I splurged and brought the latest issue of Family Circle yesterday and they have a list of 38 life skills every teenager should know. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but I just don't understand anyone over the age of 5 not knowing how to do simple things like "use microwave", or "save up to buy a desired item", or "fold clothes". My 10 year daughter has mastered 16 of the 38 items on the list. When I say mastered, I mean I am completely confident leaving it completely up to her to take care of. She can do laundry, cook a well-balanced meal and hang a picture. There are several things on the list she knows how to do, but for safety reasons I don't allow her to do alone, like pump gas and put air in the tires. She's never used my ATM card alone, but I wouldn't be surprised if she used her brain and followed the directions on the screen and the money was dispenced. My oldest boy who turned 5 yesterday can fold clothes (not as neatly as I would like, but it's good enough for his dresser) and if he can't pack his own suitcase, he ain't going no where 'cause I ain't doing it for him!
A line in the article reads, "Could it be that while we were busy boosting their self-esteem with praise, lessons and camps, we forgot to cover basic know-how?" What?!? When did camp become a self-esteem booster and not just something fun you did during summer break? Did I fall asleep and miss that in parenting class? People, please. Don't have kids if you don't want to actually parent them.
Self-esteem my foot, how about you teach your kids because we have enough stupid and lazy people breathing air and you don't want to count your spawn in that number? Just a thought.