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Writer's pictureJess Green

Lessons All Students Nearing ‘Leaving the Nest’ Should Have: A Parent Must-Read


For the past several years, it has been pretty normalized for adult children to stay with their parents for a variety of reasons. One of the largest contributing factors is finances. Students that are homeschooled have a lot more flexibility in their learning than the average public high school student, but I bet both would say the same: I want to learn the skills I need to be a successful adult. My high school students often expressed this desire for a more practical education. Unfortunately, public education just isn’t where it needs to be in terms of preparing students for their futures. That means parents and caregivers will need to step up to the plate, and I’m here to help!


In today’s economy, being savvy with finances is essential for long term success and independence. One essential skill my students asked for was help with budgeting, spending and credit. I have poured hours of my time into creating lessons that are easy to follow along with at home - these are perfect for parents with teenage children or to incorporate into a homeschooling curriculum. With inflation rising, smart grocery shopping, couponing, and bulk price comparisons are crucial skills needed by nearly every family. I personally did a lot of self-reflecting and learning in the process of developing these lessons, and went from spending an astronomical amount on groceries each week to keeping to a budget of just $200 to feed my family of 7. Now THAT is a skill that could benefit everyone.


Building good credit is critical to success in the adult world. When it comes to buying a car or getting a mortgage for a house, a better credit score will mean lower interest rates and less money paid overall. Additionally, some apartments and employers do credit checks. Building credit can start before your child leaves the house! Teaching these skills is something you can do right now to improve your child’s success for living on their own.


On the subject of homeschooling - what a blessing it is for some families to be able to tailor learning experiences to their children in a way that is absolutely impossible to do in public school. Homeschooling parents have the ability to create lessons that are applicable to the real world. Why do plain Algebra when you could teach your child how interest works (see my mini lesson: Real Life Math: Calculating Interest!)? Many of the mini lessons I have created are completely asynchronous; all your child needs is access to a computer and google drive (free with a google email account). These lessons can be done at your child’s pace, independently.


I dream of a day in public education where students never feel the need to ask, “When will I ever use this?!” I think these Real Life Lessons should be incorporated into the public education system, but unfortunately I think I am a little ahead of my time in these thoughts. Fortunately, parents, caregivers and homeschool teachers have the ability to pass on these essential life lessons to their kids. I want to see more kids feeling empowered and ready to spread their wings after graduation, what about you? Flip the script on education and prioritize this learning with kids that not only need it, but WANT it.


As always, if you desire a lesson designed by a teacher with a decade of experience that is not available on my website, send me an email request and I will add it to my creation to-do list. Every student deserves the opportunity to learn Real Life Skills in order to step out into adulthood feeling confident and prepared.


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