For fun: What life skills do your teenagers lack?

[Anonymous]

Highly impressionable

Wanted to go to college at the beginning of the year, started dating her partner, and is now working in a factory.

She told me next semester, so I'm hoping she sees value in it, or some kind of program that gives her skills.

[Anonymous]

DD moved to Fl at 18 and thought it was a good idea to finance her furniture to save money.

I flipped.

She missed 1 payment and the price quadrupled. I had to pay $2k in furniture that should cost less than $500.

[Anonymous]

Directions - as in North South East West were a problem for oldest two. Younger two (now in college) got it in scouting. Still the way over reliance on a phone app for directions to somewhere they absolutely should know how to get there is nuts.

[Anonymous]

Fold anything that isn't a rectangle. I have tried to teach her, but she just doesn't get it (want to get it). I almost get offended watching her fold her shirts, so I end up taking over. I think she has my number and I think that is a life skill. :p

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much for my ADHD child. Namely organization and awareness. Organization is a must in life, and awareness is a must for important things like driving. Both worry me a lot.

Ditto for my ADHD DD.

[Anonymous]

He is overtipping for smoothies and coffees and such. He knows the basic rules - eg 20% when eating in a restaurant in a dc area, assuming decent service - but leaving a 5 dollar tip for a single smoothie? Sure, they'll love you for it....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD moved to Fl at 18 and thought it was a good idea to finance her furniture to save money.

I flipped.

She missed 1 payment and the price quadrupled. I had to pay $2k in furniture that should cost less than $500.

Out of morbid curiosity - why did YOU have to pay for this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He is overtipping for smoothies and coffees and such. He knows the basic rules - eg 20% when eating in a restaurant in a dc area, assuming decent service - but leaving a 5 dollar tip for a single smoothie? Sure, they'll love you for it....

Personally, I think overtipping is an excellent habit. Maybe not 100%, but if you can afford it, it's just good karma. Frankly, I think the tip system is barbaric, but until we can get it changed, I do my small part to offset the ridiculous base salaries restaurant workers are usually paid.

But maybe I only think that because I've depended on tips to pay the bills at one point in my life. Heck, I often tip well even for poor service, because I know that some days, it may truly be the best they can manage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fold anything that isn't a rectangle. I have tried to teach her, but she just doesn't get it (want to get it). I almost get offended watching her fold her shirts, so I end up taking over. I think she has my number and I think that is a life skill. :p

I bought mine one of those shirt-folding boards. She thinks it's fun, so she tends to do better about folding laundry now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD moved to Fl at 18 and thought it was a good idea to finance her furniture to save money.

I flipped.

She missed 1 payment and the price quadrupled. I had to pay $2k in furniture that should cost less than $500.

Out of morbid curiosity - why did YOU have to pay for this?

This is how her birth parents bought all of their furniture, computers, and TV's so she thought this was how everyone bought furniture. It was a late adoption, and I couldn't teach everything before she left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD moved to Fl at 18 and thought it was a good idea to finance her furniture to save money.

I flipped.

She missed 1 payment and the price quadrupled. I had to pay $2k in furniture that should cost less than $500.

Out of morbid curiosity - why did YOU have to pay for this?

This is how her birth parents bought all of their furniture, computers, and TV's so she thought this was how everyone bought furniture. It was a late adoption, and I couldn't teach everything before she left.

Not trying to be a jerk - but why did YOU have to pay that? Why didn't you make her pay it? What are you teaching her by paying it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I definitely need to teach my 14 yr old DS how to iron this summer. He has been doing laundry since he was 8 or 9 but I quickly iron anything that needs it. He knows how to address an envelope but the address is never straight. He also has trouble reading cursive but I think that ship has sailed.

I haven’t ironed in over 20 years. I hang my wrinkled clothing in the bathroom while I take a steamy shower, and it does the trick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Directions - as in North South East West were a problem for oldest two. Younger two (now in college) got it in scouting. Still the way over reliance on a phone app for directions to somewhere they absolutely should know how to get there is nuts.

Some people just have a bad sense of direction. It’s okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD moved to Fl at 18 and thought it was a good idea to finance her furniture to save money.

I flipped.

She missed 1 payment and the price quadrupled. I had to pay $2k in furniture that should cost less than $500.

Out of morbid curiosity - why did YOU have to pay for this?

This is how her birth parents bought all of their furniture, computers, and TV's so she thought this was how everyone bought furniture. It was a late adoption, and I couldn't teach everything before she left.

Not trying to be a jerk - but why did YOU have to pay that? Why didn't you make her pay it? What are you teaching her by paying it?

Because it was predatory lending, they quadrupled the monthly cost after one missed payment. This made it unaffordable for her, I'd much rather her come to me when she falls for these kinds of traps. She's 18 fresh out of high school(during a pandemic), how do I expect her to pay for it? (She covered her own rent herself at 18, so adding another $200 would break her. I do want her to eat.)

[Anonymous]

https://skilltrekker.com/

This is my favorite program ever! They have a great track record for teaching age-appropriate skills in ways that kids care learn.