If we want our children to thrive after school there are plenty of other life skills we can teach them. Skills that revolve around communication, self-discipline, problem-solving, resilience and work ethic can be taught at home from a very early age and will help your child to handle an uncertain future in the world of work.
- MATTHEW GREEN, REACHOUT PARENTS
I'm a father of five. Three of my boys have left school already, the fourth is in Year 11 and my daughter is in Year 8.
They're all facing an uncertain future in the world of work, but parents can really help.
School is great for teaching our kids hard skills such as English, maths, and science. But if we want our children to thrive after school there are plenty of other life skills we can teach them.
Skills that revolve around communication, self-discipline, problem-solving, resilience and work ethic, can be taught at home from a very early age and will help your child to handle an uncertain future in the world of work.
Teaching communication skills that go beyond text messaging is important. We've taught our kids to take proper messages, to make eye contact when talking with people, to answer for themselves when questioned by a dentist or doctor, and to engage with the family at dinner instead of their phones. Teaching our children how to manage money will help them develop self-discipline and problem-solving skills that are important for the jobs of the future.
Identifying all their options will give them confidence to choose a path that feels right for them.
University or TAFE, apprenticeships, or going straight into work are all great choices.
We encouraged our three older boys to take a gap year when they finished Year 12.
The people they met and the experiences they had, both at home and abroad, helped them to understand what they value and want out of life. We accepted that we weren't the only ones teaching life skills to our kids.
As they've grown and matured, they've met many people who have had an influence on their lives - teachers, colleagues, friends, even their boss at work.
Mentoring by other people builds upon the communication skills they've learned at home and will help them to improve their networking skills.
Being exposed to a diversity of views will give them the best shot at finding their way in an uncertain future.
No one knows our children better than we do.
With support from organisations like ReachOut Parents, and our own personal experiences, we have the knowledge and resources to teach them about the future of work.
- To learn more about how you can support your child through everyday issues and tough times, head to ReachOut.com/Parents