Before 18 — What to teach your child before they leave home

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Money

Build and keep a simple budgetKnowing where money goes is the foundation of every other financial skill.Usually starts around 10+
Save for something they actually wantDelayed gratification is learned by doing it once, successfully.Usually starts around 7+
Open and run a bank accountCards, balances and direct debits are easier to learn with small amounts.Usually starts around 12+
Understand debt and interestCredit is the most expensive thing most adults misunderstand.Usually starts around 15+

Cook five meals from scratchIndependence, health and hospitality all start in the kitchen.Usually starts around 10+
Plan and shop for a weekTurns cooking from a task into a system.Usually starts around 14+

Swim confidentlyA safety skill first, a lifelong pleasure second.Usually starts around 4+
Basic first aid and CPR awarenessKnowing what to do in the first two minutes matters.Usually starts around 12+
Personal safety and getting out of situationsLeaving early is a skill worth rehearsing.Usually starts around 11+
Internet safety and digital footprintWhat goes online tends to stay findable.Usually starts around 9+

Ride a bike and fix a punctureFreedom plus the confidence to fix your own problems.Usually starts around 5+
Learn to drive, and to maintain a carTyres, oil, and what to do after a bump.Usually starts around 16+
Basic repairs around a homeShelves, fuses, taps, flat-pack. Capability breeds confidence.Usually starts around 12+
Run a household: laundry, cleaning, billsNobody should learn this in their first week away from home.Usually starts around 11+

Find a form of exercise they enjoyEnjoyment is the only thing that makes it last.Usually starts around 6+
Protect their own sleepThe habit that supports mood, learning and health.Usually starts around 12+

Name and manage strong emotionsEmotional literacy predicts relationships and resilience.Usually starts around 3+
Deal with failure and try againMost of adult life is recovering from things that did not work.Usually starts around 6+
Ask for help when it is neededIndependence includes knowing when not to be alone with it.Usually starts around 8+
Think critically about what they readSources, incentives and the difference between opinion and evidence.Usually starts around 12+

What a respectful relationship looks likeModelled at home first, discussed openly second.Usually starts around 12+
Have a difficult conversation calmlyA skill that pays out at work, at home, for life.Usually starts around 13+

Explore work and earn somethingReal work teaches more than any careers lesson.Usually starts around 14+
Be responsible for something that depends on themA plant, a pet, a job, a younger sibling.Usually starts around 8+
Travel independentlyTickets, timetables, and recovering when it goes wrong.Usually starts around 13+