Watching your child grow up is hard. Teaching your child how to drive and how to apply to college or a job are a few things you’ve gone over with your teen as they’ve been in high school. However, when it comes to approaching adulthood, your teen needs to understand a few things before they move out into the world on their own. If your teen plans to move out soon, here a few subjects you should consider going over before that day comes.
1. How to Make Appointments
Many parents make appointments for their children when it comes to visiting the doctor, dentist, or car repair shop. There’s nothing wrong with this, as it may have just seemed easier at the time. However, proper etiquette when it comes to speaking on the phone is something your teen may have to practice. With texting being one of the most popular forms of communication, your teen may feel nervous speaking on the phone with a professional.
Understanding what’s needed when making an appointment is important, too. If your teen needs to make a doctor’s appointment for a routine check-up, that may be simple. However, your teen may not be too familiar with car repairs. For example, experts say that 80% to 90% of dents can be repaired using paintless dent repair (PDR) techniques. If this repair option is offered to your teen, would they know what to say? Go over this skill with your teen, as they’ll need to call professionals and communicate with adults often once they’ve moved out.
2. How to Do Laundry
Again, many parents don’t think about all of the things they do for their children until they’ve grown and are asking how to do it themselves. This happens when it comes to doing laundry. If your teen doesn’t know how to do their own, go over how to use a washing machine and dryer. Explain the difference between detergent and fabric softener. Be sure your teen knows to read labels on clothing to know what settings an article of clothing needs to be washed in.
3. When to Call Their Landlord for Help
Many young adults choose to rent apartments or small houses, which involves signing a lease with a landlord. Landlords are responsible for fixing any issues within the rented home. Does your teen know what to look out for that could be potentially dangerous? Go over the importance of smoke detectors, odd smells that may require attention, and major structural aspects of a home that may need to be fixed. For example, pipeline corrosion can occur in an apartment or home, and this issue alone costs the U.S. economy more than $9 billion each year. Especially in older homes, issues pertaining to the structure of the home can cause problems down the road. Be sure your teen is aware of any issues that can arise and that calling the landlord to fix them is necessary.
4. How to Grocery Shop
As a parent, you’ve likely been doing the bulk of the grocery shopping for your family as your kids have been growing up. When your teen moves out, however, they’ll need to know how to grocery shop for one. Budgeting money for groceries is especially important. Teach your teen how to build a grocery list that includes all of the basic food groups. Aiming to spend the same amount every week would be the best bet, too.
5. How to Meal Prep
Meal prep associates with grocery shopping. Explain to your teen that cooking for one can have its difficulties, as food can go to waste if meals aren’t planned out ahead of time. Writing down some meal ideas for a given week and being sure all of the ingredients are bought during a grocery shopping trip will ensure the meals can be made properly and that an extra trip to the grocery store won’t be needed.
6. Ways to Keep Utility Bills Low
Similar to budgeting for groceries, your teen must also be aware of utility bills in their apartment or home. If your teen’s future home isn’t part of a complex, their utility bills will fluctuate depending on how much energy is needed to heat or cool the home. Energy use in the United States is doubling every 20 years, but with your teen’s awareness on this subject, they can keep their energy bills low. Go over basic ways to keep bills low, such as dressing for the weather, keeping the thermostat at a proper and constant temperature, turn the lights off when leaving a room, and unplugging electronics when they’re not in use.
7. How to Maintain a Proper Credit Score
Your teen may already have a credit card, or they may consider applying for one when they move out. Payments, the number of lines of credit, and the length of credit history all affect one’s credit score. Student loan and credit card payments may be two ways your teen will attain a credit score when they move out. Be sure your teen understands the importance of a great credit score in this day and age. It affects one’s ability to rent an apartment, buy a house, and even obtain a job. Applying for a credit card now and attaining a proper credit score before your teen moves out may be a great way to help your teen become accustomed to a credit card and become financially stable.
By going over these subjects with your teen and perhaps getting some practice in before they move out, you’ll feel that your teen is more prepared than ever to take on the world outside your home. Consider the importance of these subjects, especially when it comes to financial stability and safety.
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