Stuff they don’t teach you

Now that my kids are in their mid-twenties (gulp) they are having to tackle many of the things in life that they were previously sheltered from. Things like insurance, landlords, contracts, savings, bureaucracy and all the other stuff and nonsense that comes with adulthood.

This has resulted in a very common phrase entering many of our conversations. “Why don’t they teach you this stuff at school?”

It’s a really, really good question.

I’ve tried to remember how I learnt any of this stuff. It’s not like they used to teach it and now they’ve stopped. So presumably it was by seeking advice and through trial and error. Anyone who read my recent rant about customer service will know that I haven’t really mastered any of it anyway.

When we moved into our new build home a year ago, we received a thick folder full of instructions. (Admittedly, I haven’t read any of it which explains why I still can’t work the heating system, but that’s another issue). Should everyone receive a similar life instruction folder - or Tik Tok video - when they turn 16 or 18?  

Maybe.

Like many things, becoming an adult is about making some mistakes, learning from them and moving on.

So good luck, kids. Do let me know how you get on 😊