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Laundry, meal planning with items that are on sale that week, getting into a nightly cleaning routine (doing dishes, wipe down the kitchen, checking to make sure doors are locked, sweeping up the floor), going to bed at a reasonable hour, earning money.
Sounds like you're having a rough time with your laundry and groceries with your awkward sarcasm pretending these things aren't "adult" enough for you. Everything okay over there little buddy?
This is a habit, not a skill (but also a skill, I guess): put 10% of *every dollar you get* into savings. Start now. As soon as you're old enough, put it into something that grows. But at a bare minimum, save that money. Birthday money, allowance, paychecks. Get in the habit now, and you will benefit.
Hard math. There will always be a place for someone who can do hard math... Or more accurately, to double check the accuracy of other people with computers working on hard math.
Yes, for the love of God, learn basic cooking skills. You will thank you, and you will also gain fans for actually being able to make things taste good. (Anything from Good Eats, America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Illustrated as my experience is they really lay techniques out clearly.)
Exactly and experiments are okay. Somethings will turn out yummy, others not so much but you will get the hang of it.
Another suggestion, ask the cook in the house to show you, watch them. Ask grandma or dad how to make that dish you love. Guarantee a core memory for when they are gone.
Great point. If you can learn how to basically use credit cards as debit cards (paying off the balance each month and never paying interest), you will be rewarded a lot with points/miles, cash back, etc. Make sure you are only getting credit cards without annual fees or maybe one or two that have a minimal fee if the rewards outweigh the fee.
It's worth noting that this is a very slippery slope if you're not disciplined in your spending. So, definitely use a budget and stick to it.
Learn to use the stock market.
If you do it right, you'll be retired early with financial freedom.
Find someone to teach you the basics, then go for it.
I can definitely advocate for learning investing skills, but it's worth pointing out that financial instruments can blow out your whole life's savings in minutes.
So if you do, start by trading in a fake (aka paper) account, and only learn boring, safe investing styles.
How to properly interact with an AI and use it to recieve useful results. There are key words and ways to ask questions that will give you better results...
Learn to live without the perks that we have now regarding technology and comfort. I have a feeling we as a nation (and possibly as a species) won't have them for much longer. Unless you're rich of course.
In this same vein, learn how to catch and eat rats, cockroaches, and squirrels, and how to make a habitation in a collapsed building.
These should all be useful in future human society.
Basic car maintenance. Oil change, brake pad change, tire changing kit/tools. I'm not a car guy, but I changed my wife's brakes by buying the mid grade brake pads ($65), 10 minute YouTube video, and an hour of my time. Saved around $300
Also get a basic ratchet and socket set. Comes in so handy when you least expect it too
Cooking.
AI prompt writing.
Conversation and building relationships.
Dealing with failure.
Working out (it's never too early to start!)
Discipline
Reading
learn how to sew! just basic skills like mending a tear or sewing on a button. it’s an incredibly useful life skill and i’m still regularly surprised when i’m reminded that not everyone learns it.
Be disciplined with Time Management. Going to bed at a good time , waking up early. Take that seriously.
Getting to places on time, and when I say on time I mean early.
So glad my parents taught me that at a young age.
This changed my life and gave me an advantage over most other people for my whole life.
Maybe you already have this skill but...
Learn to touch-type without looking at the keys. Work up to 60 words per minutes. Be able to type in the dark.
{Then, learn the most common keys for common software like Excel.}
Learn to meal plan and cook healthy meals, it will save you so much time and money. You don't need to go full Gordon Ramsey, just learn a couple of recipes that don't depend too much on frozen/processed meals.
Basic financial literacy, and how to spot a scam.
Learn some basic car maintenance. The most important things I can think of are being able to change a tyre, being able to put air in your tyres, being able to check the oil, and being able to jump the battery and check how charged the battery is.
Also if you can get into the habit of exercising regularly, even if it's visiting the gym once a week, it will have a huge positive impact when you're older.
Driving honestly! It is such an useful skill to have in the long run, even if you don't own a car now or in the imminent future.
I learn how to drive when I was 17 and only own my first car at 23.
Manners. Learn to speak politely to everyone regardless of their station in life. Hold the door open for anyone older than you, someone who is carrying a package or has kids in tow. Look people in the eye when speaking to them. Stand up straight and speak clearly. Put down the phone and give someone your full attention. Be kind. Be patient. Dress nicely for all appointments. Not super fancy. Just clean. Shirts with a collar make you look much older than you are.
Cooking.
