Keeping your brain young sounds fabulous. Having your life fall apart because you can’t keep a budget is not so fabulous, so I read with fascination about an “Adulting School” in Maine that takes people who are chronologically already adults and teaches them how to act their age.
It’s a great niche market and I’m glad someone is making money off people who need these skills, but frankly, I’d prefer that my children don’t end up needing an adulting class when they are 25. Or heck, 18. I’d like to prepare them for life, and I’m sure you would too.
There are some aspects of adulting that are harder to teach this generation than it was in previous generations. For instance, I learned how to pay bills by watching my mom with a stack of bills and the checkbook. When I got older, she would have me write the checks and she’d sign them. Great skill. Except now, how do I pay bills? Online. Click, click, done. My kids can’t tell if I’m paying bills, writing an article, or goofing off on Facebook, unless I tell them.
If you want your children to be successful, or if you want other people’s children to be successful so you can hire them, make sure you teach these skills every chance you get.
To keep reading, click here: How to Make Sure Your Child Doesn’t Need Adulting Classes
This is a strange coincidence – this is the second time today I am reading about adulting. Literally seconds after I saw your blog, I read about a company providing professional adulting for the future workforce.
NPR just ran a story on it, which is probably why. Everyone is picking it up.
Frankly, I think it’s a huge money maker and I wish I’d thought of it!
Great article!
I’m not up on EVERYTHING, but I do encourage (cough *insist* cough) that my kids help out around the house. I’ve aged up some of the cooking ages due to excessive clumsiness, which is apparently a genetic trait in my family.
I gagged when the concept of “adult coloring books” came out. Just one more way of telling people “don’t grow up”. And now it’s come to this – classes on how to function as an adult.
My 2 and 3 year olds can set the dinner table, scrape their plates and take them to the kitchen. They know how to use a hammer and a screwdriver. The three year old uses our power drill under supervision. The two year old loves emptying the dryer and scraping the lint off the trap for me.
And there are 30 year-olds out there that don’t know how to do this kind of stuff? Scary!
I had great fun yesterday playing with puzzles at the kids museum. On occasion coloring is fun. I get wanting kids to be self sufficient, but can you chill a tiny bit?
My special needs kid is going to have a hard time adulting. My average kid is not, she never gives up on anything.
Yea, most of those things they should have learned a long time ago; except for “folding a fitted sheet”!
Never, never, will I ever be able to “properly” fold a fitted sheet. Which is why it comes off the bed, goes into the washer/dryer and right back on the bed all in the same day.
I watched 3 different YouTube videos and finally got it. Seriously, it’s life-altering ;). But I like your idea too!
Personally, I think only wizards can fold fitted sheets, which is why I didn’t mention it as an adult skill. 🙂
This has been on my mind so much recently. My mom always said that she didn’t care how successful we were or how much money we made, as long as we were a “contributing member of society.” It has stuck with me. We just made a “chore chart” for our 4-year old (very simple stuff), and it really is amazing what he can do at a young age. My husband and I often joke (then cry) about how we remember facts about ancient Egypt (etc.) from school but didn’t learn basic money concepts either at school or at home (budgeting, basic finance).
I really wish schools would teach basic finance.
I truly wish we would stop using the word “adulting” as if it is some sort of novelty idea or activity.
I agree, and I’m 25! My peers are always complaining about adulting and it makes me cringe so hard.