Teach my kids life skills and have fun with them

I would really like the kids to work on some new life skills goals this summer to foster independence & self reliance. I’m going to expand their cooking skills and focus on some financial realities as well. Our daughter will be getting her learner’s permit so I have to steel myself for that too (groan). Oldest will be a senior so he really needs to get organized and start on his college apps & scholarships. Youngest needs to take on more responsibility for himself – I need to stop babying him

was my kitchen helper last night. He peeled and mashed the potatoes, peeled the carrots, stirred the gravy and served everyone. After dinner he helped clean up. He has been taking a keen interest in cooking lately. Whenever Dad is out grilling, he is by his side to learn the all the techniques.

i started knitting again and im teaching my daughter who is 7, she actually asked if i could teach her! ^__

My son is learning about tuning up a car, changing the oil and tires. He is enjoying it and picking it up quickly. Then when my daughter gets a little bigger we can teach her as well.

ARRRRGH. Going back to work, and finding the entire family has resorted to a total slacker attitude with Mom operating as a quasi-servant has put me over the edge. Hey – at least servants get pay and a day off!!

Not to pull the martyr routine, but I was not a happy camper this am – cleaning up the trash the dog had gotten into because no one had emptied it and it was loaded with food/candy wrappers.

At every red light on the way in to work this a.m. I formulated a list of expectations of things to be done before getting on to check email/myspace/xanga/aim…

Will keep you posted on the success.

The list for my oldest son:
1) Homework done?
2) Tell me now if you need $$ or papers signed for tomorrow
3) Do you have a project due? Do you need something for it? (Don’t ask me at 10:00pm to go out to WalMart for posterboard for a project due tomorrow)
4) Do you have something on the calendar tonight? Tomorrow? Are you prepared for it?
5) Do you have your sports equipment/clean uniform/etc for practice tomorrow?
6) Is your bed made? Laundry brought down? Wastebasket empty? Room picked up and vacuumed?
7) Have you done your chore(s) of the day?

Similar for daughter, with cello practice added.

with the kids right now. And we are cleaning out their closets for fall.

ride his bike without training wheels. He is my super cautious child. He would close the cabinets with child locks for us when he was a toddler…. He over analyzes every situation before trying it (unlike my daughter who just jumps right in).

We had partial success yesterday. Had to take the oldest to the park for cross country practice, so we brought the bike along. Held onto the seat and had him going fast, let go and he did it without realizing it. Of course, as soon as he knew I wasn’t holding onto him again, he fell over! Did this multiple times, but he still won’t go without my helping hand. We’ll just have to do it again this afternoon and over and over until he has the confidence to do it on his own.

and the long summer looms before us… I plan on teaching my kids more cooking skills – they are pretty good at meal prep, salads, baking. Oldest son is learning grilling from the grill master.
Hope to have them self sufficient when I turn them from the nest – no need to survive on pizza delivery and mac & cheese!