Can your children prepare a simple meal on their own, or will they starve if no one is around to make them something as simple as a boiled egg or pasta?
Can they ask for help when they need it, and do they know who to ask?
Can they do age-appropriate chores without you or your partner’s help?
We now know that the earlier you focus on building your child’s life skills, the easier it is for them to develop important practical skills that will last a lifetime.
Here are 9 life skills every child should know by the age of 13
1) How to prepare a simple meal
A 13-year-old should know how to prepare a simple meal. By age 10, a supervised child can make scrambled or boiled eggs, cook pasta, make grilled sandwiches, or flip a pancake.
A simple approach is to start with simple meals that your child enjoys preparing and eating.
You can also decide on a number of simple dishes – say, four – that you would like your child to know before leaving home, and gradually help him or her learn to prepare them.
Teaching your child to prepare simple meals is also an easy way to teach important safety tips for using a gas stove, such as tying back long hair, knowing how to use the stove, and tips such as never pouring water on a grease fire in a cooking pan.
The easiest way to get kids started in the kitchen is to get them involved in the cooking. Even the youngest children can do this:
– Practice cutting soft fruits and vegetables with a plastic or wooden knife
– Read recipes
– Help mix dough
– Help make sandwiches and even make their own from around age five
2) How to stay safe online
There is no getting around screens, so your child needs to know the basic rules of safe screen use.
By age 13, every child should know not to
– Chat with or send photos to strangers
– Give out personal information online
– Engage in cyberbullying
– Download/click on anything without asking parental permission
They should also be able to check ratings to determine if a video or game is age appropriate.
3) How to do laundry
Being able to do their own laundry gives children a sense of autonomy and is also a useful skill when teenagers need privacy (for example, when dealing with soiled sheets).
In fact, laundry is one of the skills that children can learn at a very young age. For example, even a three-year-old can be taught to put his or her dirty clothes in the laundry basket or even to sort by color.
By the age of 10, your child can help run the washing machine, with supervision at first.
4) How to shop for the best deals
When your teen decides that he or she can only wear certain brands, you will be glad you taught them smart shopping tips.
These tips include teaching them to look for used items (“Those pants you want aren’t in your budget, see if you can get them used”) or talking about prices (“I’m going to take this box of cookies because it’s cheaper than the other one / because it’s on sale”).
Allowing children to handle a certain amount of money can also help teach them how money works.
5) How to be safe
A 13-year-old should be able to recognize unsafe situations and know how to get help. For example, they should be able to call an emergency number and know how to give basic first aid, for example for minor cuts.
This article gives simple tips on 13 things you need to teach your child to keep them safe.
6) How to keep track of important information
By age 13, your child should be able to keep track of important information on their own. They should be able to keep track of birthdays and important school events such as field trips, assignments, and tests.
7) How to behave around people
A 13-year-old should know how to behave around people – greet people in whatever way they feel comfortable (handshake, kiss, etc.), look people in the eye when speaking to them, respond when spoken to, use polite language (thank you, please, I’m sorry, excuse me, etc.), carry on a conversation, and so on.
8) How to do basic chores around the house
By the age of 13, most children can do most household chores without supervision. Science[1],[2] says that participating in household chores helps kids develop important skills in childhood and beyond.
Remember, it’s never too late (or too early!) to encourage your kids to participate in household chores.
This article has everything you need to know about getting your kids to do chores, and it also outlines the best chores for kids based on their age.
9) How to express their opinions
By the age of 13, your child should be able to express their opinions with solid arguments. He should know that everyone’s opinion is valid – their own and everyone else’s.
Even younger children can learn to express their opinions if we ask questions more often than we offer solutions: What do you think? What are you going to do? What do you want?
Every child needs to learn some valuable life lessons before they turn 13, and the easiest way to help them feel confident in their ability to manage for themselves is to make sure they get to practice as much as possible.
But different parents have different ideas about what practical skills to teach. What life skills did we leave off the list? Let us know in the comments below!
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Scientific references
[1] Children investing in their families: The importance of child obligation in successful development.
[2] Executive functions and household chores: Does engagement in chores predict children’s cognition?
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