The vast majority of the lessons a child picks up in life are learned from their parents.

This may sound like an odd statement, not least because that children spend at least five hours per day learning directly from an actual teacher – but it’s true. Every adult alive today can do a multitude of things, the vast majority of which will have been taught to them by their parents, not their school teachers. Actual school education is a very small part of the things that children learn – for everything else, they will rely on their parents.

There are many things that you, as a parent, can teach your children – but below, we’ve put together three life lessons your children will definitely benefit from learning directly from you.

#1 Financial management

Being able to manage your finances successfully is a crucial skill for adults, but it’s one that many people simply don’t learn – a situation you will definitely want to avoid.

There are various ways of teaching your children financial management. There are the obvious ideas, such as teaching them how to budget, or how to balance a checking account. However, it’s also worth exploring other aspects of financial management, with sensible purchasing a particularly important focus. The best way to do this is to involve them in your own purchasing decisions. If you’re looking to buy a motorbike, then you could explain how you’ve taken the time to check suppliers like Texas Best Used Motorcycles online, and then how the financing works. Additionally, you could simply explain why you have chosen to buy store-brand products rather than more expensive brand-name items.

#2 Maintenance

We live in what is often termed as a disposable society, which tends to mean that maintenance practices have somewhat fallen by the wayside over recent decades. After all, why maintain an item if you can buy a replacement? It might be more expensive, but it’s less effort.

However, there is great value to be found in maintenance. Not only does maintenance help the environment and reduce waste, but it also teaches that sometimes, making an effort is worth the satisfaction of the finished reward.

#3 The importance of relaxation

Modern life is incredibly busy for adults, but also for children. While an active, thriving lifestyle is incredibly beneficial for children, it’s also helpful to ensure they learn the importance of taking a break and enjoying a little time to themselves.

The best way to teach this is, as with sensible purchasing, to lead by example. If you always ensure you make the time to take a break and relax for a while, your children will follow suit. There’s the added benefit that resting for the benefit of your children’s learning will also benefit you as a parent, providing you with time to unwind and enjoy a break from the stresses of 21st-century life.

In conclusion

The areas above are just the beginning of the lessons you will want to teach your children – but they are a great starting point, from which you can then build in future.

Josh – Contributing Author