Curricula and Learning Links
Home and Life Management Skills

Preparing Children for Life

During your school years, you may have taken Home Ec, Shop, Life Skills, Health, or Career Exploration classes. Homeschooled children really don't need a "class" in these areas, but homeschooling parents should make sure that their children are prepared to live life on their own when the time comes. What things should you include? Here are some ideas that would give you a year or more of study! Please leave a message for us on the comment page if you have additional links or topics that should be included.

Financial Training

Without a firm understanding of budgeting and basic finances, your child will spend his life struggling. Start early! The most important thing you can do to give your child a basis for a financial stable future is to SET A GOOD EXAMPLE. If your child is raised with the "see it, buy it" mentality, living hand-to-mouth, he will live that way as an adult. "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6.

Budgeting

How to Make a Budget
Crown Financial Ministries Budgeting Articles

Car Financial Issues

Consumer Reports Car Section
Objective group that crash-tests cars and reports the results. Tips for car buying are on the site.

Ideas for study:

Study when leasing a car is better than buying one.
Investigate insurance prices for different types of cars to see which ones have the lowest or highest insurance rates.
Determine what affects your insurance premium (like speeding tickets) by interviewing an insurance agent.
Discuss how cars depreciate (go down in value) the minute you drive them off the lot.
Develop an understanding for car loans and how you can get "upside-down" with a car loan versus the car's value.
Discuss with a mechanic how regular oil changes and maintaining tires can affect the life of a car.

Taxes

Many people have the idea that the government GIVES things to the populace, but in fact, government TAKES your money to spend (or waste) at the whim of politicians. Never think of money from the government as a gift. Someone had to give his hard earned money to the government first! Develop a good understanding of taxes and how the taxation system works. Here are some ideas:

Pick up some extra federal tax forms and work through them with actual or fictional numbers.
Show how sales tax works during a shopping trip.
Investigate your state's taxes -- income, intangible, etc. -- and figure out how they work.
Look at the price of gasoline, and find out what portion of it is tax.
Do a search to find out if your state taxes services (like a veterinarian or lawyer), has a bed tax (for hotels), or other tax on businesses.
Find out which roads are toll roads (a road tax) and calculate how much it costs to drive that road from end to end.
Analyze your property tax bill (or borrow one if you don't own your home.) What portion funds schools, libraries, parks, and public safety (police and fire fighters)?

Mortgages

Interview a real estate agent, title company, and/or mortgage specialist at a bank. Discover what all the expenses are in buying a house -- private mortgage insurance, interest, closing costs, points, real estate agents' commissions, etc. Compare a mortgage cost on a modest house with rent. Determine how much would be needed for a down payment and start saving!

Insurance

Insurance is extremely important, because it will save your family from financial disaster in the case of something unexpected. Look into each of these types of insurance:

Life - Adults should always carry at least enough life insurance to cover their debts, including mortgage. That way the family would not be homeless if the parent departed this life sooner than expected.
Health - Adults should look into carrying health insurance with a high deductible so that a catastrophic illness such as cancer or a severe auto accident would not ruin the family financially.
Car - Car insurance is required if the car has a loan on it to protect the bank's investment. You should make sure to carry liability even if your car is paid off to protect yourself from being sued if you have an accident.
Homeowner's -- This type of insurance covers your home in case of fire, windstorm, falling trees, etc. Options include flood insurance and insurance on your belongings IN the house.
Renter's - This insurance covers your belongings against theft, loss, or damage when you rent an apartment or home.

Investing

Every young adult should be familiar with how to save money and invest money.

Open a savings account. Become familiar with the rules about withdrawals. Make regular deposits.
Play the Stock Market Game to become familiar with how one can win and lose with stocks.
Learn about Certificates of Deposit (CD's) and other financial topics on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission site.
Study mutual funds.
Encourage your student to form his own business.
Read Rich Dad's Rich Kid, Smart Kid: Giving Your Children a Financial Headstart by Robert Kiyosaki

Health and Hygiene

Study the Food Pyramid and try the McDougall 12 Day Healthy Eating Plan.

Learn natural ways of staying healthy. (Staying healthy saves LOTS of money on doctor's visits!) Exercise, eight hours (give or take) of sleep per night, and healthful eating will help tremendously.

Learn to practice good hygiene by washing hands frequently, bathing regularly, wearing clean clothes, and brushing hair and teeth multiple times per day. It may seem amazing to some, but there are many adults who do not realize the importance of cleanliness for good health.

Cooking

By the time the children are teens, they should be able to plan and cook an entire meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Let the smallest children help in the kitchen and work them up to making part of the meal as they get older. See HomeschoolChristian.com's outstanding list of children's cookbooks to help excite your children about cooking and to find recipes with which they can have success!

Home Organization and Management

Boys and girls should understand how to clean a home, how to run all appliances, and how to do basic home repairs. For home organization tips, many families enjoy Flylady.

Be sure to see HomeschoolChristian's Homemaking Section for many practical ideas.

Car Care

Every young person should know how to change a car tire and should be familiar with basic maintenance issues. The Family Car website offers an interesting section on Car maintenance.

Dressing for Success

First impressions are important, so young people should know how to wear clothes properly. Read Color Me Beautiful for ideas on what colors will be most complimentary to wear. Buy classic, conservative styles, and learn how to iron clothes properly. Nothing spoils a good looking outfit quicker than scuffed, ratty-looking shoes, so learn how to put a shine on them with shoe polish!

Boys and girls should know how to do basic garment maintenance such as sewing on a button and hemming pants. For more complex sewing lessons, try the 4-H program. Contact your County Extension Youth 4-H Agent for more information.

Modesty, Purity, Finding a Spouse

Beauty comes from within, and a Christ-filled spirit is more attractive than anything! See TX Stephanie's interpretation of the Modern Proverbs 31 Woman as an example of the ideal girl of today.

Here are some suggestions for study of modesty, purity, and courting.