights and responsibilities are both as a child and as an adult. For instance, if your child is a teenager and doesn't know about their voting rights, they might not know that they can pre-register to vote before the legal adult age of 18 even though they won't be able to actually vote until they're 18. When your kids have a basic understanding of the law, they can better protect themselves and prevent crimes from taking place. It also gives them the tools they need for self-advocacy as they get older. There are many important lessons your kids can learn before they leave the house. By teaching your kids how to decompress, take care of their car, be more eco-friendly, and how to navigate the law, you can help to set them up for success once they leave the nest.