My post last year on 50+ tasks to prep teens for adulthood is one of the most popular on the blog, and I always felt like it was still quite entry level. Teaching our teenagers is an ongoing process, and means there needs to be a lot of discussion, not just a to do list that we are checking off. Still, having a list of things that are helpful to know before they are out on their own is a nice guide to make sure we aren’t forgetting something.
This time around, I focused a bit more on being self sufficient and budget conscious. I think we all remember the early years of being on our own where money was extremely tight. Heck, as we add more kids, it feels like our paychecks are getting smaller instead of bigger! Alhamdulilah (Praise God), no one is starving here, but it’s taught us a lot about how to stretch every dollar. I want my kids to know how to make some things from scratch, just in case they need to when they are older. Plus, it keeps all that packaging out of the landfills.
In any case, in sha Allah (God willing), I hope you find this as helpful as the last list has been.
Gardening
- Care for basic plants (tomato, herbs, rhubarb, kale, green beans, etc.)
- Know plants that can be planted in containers
- Proper watering times
- Know proper amount of water needed for the average plant
- Compost pile care
Food prep
- Make chicken/beef/veggie stock
- Make jam
- Prepare dried beans
- Make your own pizza from scratch
- Make your own bread (especially gluten free folks!)
- Know a week’s worth of budget-friendly vegetarian recipes
- Know what foods can be frozen (and bought in bulk)
- Know a week’s worth of freezer meals
- Learn how to create a balanced meal – key food groups to include
- Learn modern food practices and discuss personal beliefs about how to best navigate them
- Avoid common cooking mistakes
- Know bulk food providers and how to use them (Costco, Amazon Subscribe and Save, meat distributor)
Healthcare
- Proper use and safety of essential oils
- Proper use of homeopathic remedies
- Proper storage and use of allopathic medications
- Know when to use range of vitamins (B, C, D)
- Know schedule for regular checkups at doctor and dentist
- Explore easy exercise options for staying fit
- Learn how to track food intake
Budget/financial skills
- How to draft a lease
- How to create and maintain a savings plan
- Understand what areas of stocks and bonds to avoid in relation to your faith and values
- How to understand loans, what to look for and avoid
- How to calculate zakat (charitable tax)
Home maintenance
- Proper storage of wall paint
- How to paint a room
- How to attach a clothes dryer exhaust pipe
- How to change a furnace filter
- How to shampoo your own carpet
- How to use spackle
- How to shut off water to a part of the house, or to the whole house
- How to unclog a toilet
Life skills
- How to get quotes for car insurance, renters insurance, etc
- How to shop for a used car
- How to check KBB value on a vehicle
- Mend clothing
- Iron clothes
- How to use a sewing machine
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[…] Take some time away from academics and make sure your kids will be able to help themselves when they are making strides toward independence. You can start with these 50 tasks, or go further with these additional 40 tasks. […]