Your teen is at an age where they probably feel ready to take on the world. This is a great age for introducing them to activities that will expand their world and help them to apply what they are already learning in school. The possibilities are endless. Here are some supplementary activities that you as a parent can do to encourage your child to continue to grow in their education.
Grocery Shopping
This is one basic chore that can teach your teen skills that go far beyond basic ones. There are many facets involved in the simple act of grocery shopping. From meal planning for different sized groups, to organizing weekly family meals, to finding the items in the grocery store and purchasing them within a budget… this is one activity that has many benefits. Grocery shopping will help your teen see the importance of math, reading and organizational skills, all within a few hours.
Budgeting with Parents
Budgeting is something best learned while you are relatively young. The preferable time to teach them about money management is when your teen is still living at home. Allow your child to look at your family finances. Most children are trustworthy with the info, and can learn valuable lessons about budgeting while watching you manage your household. Involve your teen so that they can see why you make the decisions you do, and how to problem solve when necessary.
Home Business
Encourage your teen to start their own home business. Many adults are becoming entrepreneurs, and are working for themselves rather than for someone else. Whether your child continues with a home business, or becomes an employee, managing a home business as a young person will make the financial principles floating around in their heads become a more concrete matter. When you have to balance books, suddenly math becomes a reality and your teen will realize exactly why they are putting in long hours to learn these concepts.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great experience for any child of any age. In the teen years, volunteering can serve many purposes, including exploring areas of possible future job interests. Whether your child wants to become a cook or a veterinarian, there is an opportunity for them to volunteer somewhere that sparks passion inside them.
Encourage your child to volunteer in at least a few different places throughout their teen years, as this will give them a taste of what the working world is like, and will help them choose a place of employment when they are older. This is due to the fact that their volunteering will have exposed them to many different workplace atmospheres. Your teen may even land their first job because someone they volunteered for didn’t want to let them go when they were ready to look for employment.
Teens have the world at their fingertips. Encourage your teen to look beyond his or her immediate situation and into the future. By incorporating these everyday activities into your child’s life, they will expand their education and become a leader in tomorrow’s world.