Summer is quickly approaching and many moms are dreading those three awful words, “Mom, I’m bored.” Make this summer different by teaching your kids the skills they need for life—life without you.

I often hear stories of people who get married not knowing how to make dinner or do a load of laundry. Our job as moms is to train our children to leave our home and manage their own homes. Whether you have boys or girls, all kids need to learn basic skills so that they are a blessing to a future spouse, roommate, or their own families.

Summer is a perfect opportunity to work on this with your children. Usually during the school year we are all too busy with school to really focus on other things, so teaching life skills gets pushed to the side. It is quicker to do things ourselves anyways, right? Teaching your kids life skills will, in the end, make your life—and theirs—significantly easier.

Here are some skills you can work on with your kids this summer:

• Meal Prep—Toddlers can learn to wash fruits and veggies and mix things; preschoolers can help make sandwiches; elementary-aged kids can start learning how to read recipes and bake. By middle school, your kids should be able to plan a whole meal and make it by themselves.
• Grocery Shopping—Kids can clip coupons, help with the menu plan, and shop with you for groceries. Teach them how to compare prices and find the cost per unit to find the best deals.
• Laundry—Have your little kids start by sorting dirty clothes. You can make it easy for your children to put away their clothes when they are young by using bins instead of drawers. Elementary aged kids can be taught how to use the washer and dryer.
• Cleaning—Have your kids start learning to pick up after themselves when they’re young. Younger kids can dust, wipe, pick up, and sweep. Older kids can be taught how to use cleaning agents properly. Put them in charge of cleaning an area of the house.
• Computer Skills—I realize that many kids know more about computers than adults, but you can teach your kids the ins and outs of having a computer and using email and the internet. Only do what your family is comfortable with though; there are many dangers lurking on the web, so get a good filter and monitor their computer time.
• Finances—Teach your children responsible money management while they are young. Explain to them the differences between cash, debit, and credit cards. Teach them how to balance a bank statement and how to save for things they want to purchase.
• Yard Work—Big kids can mow, but little kids can weed, water, and rake. Involve them while they are young and make it fun.
• Ironing—No one will hire your child if they show up for their first job interview looking like they just lived through a tornado. You can start with ironing pillow cases and move up from there.
• Tools—All kids should know how to properly use a drill, hammer, screwdriver, and other tools. Give little kids simple jobs like changing the battery in a flashlight, then move up from there.
• Telephone Etiquette—Teach your kids how to answer a phone properly. In our house we say, “Hello Crandalls, may I ask who’s calling?” Teach them how to take messages and what to say to people who call when you’re in the bathroom or otherwise indisposed. Joy wrote more about how to teach your kids telephone skills here.
• Forms—Teach your child how to fill out forms. I cannot believe how many forms you have to fill out as an adult! Joy has written a great post about this here.
• Basic Home Safety—What to do in case of a fire, when and how to call 911, and what is an emergency, are all skills your children need to know before they are old enough to stay home alone or babysit.
  

These are just a few life skills you can work on this summer. Edit this list to fit the needs and goals of your family. Christine Field has written a great book on this subject called Life Skills for Kids: Equipping Your Child for the Real World. I encourage you to check it out for even more life skills ideas.

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