Having graduated my oldest two and now looking at my 11th grader and 8th grader, I took the time to write down a list – 6 pages long – of the skills and habits I’d like to help them develop before leaving home. Can you think of anything I missed? 🙂

Bible reading

• Daily Bible Reading and Prayer Journal
• Genesis – Deuteronomy
• Joshua – Ruth
• 1 Samuel – 2 Chronicles
• Ezra – Esther
• Job – Psalms
• Proverbs – Ecclesiastes
• Isaiah – Daniel
• Hosea – Malachi
• Matthew – Acts
• Romans – Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians – Revelation

Scripture Memory

• John 3:16
• Romans 5:8
• Romans 6:23
• Books of the Bible
• Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
• The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
• Psalm 1:1-6
• Psalm 23:1-6
• 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
• Philippians 2:1-16
• Colossians 3:1-25
• Romans 12:1-21
• Matthew 5:1-16

Books to Read

• Hudson Taylor, George Mueller, Gladys Aylward by Benge (or other Christian Heroes books)
• The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by Lewis (The whole Narnia series)
• Mama’s Bank Account by Forbes
• Man of the Family by Moody (the whole series is great)
• The Hiding Place by Ten Boom
• The Knowledge of the Holy by Tozer
• Knowing God by Packer
• The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Hymns

• Amazing Grace
• The Doxology
• Come Thou Fount
• It is Well with My Soul
• Take My Life and Let it Be
• Be Thou my Vision
• How Great Thou Art
• To God be the Glory
• In Christ Alone
• Before the Throne of God Above
• Silent Night
• The First Noel
• Oh, Holy Night
• Little Town of Bethlehem
• Joy to the World
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Missions

• Support a missionary in prayer, as well as financially and corresponding with them
• Visit a missionary or serve with a local outreach ministry
• Share the gospel clearly in 2 minutes

Social skills

• Serve others – an elderly neighbor, a sick friend, your church – however the Lord leads
  (write a letter, cook a meal, help out)
• Answer the phone properly and take a message
• Set the table properly for your family
• Use proper manners eating at home using silverware and a napkin
• Order and pay at a fast food restaurant
• Eat at a fancy restaurant using proper table manners
• Express thanks consistently when others serve you
• Greet and converse with adults with eye conduct, proper voice volume and listening attentively
• Make a phone call to order pizza or other food delivery
• Make a phone call to set up a doctor’s appointment
  
• Life skills

• Childcare
  •  Play with, change diaper, feed bottle, make lunch, clean up, child development
• Woodworking
  • Hand saw, table saw, miter saw, electric drill, hang a picture, repair nail hole, repair dry wall, caulk sink or shower
• Electrical work
  • Check breakers, understand types of light bulbs, install a light fixture or ceiling fan, change outlet, install light switch
• Plumbing
  • Plunge a toilet, unclog a drain, understand how a toilet works, turn off water to house at street, turn off water at a sink or toilet
• Painting
  • Wall, trim, cabinet, door
• Car repair and maintenance
  • Change oil, replace windshield wipers and fluid, change tire, jump battery
• Tie a variety of knots
• Pack for a trip
• Plan a trip
• Set a mouse trap
• Tie a necktie
• Shine shoes
• Organize a closet, cabinet or dresser and your bedroom
• Iron a button-down shirt and dress pants
• Sew on a button
• Mend a hole in a sock or shirt

Healthy Living

• Plan a week of meals as well as make a list of meal and snack options
• Grocery shop for a week’s groceries
• Cook dinner for the family
• Understand a variety of over-the-counter medicines and supplements
• Know the name and phone number of your doctor, insurance and medicine you take
• Learn how to store food – fruit, vegetables, fridge, freezer, pantry
• First aid skills (choking, fainting, heart attack or inability to breathe, cuts, burns, fractures or sprains)
• Make a First Aid kit

Academic skills

• Tell time using an analog clock
• Use a dictionary, a thesaurus and an encyclopedia
• Read a book or story aloud to a group
• Speak in front of a group
• Find a book at the library using the Dewey decimal system
• Put books on hold online
• Check out and return books on time
• Check out and listen to a digital audiobook

Computer skills

• Keyboarding skills of at least 25 wpm
• Type a chapter of the Bible
• Write a letter to a political representative
• Write a cover letter to apply for a job
• Write a resume
• Write a family newsletter or Christmas letter
• Make a blog
• Make a PowerPoint presentation
• Build a computer from parts

Financial and Time Management Skills

• Discuss stewardship – stewarding our time, talents, treasure and testimony
• Make a daily schedule
• Make an online annual calendar with important dates and birthdays
• Open a bank account
• Write checks, use a debit card at a store, use an ATM, set up auto pay, track your expenses and check your bank balance online
• Learn about car insurance and health insurance
• Discuss paying taxes
• Discuss tithing and giving offerings
• Memorize your social security number and know why you need it
• Make a weekly, monthly and annual budget
• Clothing shopping on a budget
• List and price what you need to buy other than food and clothing (shampoo, deodorant, cosmetics, feminine care, shaving, laundry soap, dish soap, TP, first aid …)

Cleaning skills

• Vacuum
• Dust
• Clean mirrors, glass doors and windows
• Wash dishes by hand
• Load the dishwasher
• Empty the dishwasher
• Scrub a toilet
• Clean the shower
• Clean a whole bathroom
• Clean blinds
• Wash, dry, fold, hang up and put away clothes

Cooking skills

• Breakfast – muffins, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, bacon, sausage
• Eggs – hard boil, fry, scramble, egg salad
• Lunch – grilled cheese, ham, PB & J, macaroni + cheese
• Dinner – spaghetti, hamburgers, fettucine alfredo, tacos
• Potatoes – baked, mashed, roasted, potato salad
• Vegetables – salad, broccoli, green beans, corn casserole
• Dessert – cake, cookies, pudding, pie

Arts, crafts, creative skills

• Take, edit and share photos digitally
• Make a video with music from digital images
• Make an album from digital images
• Sketch with pencils
• Watercolors
• Oil painting
• Embroidery or cross stitching
• Knit or crochet
• Sew curtains or a pillow with a sewing machine
• Play a song on a piano, guitar or other instrument
• Read music accurately
• Sing a song on pitch from memory
• Make a model from scratch or from a kit
• Write a poem
• Memorize and recite a poem

Outdoor skills

• Build a fire and learn about fire safety
• Cook a meal on a fire or grill
• Set up a tent and camp outside for 24 hours
• Mow the lawn
• Use a trimmer
• Use a blower
• Rake and bag leaves
• Plant and maintain flowers or garden
• Weed a garden or flower bed
• Shovel a sidewalk or driveway
• Archery
• Marksmanship, gun safety, and maintenance
• Go fishing – tie a hook, put on bait, catch a fish, take it off hook
• Gut and cook an animal or fish

Download a PDF of this list here: