With all the technology available today, teaching practical life skills can get overlooked. However, you want to help your little girl to develop independence, critical thinking, and basic skills. These are all things you can teach in a fun way as you go about your daily activities or even when you buy gifts for 10 year old daughter. Here are seven things your daughter needs to be able to do by age 10.
Do the laundry
Your daughter has probably watched adults doing the laundry for a long time but has she ever done a load on her own? From the time she is around six, you should take her through all the steps. Show her how to measure detergent and put it in the machine and choose the right settings. Explain the importance of following care instructions and separating whites from colors. Your little one will probably make mistakes but continue to encourage her until she gets it right.
Prepare a simple meal
Your daughter should know how to make a meal beyond simply popping a boxed dinner into the microwave. When you are cooking, give her small jobs to do. You can start with simple things like yogurt and fruit then move on to sandwiches and salads. By the age of ten, your daughter should be able to use the stove with supervision. Consider getting her a cooking or baking set and trying out some new things.
Write a letter
Many of the tenets of good letter-writing apply to emails and online communication so they are still relevant. Teach your daughter to use an appropriate greeting at the start of her letter, how to structure her thoughts, and how to end the letter. You can begin this very early by having her tell you what she would write in a letter to grandma. As she gets older, let her write to a pen pal or your congressional representative.
Take care of a plant
Whether you have loads of space or you can only manage to have a few pots, let your daughter learn how to keep plants alive. If possible, focus on food crops so she understands where vegetables come from and how much goes into caring for them. Make sure she learns how to plant a seed, transfer a seedling and water adequately.
Manage time well
Time management keeps families on track. As your children get older, they will likely have lots of activities going on along with school and family time. Teach your daughter to keep track of time and stick to a schedule. She won’t always succeed. After all, many adults struggle to manage their time. However, it is important that she starts working on her time management skills from early.
Understand money management
Once your daughter understands basic math, she can learn about money. Teach her the value of each coin or bill and how much some of her favorite things cost. Show her how to make change. Encourage your daughter to manage small sums before she begins getting an allowance or earning a paycheck. Explain the importance of saving for the things she wants.
Share her thoughts and feelings
Teach your daughter to put her feelings into words and to get comfortable expressing them. Teach her not to hide her opinions out of fear of not being liked. Instead, let your daughter know that her thoughts and feelings are valid and she should share them respectfully. Remind her that negative emotions don’t mean she’s a bad person.
With these hard and soft skills in place by age 10, your daughter will be well on her way to becoming an independent and emotionally intelligent adolescent and adult.