LIFE SKILLS - May 25, 2006
This is the week that our high school seniors are excited,
apprehensive, frightened and eager for the time to leave their
parents and home. Parents have the same feelings too! Focus has
been on skills learned at school, but practical skills are even
I saw a list made up by a group of parents who were concerned
about their high school seniors learning skills that would make
them more comfortable and safe as they face their magnificent
DOMESTIC SKILLS -- Make a grocery list and shop for the
items. Cook a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner, don’t just
open and pour! Follow a recipe. Change the sheets on the bed,
washing and folding them regularly. Wash and iron clothes
without ruining them, also remove spots. Replace a button, mend
a ripped seam, polish shoes and use press on mending tape.
PHYSICAL AND OUTDOOR SKILLS -- Throw and catch balls. Swim
half a mile, tread water for ½ hour and float for an hour. Ride
a bike. Hike without getting lost, bitten or covered with poison
ivy. Bait a hook, catch a fish, remove the hook, clean and cook
the fish. Plan and manage a camping trip with friends. Be able
to recognize wildlife in your area.
HANDYMAN SKILLS -- Hang a picture straight without making
extra holes in the wall. Paint neatly, and clean up the mess.
Use the common tools and fasteners. Drive a car and take care of
it. Also be able to drive a manual transmission. Be able to
change a tire. Check your own oil and tire pressure.
ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS -- Type well with both hands. Set up
your own computer system. Create a budget; it takes longer to
earn money than to spend it. Balance a checkbook manually, even
if you bank online. Keep an address book and a personal
appointment calendar. Register to vote.
SOCIAL SKILLS -- Carry on a conversation for 15 minutes with
a stranger. Speak before a small group for a few minutes. Learn
enough about ballroom dancing so you can have fun at parties.
Draw an illustration to get your point across. Have enough
confidence to sing aloud with a group. Learn to take a decent
HUMAN SKILLS -- Care for a pet, even when it is sick. Baby
sit with children between 6 months and 6 years. Help elderly or
ORIENTATION SKILLS -- Read a map. Use public transpor-tation.
Know which direction is North, South, East and West when you are
RECREATION SKILLS -- Play a team sport, so you can join the
fun at an outdoor gathering. Be responsible for staying fit.
Learn a game, like bridge, chess, checkers.
SURVIVAL SKILLS -- Know basic first aid and maintain a first
aid kit. Know what to do if you get sick, especially if you are
alone. Know CPR. Know how to call for help when necessary. How
to fight a fire at home.
I was reading this and thinking about myself and my children.
I could pass the Domestic, Human, Organizational and Survival
Skills, and parts of the Social Skills, but when it comes to the
others, I had to learn it along the way. I still can’t throw a
ball or bait a hook without embarrassing my sons, and last week
some of my good photos of town cleanup day could not be used
because my grandchildren set the camera on video and I didn’t
know enough to change it.
We must put dedicated Christians, good citizenship and
energetic workers at the top of the list. I know that right now,
high school seniors, parents and, yes, the teachers are only
thinking of commencement. All of us are thinking of their life
The following words were found at the Wright Brothers
Memorial at Kitty Hawk:
“. . . it is not really necessary to look too far into the
future; we see enough already to be certain it will be
magnificent. Only let us hurry and open the roads.”