Valuable Life Lessons that Should be Taught in High School

I’m just going to jump right into it. High school missed out on a great opportunities to teach kids valuable life skills. While classes like culinary tech and shop classes did exist in some schools, they were often considered “bird courses”, or an “easy A”. Parents would often shame their children from taking these classes, opting for them to take more math and science courses instead.

Why are classes like that so important? Well, let me explain a little bit. After high school and heading into university, I really did not have a grasp on the real world. Like most people who are just coming out of high school, my knowledge was limited to “real world” issues. There are a number of life skills that I believe are so important for young people to know, and I strongly believe that some of these skills should be taught in high school. Here are some of those skills I think should be added to a high school curriculum.

Taxes

Ah, tax season; one of an accountants worst nightmares. If you were to ask most people, kids, young adults or adults, they don’t have a good understanding about what taxes are, let alone how to do them. How do they work? How am I being taxed? Is working overtime going to cause more tax to be taken out (a common misconception). Taxes are something everyone has, and everyone should at least have a basic understanding of.

Buying a House

Buying a house is a complex and long process. From seeing a real estate agent, looking at your future home, to all the processes you undergo with the bank and your lawyer. There is a lot of money associated with your new home, and it’s not just your mortgage. There’s property taxes, water bills, the lawyer fee, land transfer tax, and your down payment. There’s a lot I didn’t know until I was put into the situation. There’s a lot more money involved in buying a house than simply worrying about your mortgage. Schools can teach kids the basics of buying a house, and the processes involved. It may seem a bit early to be teaching about this, but it’s never a bad idea to get a brief understanding of what’s to come!

How to Change a Tire

Though I myself in high school may have not been inclined to learn this at the time, I definitely would have been thankful for this knowledge. Whether you’re stuck on the side of the road, trying to get your spare on, or you just want to change over your summer and winter tires, changing a tire is a very valuable skill to have, and one I believe should be taught in high school, around the time most teens would be learning to drive a car.

How to Invest, And Save Money Wisely

RRSP’s, GIC’s, TFSA’s... there are so many options. While planning for your retirement doesn’t seem like it’s important for a high school student, it could come a long way the older they get. A lot of people when they get their first bank account have it passed to them from their parents, and don’t look back. Some may make an appointment with their bank when they want to start making purchases like cars, or others may just play it by ear. I was very fortunate to work for somebody who is part of the reason I am as good with my money as I am. He encouraged me, along with my parents, to start saving for retirement; I only had started my first part time job! Because of this however, I have saved a lot of money, and invested my money wisely. With the right advice, more people could be put on this path as well. Again, while it might seem boring at the time, ultimately they’ll be thankful they were able to gain at least a small understanding of what lies ahead.

Self-Care and Mental Health Matter

This one is very important to me. In high school, students are placed under a great deal of stress. They’re expected to get good grades, start their first part time job, maintain a social life, all the while discovering who they are. They may feel alone and isolated in these instances, and they may let stress eat away at them. This is where teaching kids that self care is important. Work isn’t everything, your well-being is more important than that calculus midterm. Finding time for hobbies and past times is just as important as acing that next final. Parents and teachers will often put an emphasis on the importance of good grades, volunteer work, and working part time during a period of time where you’re still trying to discover who you are. I believe, especially with the times of covid, teens should be taught self care now more than ever.

More About Mental Illness

Recognizing the signs of mental illness should be taught in school. In a time where teens are experiencing heart break, friendships, and all other sorts of relationships, it can be a hard and confusing time. Teaching kids the importance of mental health, and what it looks like, could help kids that are struggling, or help those who have a loved one struggling to recognize the signs.

The downfall of social media

This one is relatively new, and certainly didn’t apply to when I was in high school. But, after the past few years, I’ve come to realize that kids don’t seem to understand the downfalls of social media, and how it can hurt them in the future.

Putting your life online has more than one consequence. For one, future job opportunities. Employers are now likely to check a persons social media pages before they hire them. While yes, people are free to do as they wish and post what they want, if you get hired somewhere you are a representation of the company. There is much debate over this; there are those who believe employers don’t have the right, while others believe it’s within the rights of the employer to let go those who don’t align with their social media policies. Whatever the case, kids should have an understanding of this before they post something to their accounts.

More importantly, kids should understand that they’re putting their safety at risk when posting about their day to day lives. They are exposing their daily habits. Where they hang out, where they spend their money, where they go to school, which classes they take, and sometimes, where they live. These are all very dangerous things to expose for everyone to see. After all, the internet is forever.

While these are just seven things, there are definitely more than can be taught. These would definitely be a great start and a giant leap in the right direction to get kids prepared for the real world.