How To Demonstrate Life Skills To Our Youth

By | October 20, 2016

Quality education alone is not enough to nurture our youth into well-rounded individuals capable of living satisfying lives. They need life skills, too. These are the abilities, strengths or inbuilt tools you need to overcome the various situations life throws at you effectively. For example, if you get into a debate with a colleague, you need strong conflict resolution skills to handle the situation amicably. You also need the emotional intelligence to understand, express and control your feelings. If you find a job in an organization with a culturally diverse workforce, you will need strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain strong office relationships.

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In short, there is no single exhaustive list of life skills. Each situation requires a unique skill, which can be learned through practice or acquired through experience. So, how can we help our young people develop these skills? Read on to find out.

Objects That Teach Skills

Personalized stuffed animals are objects like teddy bears, dolls and pillow pets. Although these objects don’t t listen or show emotion, they can be used to stimulate the development of various life skills in our children. Stuffed animals provide a nice way for children to learn how to get along with people. It is not uncommon to find kids sharing food, drinks and other items with their toys. This enables them to learn the skill of sharing, which is vital for establishing great relationships with friends. When it comes to learning how to deal with emotions, these animals also come in handy. When youths get upset or angry, they can hug plush-toysor cuddle their stuffed animals to ease the anger and feel comforted. Perhaps the best thing about stuffed animals is that they can be used in a variety of settings, including schools and vacation camps.

Exploring the Great Outdoors

Another good way we can help our young people learn life skills is to encourage them to explore the great outdoors. While in homes and classrooms they learn how to understand their emotions and relate with other people, the outdoors equips them with survival skills and evokes a sense of environmental responsibility. In a modern world where kids are growing up immersed in digital media, however, parents and guardians must do more than just encourage young people to go out. They must act by, for instance, sending them to summer camps. Here, youths work together in groups to perform activities such as hiking and canoeing. In the process, they learn the value of teamwork, perseverance, hard work, confidence and creative problem-solving.

These are just unusual of the creative ways we can help our young people to develop life skills. Don’t minimize things like personalized stuffed animals and other non traditional items to teach life skills.  It is crucial to note that not every method can suit your kids since each young person has different development needs. Understand their weaknesses, and then find the way that best addresses them.