#1: Starting with Small Tasks at Home

Let kids handle tasks commensurate to their age at home. You should let your four year old kid start helping out in putting his or her cloths away in the laundry bin. That’s not too much a task for that age, right? Of course not!

In fact, with time, the little kid will make it a habit and won’t have to wait for mom to say, “Hey Julia, take your dirty pairs of stocks to the laundry bin.”Older kids should start learning to clear the table after meals, wash the dishes and so on. There’s no better place to start teaching kids independence than the home.

#2: Time Management

Have you thought of allowing your kids to practice time management, or you have been the on micro-managing their time and entire life? Don’t you think it’s time to let your kid start taking responsibility in the aspect of time management as well?

Whether it is managing their personal projects or school-related tasks efficiently, learning to manage time will help a kid excel in any of those. It’s time to stop managing your kid’s time from the time he wakes up to when he retires to bed.

Give ample room for kids to schedule their own time, while making input and giving them direction on how to do it more effectively. It’s a better way to let them learn time management rather than dictating what they should do and when they should do it.

#3: Decision Making

“Bennie, I and your mom have decided that you will go to Yale University.” “Julie, we’ve figured it all out…basket ball will be the best sport for you.” “Hey Brian, we want you to study medicine.”

Are you familiar with those authoritative tones from parents and guardians? It’s even possible you are a culprit too! Don’t get it all wrong, there’s nothing wrong with parents pointing their kids to the right direction in life.

But, do you know what is wrong? When parents take over kids’ lives completely and not let them be part of major decisions in their lives. At least, you should ask the kid, “What university do you want to enroll in and why?” “What sport do you love most?” “What would you like to study?”

Letting kids learn and be part of decision making, especially with issues related with their lives is a great way to help them learn independence. Your duty is to guide them, correct them and be supportive every inch of the way.

#4: Negotiation

One of the best times to let kids learn negotiation is when you take them out to shop. In markets where you can negotiate the price of groceries or other stuffs, let the kid watch how you negotiate price, and not just jump at the first price the seller tells you.

Subsequently, you can let the kid try haggling for price on his own when next you go shopping. Over time, the kid will master good negotiation skill that won’t just be helpful in shopping but also in other aspects of life. This is also a good way of learning independence.

#5: Handling Failure

From failing exams to  not making sales on their first attempt of selling a product or offering a service, how does your kid handle failure? Does the child sulk all day? And, do you go pity-patting the kid, or do you tell the child to brace up and try again?

It’s not too early to encourage kids to learn how to handle failure, which will help build and toughen them for the rough road ahead in life. Let the kid know that failure is not the end, but the end will only come when he or she remains refuses to brace up and try again.

#6: Money Management and Financial Literacy

Surprise that money matter is coming up here again? You don’t have to be! Obviously, teaching kids to learn about money early in life is the core of FUNancial Freedom!

One of the best skills kids can learn to help them become more independent in life is money and money management. At FUNancial Freedom, we have extensive lines of super-rich series on different money topics for kids of all ages.

As a parent, you will be definitely super happy and proud of what your child has become in terms of learning to save, manage and invest money! They will learn early in life to start depending less on you and others to meet their financial needs.

#7: Self-Defense

Does that sound weird? It’s not at all! With so many bad people and bullies out there, you don’t want your child to be completely handicapped when it comes to defending himself, right? And of course, you can’t be there with your kids all the time, so they need to learn independence in the aspect of defense as well.

At least, learning basic self-defense tactics, including how to de-escalate a situation verbally, will help a child gain a level of independence in the aspect of defense and security.

#8: Proper Interaction and Communication

You definitely can’t be there all the time to answer for your child or tell the child what and how to respond to the other person. Adopting different measures to assist a kid in learning proper interaction and communication will help improve their independence.

What’s more? There’s no time to waste! Start right away to teach your kids skills that will help them become more independent.