Life Skills: What Young Adults Need to Live on Their Own

As a father of three young adult children, a registered nurse, a former Boy Scout leader, and a former college professor, I noticed a serious lack of training offered to young adults in the skills needed to be able to live on their own. In the past, this training was offered in high school under the name of Home Economics, but these skills were no longer being taught in school. In these classes, students learned how to manage money, cook simple meals, do laundry, and do other skills needed to survive and succeed in the world. It also came to my attention that many young adults were not learning these skills at home.

This project was undertaken with the needs of these young adults in mind. This resource is directed toward people who are in their late high school through college years. It is a structured means of conveying to students the information needed to survive and thrive on their own, outside of their parents' home.

This curriculum is structured as a five-class course divided into thirty-two different modules, giving the educator versatility in its presentation. Each module can be taught as a stand-alone class or grouped together in whatever way works for the educator and their students. The topics covered include budgeting and other financial basics, cooking, doing basic home repairs, preparing to enter the workforce (including interviewing for a job), relating to and communicating with others, caring for their personal bodies and minds, and doing many others.