Life skills your child should know before university
As parents, we spend a great deal of our time equipping our child to succeed academically so that they pass their matric and go to university. We also invest time focusing secondarily on the extracurricular activities that go on their university application. We also teach children to execute domestic chores such as: how to do …
As parents, we spend a great deal of our time equipping our child to succeed academically so that they pass their matric and go to university. We also invest time focusing secondarily on the extracurricular activities that go on their university application. We also teach children to execute domestic chores such as: how to do their laundry, how to make their bed and keep their space neat. But there are skills that we neglect to teach our children that can help establish independence. These are the skills that you should teach your child before they go to tertiary which will allow for more successful learning, a greater sense of belonging on campus and in the greater world.
Why it’s essential to teach them these life skills
No matter how smart your kid is, no matter how much they hustled to get into university, no matter how much you love them, if they are trying to learn life skills at the same time they are taking on the load and pressure of university study, they will be at a disadvantage. It is never too late to start preparing them for this new world that awaits. You can prepare them for next year now.
Frontline skills
- Addressing others respectfully
Your child spent most part of their life knowing that they could walk up to the teachers when confronted with a problem and it would be sorted there and then. They are not accustomed to written communication, which is the preference at varsity. E-mail is a common form of written communication between professors and students. Professors complain that most students don’t have the skill to send a professional e-mail and are likely to begin an e-mail with “Hey” instead of “Dear Professor”.
- Authority shouldn’t intimidate your child
You need to teach your child how to address and interact with older people and authoritative figures. They should be able to maintain eye contact and control body movement. Professors point out the students tend to be anxious about talking one-on-one with them, because interacting with someone older or ‘in charge’ is not something they did without their parents being present. This is a skill they will need in the working world. The earlier they learn it, the better.
- Managing their own schedule
In high school there is a timetable that schedules what should happen during the day. Your child should adopt the same at home and create and manage their own schedule, where they set time aside for homework, study, chores and extra murals. By the time they get to varsity, they will not be overwhelmed by the work load and will manage their time effectively. This is what time management is about.
4. Respect deadlines
You need to teach your child to respect deadlines and not miss assignments or take late penalties because they don’t know how to prioritise. This can affect their grades, and professor’s assessment of them. When a student misses class or assignments and gets a lower grade, it’s hard to feel smart even though they are intelligent. When a student gets feedback from a professor that indicates lack of effort, or negative peer assessment for missing meetings or not completing tasks, it’s hard to feel great. It’s a skill they need to succeed, even one day when they start working.
Reaping the rewards
Every young adult will find his or her own way; every parent will let go in his or her own way. But moving forward is easier for everyone – parent, student and teacher – when life skills are passed on before they are needed.
