10 Lessons Your Children Should Learn Before They Reach Adolescence

Children reach adolescence when they turn 13 years old. To help children progress through this stage of their life smoothly, you’ll want to make sure they’ve learned certain life lessons. That’s why we’d like to suggest 10 lessons we believe are important for children to learn before they turn 13.

As a parent, you’ve most likely asked yourself if you’re bringing up your children well, and if you’re teaching them what they really need to know for the future. Leading such hectic lives often means that we let them learn from their teachers or friends, rather than finding the time ourselves.

We want to help by suggesting certain lessons that may be very necessary for children to learn before they reach adolescence. You’ll certainly need more than these 10, yet these will be really beneficial.

10 lessons that children should learn before they reach adolescence

Here are ten topics that we consider important for children to learn at an early age. We recommend teaching these lessons little by little, adapting them to your children’s age.

1. Friendship

The concept of friendship is acquired from a very early age, but is also shaped by the experience and information that comes from the media, movies, and our surroundings.

Your child should know what kind of friend he wants to be to others, and what kind of friends he wants to have himself. He should know how to sort out problems with friends and what to do when you want to help someone.

We shouldn’t ignore the fact that friendship will be extremely important throughout adolescence. Friends will become as important as family for your child. Help him get to know himself better in this respect.

2. Death

Death is part of who we are. We cannot hide or soften what death means just because we want to avoid suffering. Children deserve to know what death means, in order to be able to manage the pain and all the emotions they will feel when they experience it in their family.

3. Emotional communication

You must give children space to express themselves and help them manage their own emotions. Suppressing or denying emotions can be confusing and negative for children. This is, perhaps, the most important lesson children must learn before they reach adolescence, as it will be the basis of their emotional well-being.

4. Tidiness

It’s important that children know how to keep things tidy both inside and outside the home. They need to know what their responsibilities are, what work they need to do, and when to do it. Discipline should be part of your child’s life, as it also provides security.

5. Personal hygiene

From the moment they start school, personal hygiene forms a part of children’s education. However, with adolescence, there are several changes in their body. It’s important to know how to keep these hygiene guidelines in line with the changes they’re experiencing.

6. Empathy

Knowing how to put yourself in someone else’s shoes is very important. Your child should learn to how to understand and recognize his emotions and those of others. In this way he’ll know how to interact in a more effective way with his surroundings. Empathy is easy to tell people about, but complicated to teach.

7. Importance of money

Saving and spending are basic concepts in our society, yet they must be taught. Your child should learn where money comes from, how much things cost, and how much you can earn in different jobs. Combined with this learning, it’s important to explain how much effort and work is involved in making sure your child has all he needs.

8. Sexuality

Adolescence is characterized by the awakening of a child’s sexuality. Talking naturally about sexuality will strengthen the bond of trust with your child. Sexuality shouldn’t be a taboo subject, but one of the lessons your child should learn before entering adolescence.

9. Self-esteem

This consists of learning to love and value yourself, and to be realistic about your own strengths and weaknesses. It also involves demanding respect from others when necessary. Your child’s self-esteem will be very influenced by the image that you project of him, and communicate to him. Be careful both with too many compliments and too much criticism.

10. Responsibility

Actions always have consequences, either good or bad. Your child will need to know that breaking a rule will lead to punishment. In the same way, he’ll learn that reaching goals can bring rewards. Basic rules and responsibilities must be understood and met by your child, according to his or her age.

Finally, you should always understand that your child is constantly facing changes and new challenges. Instead of being an authoritative and closed figure, try to offer the best of your experience to make the path easier for him.