9 Basic Life Lessons Children Should Know By Age 10
July 17, 2019
Sometimes, it can be difficult to find a balance between traditional and modern values when it comes to raising our children. We want our kids to be open-minded, well-rounded, confident individuals who are set up to succeed in life. However, with all of the technology and other aspects of modern life, we tend to forget the importance of these basic life skills. All children should be familiar with these life lessons by age 10 so that they enter their teenage years in the best place possible.
1. Cause And Effect
Children need to know that for every action, there is a consequence. Sometimes those consequences are positive, and sometimes they are very negative. Children need to be able to make their own choices and understand that they are responsible for their actions.
2. Being Open-Minded
We live in a multicultural world where other people’s values, traditions, religions, races, and cultures are often very different from our own. Our children should be taught to respect everyone, regardless of how different they are from their own family structure and values.
3. Valuing Nature
In a world with countless gadgets and forms of technology, we need to remind our children how special nature is. Teach them to respect the world around them, and to enjoy the simple beauty in the outdoors.
4. Understanding Peer Pressure
This topic is something that they will encounter often, especially when entering their teenage years. Teach your child to recognize peer pressure, and instil enough confidence in them that they are able to stand up for themselves and not cave to everything their friends are saying or doing.
5. Safe Technology Skills
Every parent has a different opinion regarding social media and technology use for their children. However, all parents should teach their children how to use technology in a safe, appropriate manner and to speak up when they see something wrong happening in the digital realm.
6. Winning Vs Losing
Many children have a hard time losing. Teach your child that losing is a natural part of life, and it’s not something they need to pout over. On the other hand, your child should learn to handle winning in a gracious manner, so as to not make others feel like failures. On this topic, if your child wants to win at something in life, they need to be taught the value of hard work. If you don’t put in the effort, you’re not going to win.
7. Being Empathetic
Empathy is a skill we’re constantly building upon, but children should be able to feel compassion and empathy towards those around them. Even if they don’t necessarily understand a certain situation, they should be able to recognize that they need to be kind and respectful of other people’s needs and feelings.
8. Basic Emergency Skills
From an early age, every child should be taught to call 911 in case of an emergency. You should also develop a thorough evacuation plan in case of fire, and should identify a few trusted friends or neighbors your child can contact if a troublesome situation were to arise. Taking a basic first-aid course with your child is a great idea, too.
9. Confidence
Confidence is a work in progress, whether you’re a child or an adult. However, we should teach our children to have faith in themselves, and encourage them to stand up when they need help or witness something unjust. Just remember — there’s a huge difference between being confident and being cocky.