The leap from high school into adulthood is one of the biggest transitions that kids will ever make in their life. It’s what we’ve been preparing them for over the last 18 years and it can be as scary for the parents as it is for the teens. That’s why it’s so important that we teach life skills for teens to use as they are thrust into adulthood.
If you’ve been around for a while, you know that my own upbringing is a huge reason why we decided to homeschool.
When I was a kid, my super-athletic family spent evenings and weekends at baseball fields and basketball courts all across the state.
Between the 4 kids in our family, multiple “traveling teams” and a love for sports, that’s basically all I knew.
I couldn’t fry an egg or balance a checkbook if my life depended on it.
Because of our over-packed schedule, my mom did ALL of the cooking and cleaning while we were at school. The first time I ever did “chores” was when I was about 16 years old was asked to do the dishes. I was clueless.
When I got married, I still lacked basic life skills.
Sure, I could make a 3-pointer on the basketball court but did I know not to wash my husband’s oily work clothes with my favorite white shirt? Absolutely not!
After a few years of my kids being in public school, I realized that I was repeating the cycle. By the time my kids got home from school, they were exhausted. I allowed them to relax for an hour or so while they enjoyed their afterschool snack then we headed straight into dinner prep. Once we cooked, ate and cleaned up dinner, it was time to rush through homework then start our bedtime routine. Between baths, brushing teeth and a bedtime story we didn’t have time to spare to really hang out with our kids.
I realized my kids weren’t learning what I wanted. Sure, they could tell you all about Native Americans and could divide and read well but in the grand scheme of things, I knew there was so much more.
I was tired of entrusting my kids’ future to a system that had failed me.
I knew I had to teach them life skills myself and that’s exactly what I did!
When my oldest daughter was 10 years old, I pulled our kids from public school and we set out to learn some old fashion life skills. They learned to sew, bake bread from scratch, garden and how to keep a house clean. They cut wood, made “soups” from leaves and twigs and spent hours enjoying nature. It was like we had stepped back in time and they were enjoying a childhood from a hundred years ago. All the while, they were learning important life skills.
But now that they’re older, I’ve quickly learned that there’s a whole new set of life skills for teens.
Can they clearly communicate their feelings? Are they able to prepare themselves for a big test or event? Do they have the skills they need to knock a job interview out of the park?
Life skills for teens are a whole new ballgame!
Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure how to teach these life skills for teens. Thankfully, I found Voyage, who had done all the hard work for me!
This post is sponsored by Voyage. I received the product for free and was compensated for my time.
All opinions are my own and a positive review was not required.
Voyage: The Easiest Way to Teach Life Skills for Teens
Voyage is an online, interactive program that holds your high schooler’s hand and guides them through this huge transition. It contains 5 interactive modules that teach the life skills for teens to be successful.
Who I Am:
In the first module, Voyage helps teens discover exactly who they are, what their strengths are and what they want to do with their lives. It simplifies goal-setting, teaches them to set a purpose statement and helps them understand their purpose in life.
Career Planning:
Wouldn’t it be great if you had someone to assist your child in planning their career? That’s exactly what Voyage does in the second module of this course. Teens will explore careers that interests them and figure out which jobs would be a great fit. But that’s not all: They also learn important work skills, such as creating a cover letter and resume. They learn how to rock a job application and helpful tips to knock the socks off their interviewer!
College Planning:
In the third module of Voyage, students will learn how to approach college in a smart way, as well as make the most out of campus-life.
Teens will learn how to research the schools they’re interested in, apply for financial aid and complete college applications. Best of all, they’ll learn some key tips to being successful while living on a college campus.
Financial Responsibility:
One of the most important life skills for teens is learning to be financially responsible. The financial choices you make as a young adult will impact you for the rest of your life.
Whether you choose to invest a small chunk of you weekly paycheck or dig yourself into a hole with debt is something you’ll have to live with for years to come.
In Voyage’s 4th module, students will learn to manage their bank accounts, understand their monthly billing statements and figure out exactly how interest is calculated.
They’ll learn to develop responsible financial habits that can either make or break them and their family.
This is one of the most important life skills for teens, in my opinion. Their spending habits don’t only affect them, but also their future family. Teens need to learn that it’s easy to buy everything they want with a credit card. But eventually, they’ll have to pay that off. Hopefully, they won’t ever have to give up a family vacation or their dream home because of the irresponsible spending they did in the past.
Everyday Living:
The final module in the Voyage course is one that we’ve worked on for many years at our own home. It’s everyday life skills that you’ll need to survive adulthood.
Included in this module is how to keep up with your everyday health, how to travel safely, how to make appointments, home and vehicle upkeep, communication and so much more!
One of the best things we can offer our kids is a well-rounded set of life skills. With Voyage’s help, you’ll be able to propel them into adulthood with a strong foundation of skills. These are the skills that will set them apart in the big, scary world of adulthood.
Click HERE to check out VOYAGE today!
