If there’s one thing that will give your child their first taste of adulthood, it’s university. And while most learn to swim when thrown into the deep end, there are a few basics that you can equip your teen with that will help soften their landing as they enter this new season of responsibility and independence.
1. Get cooking
If your child didn’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen growing up, teach them basics like frying an egg, boiling spaghetti or cooking rice. While you can send them to varsity with many months’ worth of freezer-friendly dishes, helping them feel confident with a few simple meals will make a big difference in the long run. Tip: take pictures of easy recipes that you make at home regularly and send them to your teen – they might come in handy.
MySpace Residence comes with a fully kitted kitchenette – the perfect place for your child to test out their brand new cooking skills!
2. Laundry, laundry, laundry
If there’s one reality shock that comes with adulting, it’s the fact that laundry NEVER ENDS. If your child is not familiar with the workings of a washing machine (and everything that goes along with it), give them a tutorial at home – from how the machine works and how much washing detergent to use to what colours to wash together.
Your child can put their laundry knowledge to good use at the laundry facility at MySpace Residence – complete with washing machines and tumble dryers (a saving grace in the wet, wintery months)!
3. Squeaky clean!
This is not the most exciting thing to teach your child – but basic cleaning skills are a MUST for everyone who lives on their own. Your child might not have the luxury of having someone clean their flat or room while at uni, and even if they do, they’ll still have to keep a firm hand on the cleanliness of their space.
Teach them what they need to know when it comes to things like cleaning a toilet, scrubbing a shower floor or what cleaning supplies to use. Tip: create a cleaning timeline for your kiddo to give them an idea of important things like when the fridge needs cleaning or how often the bedding needs changing. But don’t worry too much! Weekly cleaning is included at MySpace Residence! This will help your young adult ease into the responsibility of keeping their space clean and tidy.
4. Budgeting basics
For the first time in your child’s life, they’ll be the ones in charge of their own budget – from how much they spend on groceries to how often they head out for a bite with friends. Even though you’re child needs you to give them the freedom to learn and grow on their own, it might be a good idea to sit down with them and talk through possible expenses.
Give them a guideline on how much to spend on groceries, toiletries and social events – and if they’re open to it – set up a budget together. Your child can put their budgeting skills to good use with the MySpace card – which can be used at the deli, coffee pod, vending and laundry facilities. The MySpace card makes it easy to allocate a certain amount to snacks, coffee and laundry since money has to be loaded onto the card before it can be used.
5. The very important “NO”
Even though your child’s main reason for heading to university is to obtain a degree, the social side of this adventure plays a big role in the varsity experience. While meeting new people and making new memories will enrich your child’s life in so many wonderful ways, the ability to say no, prioritise studies and stand up to social pressures will be of the utmost importance. Ask your child what they want to prioritise while at varsity, and how they plan to keep these things a priority. If you’ve ever gone through an experience where saying “no” took a lot of weight off of your shoulders – share it with your child as an encouragement to not be afraid to say “no”!
There is no way to fully prepare your child for all the challenges and learning curves that come with this exciting new phase of life. But even if your child doesn’t know all the basics, the reassurance that you are a mere phone call away will give them more than they need to go forward with confidence.