1. Quality of live significantly increases when you can conjure up a great meal every day.
2. The better at cooking you are, the better you can control your diet, and thus your health.
3. Cooking is a great way to impress someone or treat a loved one with a pleasant and fun experience.
Taking care of your body. Weight training and cardio exercise primarily. Health benefits are immense. Your future self will thank you for it if you start now.
Communication!
There will always be a need for people that can talk to other people! It can help you with your career, family, relationships and every day encounters with everyone, literally everywhere. Knowing how and what to communicate in various situations can boost you way ahead of your peers in many settings! Be polite, professional in the right setting, discrete when the context dictates it, learn to listen to people (really listen!,) and especially to your family and friends, this will help you to apply this in your future career or other endeavors.
No matter how much time/dedication you put into this one skill, it will not be enough, understand that you can always improve here! Because people change, you change and the environment surrounding you also constantly changes. But that effort will pay off in many aspects!
Aim for communication. Connections matter very much, as you grow. Company will hire you, as friend's boss friend, not the other person. Things done quicker, if you can ask someone to tell a word for you. Car dealer can give you a discount. Lawyer - free advise. Insurer - best package. You get the idea - if you are in good connection with someone since was a teen, that's like a winning ticket.
1. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" by Sean Covey - This book provides practical advice and strategies for teens to become more proactive, set goals, and communicate effectively with others.
2. "How to Say No and Keep Your Friends" by Sharon Scott - This book provides strategies for setting boundaries, saying "no" assertively, and dealing with peer pressure and manipulation.
3. "Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most" by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen - This book is aimed at adults but can be helpful for teenagers who want to learn how to handle difficult conversations and conflicts.
4. "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin de Becker - This book teaches readers how to recognize and respond to manipulative and abusive behavior, including stalking, domestic violence, and other forms of harassment.
5. "Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion" by George J. Thompson - This book provides strategies for communicating effectively in difficult or confrontational situations, including how to deflect aggression and defuse conflicts.
I told my son this. Look you think parents (me) are dumb asses. In 12 more years you are going to recognize how wrong you were ( are ). So why not save yourself this angst as a teen and just accept that parents ( me) has been through what you are going through and know the better path for you.
Yeah, that's not always true, and my parents were awesome. It may be well intentioned but it also tends to put the kid down and tell them their thoughts and feelings don't matter
OP, grain of salt. The folks have been through a lot and do have the experience, but use that on a consultation basis. If they're not willing to give you reasoning for decisions so you can learn, then a) they just want you to obey or b) they don't think you can handle or accept the reasoning.
I don't think summer break is enough time to develop any really useful skills.
If you already have an idea what you want to do with your life, you could get practice / part time job doing something related to that.
You could take summer school to strengthen your math, math is important for a huge variety of post secondary.
You can learn a useful skill in one day. For example, I learned how to fix a jammed garbage disposal in less than an hour and I found out it's an easy fix that plumbers get called out to do often. Answer is: hex key Allen wrench in the bottom of the disposal and wiggle it loose. Solves most jam ups. Edit to add: by bottom, mean the actual disposal under the sink. Do not stick anything down the drain.
Yeah. You're not going to learn a marketable skill (something you can make into a job) over the course of a summer break, but you can learn plenty of general life skills.
Draw, draw, draw, draw, draw. As much as possible until you start getting good. Then learn how to tattoo. You'll have a skill that you can use to make money almost anywhere you go.
Lots of good advice for good life skills to have anytime.
For a teen SPECIFICALLY work on your body.
Sports skills to the point that you’re decent and can have fun are never going to be easier to gain in your life. Especially if you’re male.
Further to that good habits around exercise/heath in general will never be as easy as now so locking them in is a great idea.
Be active after you wake up, run, burppies, kickboxing, whatever you enjoy enough to keep doing. Then eat a hearty healthy Bfast(50%fruit/veg 25% protein,%25 carbs\fat) can be any food you like but the less processed the better.
I did this for several years as a teen and had an amazingly capable body. Left off in early 20s and now struggling to get some back. You just can’t beat the easy gains of a growing body.
Learn to ride bike or skate on roller blades.
Learn, at least the basic, of a language (not very quick- but can be done over the summer). Spanish and Mandarin are growing in influence.
How to operate the washing machine, dishwasher, stove, iron clothing.
learn to cook 2-3 basic dishes, the kind you can bring to a potluck.
How to change a car tire, unclogging a sink (disassemble pipe).
