Op, I guess from your question we wouldn't likely agree but I think people are basically good. They, including kids, know right from wrong, and only thing that needs to happen is they need to be held accountable.

Life skills: a fair division of labor/age appropriate is the thing to keep in mind.

Agree with PP's that a lot of it is modeling, but with little ones, also narrating what you're doing.

bump

Model these qualities yourself.

Life skills -- a *GOOD* scouting program. Girl Scout troops who go camping "old school" style where girls in second and third grade+ are using knives, building fires, doing all the camp chores for themselves for instance.
Boy Scouts (or Scouts BSA) after 5th grade where they are working on merit badges and advancement skills.

a bad troop won't have these experiences though so you need to find good troops or lead your own.

Scouting is good for this when your kids get a little older. For the day to day right now, the best thing to do is to set expectations and be consistent. For example, if you want your 3 year old to take her dinner plate to the sink or hang up her jacket when she gets home, be prepared to remind her every single time and wait until she actually does it before you move on to something else. It takes a lot of patience, but she (or he) will learn if you make it a priority.

Expect them. Young kids can take dishes to the sink, throw napkins away, etc. If you treat it as expected and no big deal, so will they.

Anonymous wrote:The best way to teach these skills is to model them. Be kind to people, hold the door open, say please and thank you, help clean up the house together.

+1000. They see how you treat the cashier at the grocery store, the mail carrier, the person who cleans your houses etc.

Anonymous wrote:The best way to teach these skills is to model them. Be kind to people, hold the door open, say please and thank you, help clean up the house together.

yes this

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best way to teach these skills is to model them. Be kind to people, hold the door open, say please and thank you, help clean up the house together.

100 percent this.

+2. Also talk about empathy and how people or characters in a book are feeling.

And express your own needs as well as the needs of others. Theory of mind. While some mothers seem to think it’s a virtue to negate her own bodily needs for the child, the opposite is actually true.

Anonymous wrote:The best way to teach these skills is to model them. Be kind to people, hold the door open, say please and thank you, help clean up the house together.

100 percent this.

The best way to teach these skills is to model them. Be kind to people, hold the door open, say please and thank you, help clean up the house together.

For social skills the appendix of this book on how to host a play date:
https://www.amazon.com/Its-Much-Work-Your-Friend/dp/0743254651/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=rick+lavoie+it’s+so+much+work&qid=1573420736&sr=8-1

It was written for SN kids but the principles are the same for typical kids.

What are your best tips for teaching soft skills, like social skills, important life values, and also life skills like how to take care of yourself, be responsible, and clean up. Would be particularly interested in hearing the perspective of experienced parents who made it through the younger years as to what you think really worked.

I have a three year old and a one year old and I appreciate all tips and suggestions.