Along with acedamic subjects would our children benefit from some of these

Kids learn a huge amount of subjects at school, Maths, English and Irish to name a few and of course they are hugely important. However here are some things we think they should teach in schools as they too could be beneficial to our youngsters especially in the future, what do you think? 
  • Self-defence. No one is suggesting that we train a load of little ninjas but in this day and age, a little self-defence wouldn’t go a miss. Parents might feel more confident allowing their older kids to walk home from school and it may even help the kid’s confidence.
  • First Aid. From a young age all children should be informed of the dos and don’ts if another kid gets injured for whatever reason. Youngsters hurt themselves all the time and kiddies having a little bit of experience in dealing with minor ailments would be an advantage in the long run.
  • General repairs. Repairs at home and for your car are vital but why wait to learn these skills? Children should know how to pump up a bike tyre, or change a lightbulb and put up shelves. Of course this wouldn’t be suited for primary school children but older kids would use these skills well 
  • How to heal a broken heart. Life can give you a lot of knocks and one huge life event your child will always remember is the first time they will have had their heart broken. Matters of the heart are never easy but if it was covered in school maybe children would learn how to deal with it. Watching your child looking broken hearted is a terrible thing and there is only so much that Ice cream can do!
  • That it isn’t all about good grades. Of course doing well at school and getting good marks is good but it is not the be all and end all. If there is a certain course your teenager wants to do but doesn’t get the marks there are ways around it and even though it may take longer the end goal can be achieved. Remembering that everyone is different and while one kid may be a high achiever another might be very practical and creative, the important thing is realising your talents and striving to live your dreams after college. 
  • How to multi task. If your child is in Home Economics and they are making a stir fry it is the only thing they have to concentrate on at that time. However life is not one dimensional nor easy so maybe they should be making a stir fry while sewing, and feeding a screaming baby born! Real life isn’t stress-free and most of the time your kid will have to be organised and multi task to fulfil their work in the future, best they practice now I say!
  • How to stand up for yourself. There is a line here and while one shouldn’t be walked over they certainly shouldn’t be a bully either. However bumps will appear on the road ahead in your kid’s future and teaching them how to be assertive (not argumentative) will allow them some confidence going forward. If your child can show a perspective employer that they can offer solutions to the business and project their view competently it will surely offer them a better chance of progression. 
  • Money matters. It is all well and good teaching business in schools but these young people need to learn the basics of families and budgeting. House prices are rising again and teaching youngsters about salaries and how much they will actually have to pay for in the future is a very important life lesson. 
Let us know if there any other subjects you think should be added to this list and why they are worthwhile to our children’s future?
Written by Irish mummy blogger and staff writer at  www.familyfriendlyhq.ie 
Check out her blog emmasmadjotters.com

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