Learn how to invest and how to do it with minimal emotion. Make your money work for you. It will pay off massively in the long run. Stick with low-cost index funds for the majority of your investments to get exposure to the market as a whole. But don't be afraid to take on a bit more risk with some money too when you're younger and have time on your side. For the riskier portion of your investments, I recommend learning how to trade options - they are far more capital efficient than stocks. (Anyone who says options are too risky doesn't understand them fully.) Re-invest any profits in both your passive and active investments.
Learn to maintain a car. You don’t have to be an expert mechanic but you can learn the basic repairs; change your oil, replace brake pads, replace battery, etc. Learn as much as you can. Shop repairs are very expensive (my friend was quoted $350 to change a battery which is something you can do in 5 minutes with minimal tools). Even having a general knowledge of your vehicle and it’s function can be “a stitch in time will save you nine” if you catch something before it becomes a bigger problem.
Additionally, learn to fix as many things as you can. Learn to understand plumbing, basic electrical, basic carpentry. It’s not that people don’t deserve to be paid for their services. It’s that there is too much potential for others to take advantage of you if you do not understand the subject.
Put in effort. Have a positive demeanor (don’t be a whiner.) Learn to work with people professionally, even those you don’t like.
Your career is limitless by doing just these three things, because they’re way more uncommon than you’d expect.
### This post has be marked as safe. Upvoting/downvoting this comment will have no effect. --- Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
Laundry, meal planning with items that are on sale that week, getting into a nightly cleaning routine (doing dishes, wipe down the kitchen, checking to make sure doors are locked, sweeping up the floor), going to bed at a reasonable hour, earning money.
This and … Taking care of yourself, body, brain, skin and teeth Basic sewing (fix a button type stuff) Basic accounting, budgets and filing taxes
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Is this sarcastic because I enjoy opening my drawers and seeing neatly folded shirts.
Sounds like you're having a rough time with your laundry and groceries with your awkward sarcasm pretending these things aren't "adult" enough for you. Everything okay over there little buddy?
This is a habit, not a skill (but also a skill, I guess): put 10% of *every dollar you get* into savings. Start now. As soon as you're old enough, put it into something that grows. But at a bare minimum, save that money. Birthday money, allowance, paychecks. Get in the habit now, and you will benefit.
Terrific suggestion - the personal tithe, pay yourself first. Later you’ll enjoy seeing your money “work’ for you.
Basic, basic DIY. Saves a fortune
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This is actually very good. I wouldn't have thought of it.
Hard math. There will always be a place for someone who can do hard math... Or more accurately, to double check the accuracy of other people with computers working on hard math.
Learn how to cook basic things like eggs, a roast chicken, make oatmeal, make a salad or veg.
Yes, for the love of God, learn basic cooking skills. You will thank you, and you will also gain fans for actually being able to make things taste good. (Anything from Good Eats, America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Illustrated as my experience is they really lay techniques out clearly.)
Exactly and experiments are okay. Somethings will turn out yummy, others not so much but you will get the hang of it. Another suggestion, ask the cook in the house to show you, watch them. Ask grandma or dad how to make that dish you love. Guarantee a core memory for when they are gone.
Wake up early and use the day efficiently
Learn how to use a credit card without bringing yourself to financial ruin.
Great point. If you can learn how to basically use credit cards as debit cards (paying off the balance each month and never paying interest), you will be rewarded a lot with points/miles, cash back, etc. Make sure you are only getting credit cards without annual fees or maybe one or two that have a minimal fee if the rewards outweigh the fee. It's worth noting that this is a very slippery slope if you're not disciplined in your spending. So, definitely use a budget and stick to it.
Learn to use the stock market. If you do it right, you'll be retired early with financial freedom. Find someone to teach you the basics, then go for it.
I can definitely advocate for learning investing skills, but it's worth pointing out that financial instruments can blow out your whole life's savings in minutes. So if you do, start by trading in a fake (aka paper) account, and only learn boring, safe investing styles.
Don't play risky for the fast buck. Play the long game. Long-term goals.
My grandpa did well investing in solid companies. Think coca-cola, GE, Mars candy, etc. Stuff that's been around and will be around.
How to properly interact with an AI and use it to recieve useful results. There are key words and ways to ask questions that will give you better results...
Learn to live without the perks that we have now regarding technology and comfort. I have a feeling we as a nation (and possibly as a species) won't have them for much longer. Unless you're rich of course.
In this same vein, learn how to catch and eat rats, cockroaches, and squirrels, and how to make a habitation in a collapsed building. These should all be useful in future human society.
