One of the very best things we can do as parents is to teach our children how to live in the real world once they reach adulthood.

A key part of that will be maintaining their homes, whether they rent or buy.

In this article, we look at some of the key lessons every parent should be teaching their little ones about home maintenance and staying DIY smart.

Not only will it raise a happier child who can cope with common life tasks, but it can deepen the bond between parents and their children.

It’s Not Just About Maintaining a Home

While having some basic home maintenance skills under their belt will help your child run their home in the future, that’s not all they will learn. Many of the skills they will pick up will also teach them valuable life lessons that will shape them as adults.

Self-efficiency, for example, requires confidence and self-belief. Children who know they can achieve things have better self-confidence, try new things, and don’t shrink from taking on work.

It also helps foster a sense of responsibility. While all parents should oversee their children’s DIY efforts carefully, allow them to problem-solve and take responsibility for finishing a task, putting tools back neatly, and making sure parts are to hand.

This is heavily tied to problem-solving, which should always be fostered in a child. This way, you teach them the path to independence.

Frugality and budgeting also become part of the learning process, and every future young adult should know how to apply these. This helps them avoid traps like credit card debt, and even being taken advantage of by professionals.

How to Engage Your Child in Home Maintenance

One of the lessons parents need to learn is to let go of control and let their child do the job, even if they fail at first.

Start by showing them simple things, such as how to change a lightbulb or batteries in their toy. Build up to easy, but common, tasks like fixing leaky faucets.

Teach them to monitor tools and put them away. Then build up to problem-solving. Engage your child on why they think the pool water got dirty, and let them figure out some steps for themselves.

Show them the dust and debris clogging the furnace filter, and demonstrate how to put in replacement air filters. Activate their creativity to recycle old or worn-out items (including old toys) instead of always buying new immediately.

Don’t forget to praise them (correctly) for their hard work, and be sure to explain how that hard work led to success, too.

Takeaway

With a little guidance from you, you can help raise a confident, problem-solving child. Not only will they be ready for the adult world of home repair, but you will have laid the foundation for critical life skills.

You will have taught them how to troubleshoot and problem solve, how to ask for help and how to rely on themselves.

You also teach them that it’s acceptable when things break and that we can fix them. It’s an easy way to create a happier, healthier adult as well as entertain your child.