Get together with an English-speaking friend or relative to talk about the basic skills a person needs to live independently.
The questions below may help you to structure your conversation.
When did you leave your parents' home for the first time?
Did you find it difficult to live without them?
When did you leave your parents' home for good?
What did you have to learn to do before and after leaving your parents' home?
Who taught you to do these things?
What are the essential skills a person needs to live on their own?
Does school prepare a person to live independtly?
In preparation for your conversation session, you can read this article from The New York Times to get some extra ideas to bring along to the discussion.
You may also wish to answer these questions about the article, taken from The Learning Blogs of The New York Times.
WHAT are the “essential life skills” you think a young person might need in order to live on his or her own?
WHY, when doing laundry, should you not throw a bright red top in with the whites?
WHY, according to Professor Lewis Mandell, should you never pay a cable or phone bill late?
HOW do you make out a check properly?
WHEN should you go online and search for a company’s name along with “scam” or “rip-off”?
WHERE are the gas tank, jumper cables, insurance card and registration in the car you drive, or are driven in, most often?
WHOM could you ask to teach you these and other basic life skills identified in this article, including how to sew on a button, change a light bulb, judge how long different foods can stay in a refrigerator before going bad, tip properly, use a microwave safely, strip and make a bed, pack a suitcase and safeguard valuables?