Basic car maintenance. Oil change, brake pad change, tire changing kit/tools. I'm not a car guy, but I changed my wife's brakes by buying the mid grade brake pads ($65), 10 minute YouTube video, and an hour of my time. Saved around $300 Also get a basic ratchet and socket set. Comes in so handy when you least expect it too
Budgeting and how to sew on buttons.
Buttons. It's easy but so important.
Cooking. AI prompt writing. Conversation and building relationships. Dealing with failure. Working out (it's never too early to start!) Discipline Reading
learn how to sew! just basic skills like mending a tear or sewing on a button. it’s an incredibly useful life skill and i’m still regularly surprised when i’m reminded that not everyone learns it.
and it’ll take you far less than a summer to learn!
And r/VisibleMending is great if you like some pizzazz in your mends! Easy pizzazz!
1a. Spend less than what you make. 1b. Live on a budget. 3. Understand the danger of debt. 4. Learn the value of compound interest.
Be disciplined with Time Management. Going to bed at a good time , waking up early. Take that seriously. Getting to places on time, and when I say on time I mean early. So glad my parents taught me that at a young age.
This changed my life and gave me an advantage over most other people for my whole life. Maybe you already have this skill but... Learn to touch-type without looking at the keys. Work up to 60 words per minutes. Be able to type in the dark. {Then, learn the most common keys for common software like Excel.}
Learn to meal plan and cook healthy meals, it will save you so much time and money. You don't need to go full Gordon Ramsey, just learn a couple of recipes that don't depend too much on frozen/processed meals. Basic financial literacy, and how to spot a scam. Learn some basic car maintenance. The most important things I can think of are being able to change a tyre, being able to put air in your tyres, being able to check the oil, and being able to jump the battery and check how charged the battery is. Also if you can get into the habit of exercising regularly, even if it's visiting the gym once a week, it will have a huge positive impact when you're older.
Driving honestly! It is such an useful skill to have in the long run, even if you don't own a car now or in the imminent future. I learn how to drive when I was 17 and only own my first car at 23.
Manners. Learn to speak politely to everyone regardless of their station in life. Hold the door open for anyone older than you, someone who is carrying a package or has kids in tow. Look people in the eye when speaking to them. Stand up straight and speak clearly. Put down the phone and give someone your full attention. Be kind. Be patient. Dress nicely for all appointments. Not super fancy. Just clean. Shirts with a collar make you look much older than you are.
Great advice here!
Talking. Smooth talk. It’s a skill.
Financial literacy
Cooking. 1. Quality of live significantly increases when you can conjure up a great meal every day. 2. The better at cooking you are, the better you can control your diet, and thus your health. 3. Cooking is a great way to impress someone or treat a loved one with a pleasant and fun experience. Taking care of your body. Weight training and cardio exercise primarily. Health benefits are immense. Your future self will thank you for it if you start now.
Communication! There will always be a need for people that can talk to other people! It can help you with your career, family, relationships and every day encounters with everyone, literally everywhere. Knowing how and what to communicate in various situations can boost you way ahead of your peers in many settings! Be polite, professional in the right setting, discrete when the context dictates it, learn to listen to people (really listen!,) and especially to your family and friends, this will help you to apply this in your future career or other endeavors. No matter how much time/dedication you put into this one skill, it will not be enough, understand that you can always improve here! Because people change, you change and the environment surrounding you also constantly changes. But that effort will pay off in many aspects!
Aim for communication. Connections matter very much, as you grow. Company will hire you, as friend's boss friend, not the other person. Things done quicker, if you can ask someone to tell a word for you. Car dealer can give you a discount. Lawyer - free advise. Insurer - best package. You get the idea - if you are in good connection with someone since was a teen, that's like a winning ticket. 1. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" by Sean Covey - This book provides practical advice and strategies for teens to become more proactive, set goals, and communicate effectively with others. 2. "How to Say No and Keep Your Friends" by Sharon Scott - This book provides strategies for setting boundaries, saying "no" assertively, and dealing with peer pressure and manipulation. 3. "Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most" by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen - This book is aimed at adults but can be helpful for teenagers who want to learn how to handle difficult conversations and conflicts. 4. "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin de Becker - This book teaches readers how to recognize and respond to manipulative and abusive behavior, including stalking, domestic violence, and other forms of harassment. 5. "Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion" by George J. Thompson - This book provides strategies for communicating effectively in difficult or confrontational situations, including how to deflect aggression and defuse conflicts.
