Randomness from my brain...
Jun. 3rd, 2006 01:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
azdesertroseI got into a weird discussion the other day (not unusual) in which I tried to list all the things I think of as "basic adult life skills", i.e. the things you need to know to live independently.
Basic Adult Life Skills
1. Prepare a full meal (main course plus side dishes) that doesn't come from a box.
2. Keep your clothes clean and in good condition, i.e. not turning your whites pink because you washed your new red shirt in the same load.
3. Mend a tear and replace a button.
4. Clean your house.
5. Drive, both automatic and manual transmission, to include understanding traffic laws.
6. Change a tire.
7. Check your oil.
8. Check the air pressure in your tires and fill them with air if need be.
9. Wash your car.
10. Jump-start a car.
11. Understand contraceptives and how to use them properly and effectively.
12. Read well enough to keep track of the world around you.
13. Write clearly enough to make a point.
14. Balance a checkbook.
15. Make a household budget. (Sticking to it is the hard part. *grin*)
16. Shop for groceries, including budgeting and selecting good produce.
17. Plan a week's worth of meals for yourself and your household.
18. Organize your belongings so you can find what you need when you need it.
19. Pay bills.
20. Keep records and organize them. (Who knows when you might need your tax records?)
21. Change a light bulb.
22. Paint and/or wallpaper a room, including spackling any holes in the walls and protecting the flooring and woodwork beforehand.
23. Calculate a tip when dining out.
24. Unclog a toilet.
25. Attend to a young child, including keeping the child safe, occupied, fed, and in clean clothing and diapers.
26. Operate a computer well enough to complete basic word-processing, database, spreadsheet, and internet/email tasks.
27. Use a map (either paper or online) to determine a driving route.
28. Attend to the basic needs of a domestic pet, i.e. feeding, giving water, cleaning a litter box, cage, or aquarium, or taking a dog outside and pooper-scooping if need be, playing.
29. Understand basic rules of personal safety in the real world, like not leaving your car unlocked, getting your keys ready before getting to your car, keeping aware of your surroundings, etc.
30. Understand basic rules of personal safety online, like not giving out your real name or real-world contact info unless you're REALLY sure you can trust someone.
31. Operate a mobile phone and be able to use it to call for help if need be.
32. Keep basic tools handy, such as a hammer, a screwdriver (or several, unless you have one of those nifty ones that has changeable heads), a wrench, pliers, etc. and know how and when to use them.
33. Keep a pair of jumper cables, a spare tire, a tire iron and jack, a flashlight (with batteries) and a blanket in your car.
34. Perform basic first aid on minor injuries and illnesses.
35. Know when you're out of your depth re: 34 and need to call EMS and/or take someone to the doctor/hospital/emergency room.
36. Know when you're out of your depth re: home and car repairs and know a reliable person to call for help.
37. Understand rules of behavior in various situations, i.e. screaming and jumping up and down is acceptable at a sporting event or rock concert but not at the symphony or theatre or an evening wedding.
38. Own and be able to assemble at least one really nice set of clothing, complete with accessories and appropriate grooming.
39. Own and be able to assemble at least one, preferable a few, sets of business clothing, complete with accessories and appropriate grooming.
40. Be able to plan a trip and travel via mass transit (i.e. commercial air or rail service).
Well, that's a nice round number.
I don't know why I'm thinking about this tonight.
Basic Adult Life Skills
1. Prepare a full meal (main course plus side dishes) that doesn't come from a box.
2. Keep your clothes clean and in good condition, i.e. not turning your whites pink because you washed your new red shirt in the same load.
3. Mend a tear and replace a button.
4. Clean your house.
5. Drive, both automatic and manual transmission, to include understanding traffic laws.
6. Change a tire.
7. Check your oil.
8. Check the air pressure in your tires and fill them with air if need be.
9. Wash your car.
10. Jump-start a car.
11. Understand contraceptives and how to use them properly and effectively.
12. Read well enough to keep track of the world around you.
13. Write clearly enough to make a point.
14. Balance a checkbook.
15. Make a household budget. (Sticking to it is the hard part. *grin*)
16. Shop for groceries, including budgeting and selecting good produce.
17. Plan a week's worth of meals for yourself and your household.
18. Organize your belongings so you can find what you need when you need it.
19. Pay bills.
20. Keep records and organize them. (Who knows when you might need your tax records?)
21. Change a light bulb.
22. Paint and/or wallpaper a room, including spackling any holes in the walls and protecting the flooring and woodwork beforehand.
23. Calculate a tip when dining out.
24. Unclog a toilet.
25. Attend to a young child, including keeping the child safe, occupied, fed, and in clean clothing and diapers.
26. Operate a computer well enough to complete basic word-processing, database, spreadsheet, and internet/email tasks.
27. Use a map (either paper or online) to determine a driving route.
28. Attend to the basic needs of a domestic pet, i.e. feeding, giving water, cleaning a litter box, cage, or aquarium, or taking a dog outside and pooper-scooping if need be, playing.
29. Understand basic rules of personal safety in the real world, like not leaving your car unlocked, getting your keys ready before getting to your car, keeping aware of your surroundings, etc.
30. Understand basic rules of personal safety online, like not giving out your real name or real-world contact info unless you're REALLY sure you can trust someone.
31. Operate a mobile phone and be able to use it to call for help if need be.
32. Keep basic tools handy, such as a hammer, a screwdriver (or several, unless you have one of those nifty ones that has changeable heads), a wrench, pliers, etc. and know how and when to use them.
33. Keep a pair of jumper cables, a spare tire, a tire iron and jack, a flashlight (with batteries) and a blanket in your car.
34. Perform basic first aid on minor injuries and illnesses.
35. Know when you're out of your depth re: 34 and need to call EMS and/or take someone to the doctor/hospital/emergency room.
36. Know when you're out of your depth re: home and car repairs and know a reliable person to call for help.
37. Understand rules of behavior in various situations, i.e. screaming and jumping up and down is acceptable at a sporting event or rock concert but not at the symphony or theatre or an evening wedding.
38. Own and be able to assemble at least one really nice set of clothing, complete with accessories and appropriate grooming.
39. Own and be able to assemble at least one, preferable a few, sets of business clothing, complete with accessories and appropriate grooming.
40. Be able to plan a trip and travel via mass transit (i.e. commercial air or rail service).
Well, that's a nice round number.
I don't know why I'm thinking about this tonight.
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no subject
Date: 2006-06-03 07:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-04 07:13 am (UTC)I hope I didn't offend you; it's just random ramblings from my brain at insane hours of the night.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-03 03:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-04 07:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-04 03:26 am (UTC)I don't think you need to know how to take care of a baby or a pet in order to live independently. I think that's only neccessary if you plan on having one.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-04 07:25 am (UTC)As to jumping a car, my stepdad made me learn to do that when I got my learner's permit; he said he wanted me to be able to "un-strand" myself if the only problem was that I'd left my headlights on or something equally trivial. I plan to teach
I didn't mean any of this as a criticism of people who can't do any of it; I was basically rambling, and thinking of the things I want to make sure my daughter can do before she's off to college or whatever.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-12 04:50 am (UTC)I pretty much have 30% down..
Using my cell phone to call the friend to repair my tire, oil, check tire pressure etc.. counts right?
I can mend a tear and replace a button like no one else, though! *lol*
no subject
Date: 2006-06-12 04:55 am (UTC)Yeah, I learned to sew when I was about six; it floored me the first time I met someone who couldn't replace a button.
I haven't had to change a tire very often, but I do know how to do it if I have to. *grin*