Sending your kid off to college can be a mixed experience.
Sure, you’re proud that they’re basically all grown up and ready to face the world, but it’s also strange to see them leave. And how do you know for sure that they’re ready? While your teenager is probably more than ready to fly off, it’s a good idea to go through a few of the main points before they pack their bags.
Young adults do, in fact, struggle with a few things that you can easily ensure that they know properly.
It’s a good idea to start a bit early, though, so that you avoid having to do that crash-course on personal finance while they’re cleaning out their bedroom. Here is a handful of the most important skills they should have so that you can feel even more confident that you’ve done an excellent job.
Lesson #1: Teach them how to budget.
It comes as no surprise that many of us start to build up a great deal of debt while we’re in college. Besides from the regular student loans, it’s hard to say no to all the fun stuff and just stay in your dorm room all weekend. As a parent, however, you can make it way easier for them by emphasizing personal finance and budgeting before they’re off.
That way, you won’t have to see them up to their necks in credit card debt within a short year or two. Some schools teach these skills more thoroughly than others, though, and you can always enroll them in an AP Capstone Program to prepare them properly for the life of a college student.
Lesson #2: Teach them how to cook.
This will have an impact on their personal finance as well as their health so it’s a good idea to focus on this one right away. By teaching them basic cooking skills, you’re ensuring that they’re not spending all of their money on takeout and that they’re not living exclusively off instant noodles. Have a look at this site to learn which dishes you should teach them first. As a student, their budget is limited and a few dishes will be more financially savvy than others.
Lesson #3: Teach them basic car skills.
If your teenager knows how to drive, you should give them a quick course in what to do in case of an emergency. They also should probably know how they can change a flat tire and even a car battery on their own. It’s not just for their sake, though, since you’ll also avoid that phone call in the middle of the night when they’re stranded at the side of the road and don’t know what to do.
You know your kid better than anyone and can probably think of even more stuff they’re better off knowing before they head off to college. It just makes it a bit easier to relax once they’ve left. And, since you taught them how to not spend money, you can expect them home for dinner on a regular basis.