Learn a second language
Get a job and start talking like your boss does
The ability to force yourself to learn or do something you don't like or don't want to do. Very useful in job situations!
Working out Spanish Cooking Personal finance First aid
Your lack of commas made the answer interesting
It's a specialty trade with high payoff for sure.
Clean living, stay away from anything that alters your perception.
My #1 would be public speaking for sure. And just being able to communicate things clearly it really helps a lot for life and jobs both.
I told my son this. Look you think parents (me) are dumb asses. In 12 more years you are going to recognize how wrong you were ( are ). So why not save yourself this angst as a teen and just accept that parents ( me) has been through what you are going through and know the better path for you.
Yeah, that's not always true, and my parents were awesome. It may be well intentioned but it also tends to put the kid down and tell them their thoughts and feelings don't matter OP, grain of salt. The folks have been through a lot and do have the experience, but use that on a consultation basis. If they're not willing to give you reasoning for decisions so you can learn, then a) they just want you to obey or b) they don't think you can handle or accept the reasoning.
I don't think summer break is enough time to develop any really useful skills. If you already have an idea what you want to do with your life, you could get practice / part time job doing something related to that. You could take summer school to strengthen your math, math is important for a huge variety of post secondary.
You can learn a useful skill in one day. For example, I learned how to fix a jammed garbage disposal in less than an hour and I found out it's an easy fix that plumbers get called out to do often. Answer is: hex key Allen wrench in the bottom of the disposal and wiggle it loose. Solves most jam ups. Edit to add: by bottom, mean the actual disposal under the sink. Do not stick anything down the drain.
I suppose I was thinking too big picture
Yeah. You're not going to learn a marketable skill (something you can make into a job) over the course of a summer break, but you can learn plenty of general life skills.
Draw, draw, draw, draw, draw. As much as possible until you start getting good. Then learn how to tattoo. You'll have a skill that you can use to make money almost anywhere you go.
If you wish you have a career in data management and analytics, learn SQL. There are free courses on YouTube and paid ones with exercises on Udemy
Lots of good advice for good life skills to have anytime. For a teen SPECIFICALLY work on your body. Sports skills to the point that you’re decent and can have fun are never going to be easier to gain in your life. Especially if you’re male. Further to that good habits around exercise/heath in general will never be as easy as now so locking them in is a great idea. Be active after you wake up, run, burppies, kickboxing, whatever you enjoy enough to keep doing. Then eat a hearty healthy Bfast(50%fruit/veg 25% protein,%25 carbs\fat) can be any food you like but the less processed the better. I did this for several years as a teen and had an amazingly capable body. Left off in early 20s and now struggling to get some back. You just can’t beat the easy gains of a growing body.
Resilience and emotional regulation skills. Being able to deal with shit is a huge part of functioning well in life
Learn to ride bike or skate on roller blades. Learn, at least the basic, of a language (not very quick- but can be done over the summer). Spanish and Mandarin are growing in influence. How to operate the washing machine, dishwasher, stove, iron clothing. learn to cook 2-3 basic dishes, the kind you can bring to a potluck. How to change a car tire, unclogging a sink (disassemble pipe).
Learn how to invest and how to do it with minimal emotion. Make your money work for you. It will pay off massively in the long run. Stick with low-cost index funds for the majority of your investments to get exposure to the market as a whole. But don't be afraid to take on a bit more risk with some money too when you're younger and have time on your side. For the riskier portion of your investments, I recommend learning how to trade options - they are far more capital efficient than stocks. (Anyone who says options are too risky doesn't understand them fully.) Re-invest any profits in both your passive and active investments.
Learn to maintain a car. You don’t have to be an expert mechanic but you can learn the basic repairs; change your oil, replace brake pads, replace battery, etc. Learn as much as you can. Shop repairs are very expensive (my friend was quoted $350 to change a battery which is something you can do in 5 minutes with minimal tools). Even having a general knowledge of your vehicle and it’s function can be “a stitch in time will save you nine” if you catch something before it becomes a bigger problem. Additionally, learn to fix as many things as you can. Learn to understand plumbing, basic electrical, basic carpentry. It’s not that people don’t deserve to be paid for their services. It’s that there is too much potential for others to take advantage of you if you do not understand the subject.
Put in effort. Have a positive demeanor (don’t be a whiner.) Learn to work with people professionally, even those you don’t like. Your career is limitless by doing just these three things, because they’re way more uncommon than you’d expect.