Life Skills

I8A4RE

" A person who has multiple degrees in your field isn't always better than someone who has broad experience and a great personality" - Richard Branson

Saw this quote and wondered what people would consider to be essential life skills.

Sorry if similar post exists.

Justjens

Common sense

gozunda

Justjens wrote: »

Common sense

Agree but problem with common sense is it's not that common ...

Also

Decent manners

eviltwin

How to drive and basic car maintenance. Cooking, sewing and diy skills.

Into The Blue

Good manners, specifically, Try to use the person's name when taking to them.

Manach

From Chesterton who related the story of the English clergyman who gave the last rites to a Sicilian brigand , and how on his death-bed the great robber said, 'I can give you no money, but I can give you advice for a lifetime: your thumb on the blade, and strike upwards.'
ie be fearless and to strike as if you strike at the stars.

jackofalltrades

The ability to be honest with yourself. It really is the cornerstone of self-improvement.

Trying or achieving some kind of mastery over your emotions.

Being there for your kids. (maybe not a skill in the strictest sense)

skallywag

Knowing when you are beaten and asking for assistance.

pwurple

Ability to read & write. This comes above all else. If you can read, you can learn absolutely anything else you want.

Ability to cook and dress yourself properly.

Ability/license to drive several types of vehicle.

Some idea about navigation, either in a city context (using public services) or out in the wild (compass, map reading etc).

Ability to shoot. I know this won't be a popular one in Ireland, but of the people who can shoot and know how to load/unload safely, and those who can't shoot, I know which group I prefer to be in.

Ability to swim.



Those are the one's I intend to teach my children. We'll see how we go from there.

Everlong1

I'm a 50 year old man and have never learned to drive. I have always lived and worked either in or close to the city centre and never needed driving skills for work. I did have a motorbike at one stage but had to give it up after thieving scum stole it twice and wrote it off.

I'd like to be able to drive but have no incentive to do so at the moment, especially with Dublin traffic as it is.

I've also never been able to tie a proper Windsor tie knot. Since I do have to wear a tie occasionally at work this is a minor inconvenience. I can knot a tie but it's always just that little bit.....off.

On the plus side, I've done quite a bit of self defence training and could probably knock someone unconscious if nececessary. And I can cook a decent chicken pasta carbonara...though the sauce has to come ready made.

I reckon I'm about three quarters of a real man.

smash

Everlong1 wrote: »

And I can cook a decent chicken pasta carbonara...though the sauce has to come ready made.

So you can boil pasta... :pac:

Thepoet85

Learning to drive and swim. The ability to cook and look after yourself and good manners, which are easy carried.

Everlong1

smash wrote: »

So you can boil pasta... :pac:

Yeah? AND ?

I cook the chicken in a wok and everything!!!!

sunshine and showers

I think there should be a class in secondary school to teach basic life skills. For example: how to cook a few healthy meals, how to sew a button, how to change a tyre, how to write a decent cover letter, how to change a plug, how to do a basic household budget... Things that are ever so slightly more practical than Honours Maths. :P

And everyone should know how to swim. Very important, I think.

smash

sunshine and showers wrote: »

I think there should be a class in secondary school to teach basic life skills. For example: how to cook a few healthy meals, how to sew a button, how to change a tyre, how to write a decent cover letter, how to change a plug, how to do a basic household budget... Things that are ever so slightly more practical than Honours Maths. :P

And everyone should know how to swim. Very important, I think.

Like home ec for men!

sunshine and showers

smash wrote: »

Like home ec for men!

And women! My mammy wouldn't let me do it for JC or LC.

smash

sunshine and showers wrote: »

And women! My mammy wouldn't let me do it for JC or LC.

What's an Honours level Leaving Cert Home Ec exam like?

"You have 1 hour to make a Michelin star 7 course tasting menu"

sunshine and showers

smash wrote: »

What's an Honours level Leaving Cert Home Ec exam like?

"You have 1 hour to make a Michelin star 7 course tasting menu"

Pretty sure it's intricate biology of food combined with detailed knowledge on the inner workings of a blender... that's what I saw in my friend's notes anyway!

Everlong1

sunshine and showers wrote: »

And everyone should know how to swim. Very important, I think.

Why, as a matter of interest? I know we're an island nation and all that but unless you have a job that entails being on a boat or some other marine related activity you should be able to avoid drowning with ease.

I can swim by the way - no fancy backstrokes or anything but I can move through the water at a reasonable rate.

the evasion_kid

How to survive with nothing

sunshine and showers

Everlong1 wrote: »

Why, as a matter of interest? I know we're an island nation and all that but unless you have a job that entails being on a boat or some other marine related activity you should be able to avoid drowning with ease.

I can swim by the way - no fancy backstrokes or anything but I can move through the water at a reasonable rate.

I just think it's important, unless you intend to avoid water for your whole life. It's useful for leisure purposes as well as safety ones.

One of the best things my parents did was get me into the water from a relatively young age, tbh.

Pawwed Rig

The knowledge that just because someone is junior to you in a work sense does not make you smarter than them. Be able to identify good advice/ideas regardless of the source. I have found this to be a very uncommon trait.

walshb

I think the best life skills you can work on is patience and tolerance.

Aidric

Being self aware would be a good starting point for any person.

On some points that have been mentioned, I wouldn't consider the ability to drive a car as being a crucial life skill. Literacy on the other hand most certainly is.

mfceiling

Manners maketh the man.

The ability to be polite and say please and thank you. If it's the one thing my kids will carry with them it will be this.

The ability to make small talk and to be comfortable in the company of people.

sheesh

organisational skills. some modicum of team leading skills be able to set a schedule of work for a 4 man team, I would think would be more of a life skill for branson.

A respect for money

Jawgap

How to
....drive
....swim
....perform CPR
....negotiate (properly!)
....teach / instruct (everyone has something they can teach someone else)
....speak with confidence and competence in public
....cook a decent 3-course meal

lau1247

Timekeeping.. Most people now days don't have this essential skill at all

FURET

Critical thinking skills and a sound knowledge of personal finance.

lazybones32

Communication - all different types.
Learning about and understanding human nature.
Cultivating optimism and resolve.
Finding joy in the little things.

Bored_lad

sunshine and showers wrote: »

I think there should be a class in secondary school to teach basic life skills. For example: how to cook a few healthy meals, how to sew a button, how to change a tyre, how to write a decent cover letter, how to change a plug, how to do a basic household budget... Things that are ever so slightly more practical than Honours Maths. :P

And everyone should know how to swim. Very important, I think.

This already exists its just a combination of a number of different subjects. You learn all this stuff except the tyre and more in home ec, guidance counselling, science and business.