How to Help Your Teen Prepare for Adulthood
In the blink of an eye, your little baby is on the brink of adulthood. It feels like you were teaching them how to walk yesterday, and now they are getting ready to walk across a graduation stage. You've been there to guide them throughout their journey so far. Now, the big question is, how can you prepare them to become an adult?
If you're feeling stuck, here are some tips on how to prepare your teen for adulthood.
Give Them Household Responsibilities
Inevitably, your teen will grumble and mumble about having to help out around the house. However, as we know, being an adult often means that it comes with responsibilities. As much as they'd prefer to lay around and do nothing, it's important for them to practice balancing household chores and personal time.
You don't have to go crazy with having them help out because they are busy with academics, sports, and extracurriculars. However, having them help around the house in small ways will help prepare them for adulthood. Some simple ideas that you can practice with them are:
Ensure their room or personal space remains tidy.
Put them in charge of simple things, such as weekly unloading the dishwasher or vacuuming the house.
While these may seem basic, chores can go a long way in helping them learn to take care of a house or apartment when they are out on their own. It almost perfectly translates from a school/life balance to a work/life balance.
Teach Them Fundamental Life Skills
Teenagers are taught the fundamentals of academics. They take English, math, science, and humanities to create a foundation. However, many school systems don't teach the fundamental skills needed to become an adult. Skills such as budgeting, paying taxes, grocery shopping, and planning meals are not often taught extensively in school. This is where a parent plays a key role in teaching teens how to do all those things and more.
Do you need help figuring out where to start? Here are some ideas you can try.
Have them sit with you while you determine your monthly or weekly budget. Encourage them to ask questions about your process and suggest how else they can budget. You might prefer to use a spreadsheet, but they may like to write things down. It's tactile and can help them retain the information better.
While you are planning your meals, ask them to contribute some ideas. Better yet, have them plan and cook a meal for the family.
If you have a list of household items that need to be restocked, bring them shopping so they can see the prices and variety of options available.
Support Their Mental Health
The topic of mental health is becoming less taboo. Fortunately, the stigma around mental health has lessened over the past decade. No matter what age someone is, taking care of their mental health will always be important. Transitioning from a teenager to an adult is, admittedly, hard. It's full of unknowns and uncertainties about what the future holds. It's an exciting time, but there's a reason why they talk about anxiety around "adulting."
Encourage them to share their anxieties and stressors. Is it getting into a university or trade school, finding a job after graduation, or moving out for the first time? What struggles are they facing with their social circle as it inevitably shifts? Are they struggling to cope with heavier things, such as depression?
These are great talking points to open up a larger conversation about mental health. Additionally, anxiety therapy can be a great asset for them. Reach out to learn how we can help your teen (and you).
