In this episode of the Fatherhood Series, we look at how the role of a son changes over the years whilst living at home with his parents. Louis shares how his responsibilities have developed and how his parent's expectation of him have changed as he's grown up within his parent's home.

Here are 3 responsibilities that every child should experience before leaving home to ensure the time spent during your child's adolescence is preparing them for adulthood.

1. Making Their Own Money

It's important that children learn the value of money and nothing teaches children the value of money more than having to earn their own. For this to be an effective experience try linking your child's opportunity to work for their own money with the responsibility of being the sole provider of the things they want, whilst you cover their essentials. This will help your child see the limitations of money and explore ways to grow the money they have.

2. Serving The Family And The House With Their Skills

If we plan to have children who will one day contribute to society in a positive way, we'll need to ensure that we prepare our children for that purpose. Whilst having gifts, talents and various skills can benefit ourselves greatly, we often find more fulfilment from being of value of to someone else. It's really important that children understand that they are gifted; a gift filled with a purpose that can be of benefit to someone and appreciated by many. By teaching your children to serve other family members with the gifts or expertise they possess, children learn what it means to be a functional human being and can grow to be an active member of any community. 

3. Taking Ownership For What They Own And Contributing To The Maintenance Of Where They Live

There's no problem in wanting to protect your child. Children need to be protected from harm and danger, however one thing your growing adolescent child will not need to be protected from is "The Real World".

In fact your adolescent children will be relying on your foresight and insight to help them prepare for the independent life of adulthood. Allowing your teenage child to be more responsible for the outcomes of their decisions and the maintenance of the things they own will teach your child how to be a more responsible person.

Your child will eventually leave your place of residence and will need to know how to mange their own home, so it only makes perfect sense that your child should be aware of what bills are, how they affect the rate of bills and how they can contribute financially to the maintenance of the home they currently live in. 

Protecting your child from obtaining these essential life skills could really contribute to sending your child into a spiral of debt, being the recipient of numerous eviction notices or result in being a financial burden to a future partner or friend.

Sheltering your child from their impending reality could lead to your child naively drifting through life, trying to replicate what they saw of their parents lifestyle without the knowledge of how to maintain a stable lifestyle.  

YOUR THOUGHTS

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