By Wendi Ostroff

• Basic home skills: Know how to do laundry, sort colors (even if that doesn’t happen) where the soap goes, how to fold clothes, what doesn’t go into a microwave (i.e., aluminum foil), and how to properly make a bed and clean your room.
• Have some financial sense: Make a personal budget, open a bank account (if you don’t have one already), fill out a check, understand the value of the dollar (or $20), as well as how to save money, use an ATM and how to tip in restaurants.
• Health-care: Know the basics to identify a cold or mild illness, how to choose over the counter medicine, how to fill a prescription and what to eat for an upset stomach (BRAT-bananas, rice, apples, toast diet) and make a doctor’s appointment.
• Know how to protect your digital presence: Be smart with what to post and not to post. Be aware of not giving away personal information online or meeting strangers in chat rooms.
• Know how to ride a city bus, how to read a map/GPS, and pump gas.
• Register to vote and then vote! At 18 years old, this is a right for all US citizens and a good way to stay engaged in the community.
• Safety: Know how to defend yourself, be aware of surroundings, and how to ask for help when needed.
• Self-care: Be aware when things start to get stressful and try to reduce stress in your life: exercise routines, take a walk, breathe, minimize procrastination, eat well, proper hygiene, and get enough sleep. Mental wellness is important. Know how to take care of yourself emotionally as well as physically.
• Simple kitchen skills: Know how to cook an egg, pasta, quesadilla, grilled cheese, rice. Along with this, know how to plan, shop for and prepare a meal for 2 people (or more).
• Social skills: Understand consent, the meaning of saying you’re sorry, and how to be kind to others.
• Time management: Understand the importance of being punctual for appointments, class, responding to emails or other messages in a timely manner, and how to schedule the amount of time you need to prepare for exams.
• Understand basic nutrition: Consuming fresh fruits and vegetables daily will nourish your body, not Doritos for breakfast. Know how to read a food label.
• Writing know-how: Be sure you can address & stamp an envelope, write a handwritten thank you note, and fill out a job application.

If your child has already left for college, is taking a gap year or other, some of these skills can be learned at any time. Use this list as a reminder of what will be helpful for them as they become successful, young adults.