How to Prepare Teenagers for the Real World
We would all like to protect our children from the real world as long as possible. But we are doing a disservice to the children and society when we don’t prepare teenagers for the real world. Teens need to know what is expected of them in the adult world before they enter it. If we fail to prepare them adequately, they will face difficult obstacles. Here are a few basics for preparing teens for the real world.
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Instructions
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Teach them respect. In the real world, successful adults show respect for one another. While teenagers already know that, in the real world people can also be cruel to one another, so they need to learn as early as possible that being respectful to others will get them further in life than being disrespectful.
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Show teens how to be responsible. Give them chores around the house, hold them accountable for the actions that they choose and give them opportunities to make decisions on their own.
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Make money management an important topic. Teach teens how to make a budget and stick to it (see Resources below). Educate them on the use of credit cards, the cost of cell phones (especially texting!) and planning for the future. Teenagers generally have no sense of the dangers of money scams in the real world. Show them email scams that you get in your email and discuss it with them. Teach teens how to be on the alert for scam artists.
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Teach teenagers basic writing skills. Do this yourself or get them a tutor. They should be able to at least write a cover letter, resume, business letter and a basic review of a product. Teenagers are inundated with text messages and have a tendency to write using that form of slang. All teenagers should be prepared to use standard English when writing for the real world.
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Get teenagers involved in the community. In the real world, successful citizens are actively involved in community affairs and activities. Teens can volunteer at senior citizen homes, parks, libraries and after-school care. Another great source of community involvement are church activities and community center classes. Having a sense of community makes the transition into the real world easier for teens (see Resources below).
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Tips & Warnings
Visit your Chamber of Commerce for community activities for teens.
If you can’t find activities in your community, start some!
Resources
- Photo Credit I Stock International, Riverside Clip Art
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Comments
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harrietcat
Nov 02, 2008
Wow, every parent and teacher needs to read this. I am a teacher also and I find that my students are actually being expected to work for the first time when they come to me as pre-teens. This is so discouraging. They are taught that its ok not to be responsible and then I turn out the be the bad guy! Karen, you could also add that most of the time, teachers really do have the children's best interest at heart and are being honest. Some parents are too quick to blame teachers without taking a close look at what their children are doing in school.
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harrietcat
Nov 02, 2008
Wow, every parent and teacher needs to read this. I am a teacher also and I find that my students are actually being expected to work for the first time when they come to me as pre-teens. This is so discouraging. They are taught that its ok not to be responsible and then I turn out the be the bad guy! Karen, you could also add that most of the time, teachers really do have the children's best interest at heart and are being honest. Some parents are too quick to blame teachers without taking a close look at what their children are doing in school.
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andre7514
Sep 15, 2008
Good article and very helpful!
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andre7514
Sep 15, 2008
Good article and very helpful!
