WE love our children and want them to do well in all aspects of life. Teaching children life skills will help them cope in situations and encounters where they need to be one step ahead and think on their feet. Fortunately, in Guyanese culture, most children are taught to be self-sufficient. They help keep their surroundings clean, care for their younger siblings and learn to cook naturally – washing their clothes by hand, clapping roti, and shopping for groceries are just skills they pick up along the way.

Some youngsters however, are pampered and fussed over to the extent where they learn very few life skills. They don’t know how to be courteous; they have never had to clean up after themselves and although they carry around an air of privilege – they show little gratitude or thanks for what they are given. While some parents may enjoy waiting on their offspring ‘hand and foot’, and ‘spoiling’ them, they offer their child little room to build independence, and hardly any skills in preparation for adulthood. Try our quiz to learn about life skills and why adults should teach them to children.

1 At what age do children begin to build life skills and coping strategies?
a) From birth
b) When they start to walk and talk
c) From 4 years old onwards
d) Only when they begin secondary school

2 Why do children need to develop good life skills?
a) So they can interact with others and sound intellectual
b) So they learn to adapt when necessary
c) So they can be ready for whatever life throws at them
d) So they can cover up their shortcomings and failures

3 Children should learn to spend some time alone. Is this a life skill?
a) Yes, because too much company can lead to trouble
b) No, children should never be alone; it is unhealthy
c) No, when left alone, children tend to think too much
d) Yes, because children should be okay with their own company

4 When children care for pets during childhood, does it helps them?
a) Realise every dog is a man’s best friend?
b) Learn empathy and be more caring towards animals and people?
c) Learn that all living things need a home?
d) See the world from an animal’s point of view?

5 Children use the internet daily, but how can you shield them from fake news?
a) Make sure you take a look and read every site they visit before they do
b) Tell them they should not believe anything they read online
c) Teach them skills, so they make good decisions and never take chances
d) Teach them comprehension and critical-thinking skills

6 With ‘screen time’ invading children’s lives, could valuable life skills for balance be?
a) Learning to sit still, read and relax?
b) Watching television while using a mobile phone?
c) Learning to stay focused and meditating?
d) Mastering a tablet and play station?

7 Adults should show children how to make their beds and clean their rooms because?
a) Organising their space helps them to be tidy and value their possessions more
b) Their parents are too tired to do it for them every day
c) The military recommends doing this as a daily exercise
d) Children can learn culinary skills in a tidy room

8 Children should learn how to write a letter and communicate effectively because?
a) These skills are difficult to learn
b) Skills like these are in danger of disappearing if not formally taught
c) Letter writing and communication skills are hereditary
d) They need these skills to access online information

9 Adults must teach table manners and conventional manners to children because?
a) Knowing how to set the table is a child’s job
b) They will need to use them efficiently and effectively at one time or another
c) Children who get by without them cannot become intellectuals
d) Parents need to show off what their children can do

10 Children need to know how to react in an emergency because?
a) Adults become hysterical and sometimes faint
b) When emergencies happen, they need to run away fast
c) They may save a life by staying calm and thinking rationally
d) Children can help inured people quicker than adults

ANSWERS:
1 (a) Children start learning coping and strategy skills from the day they are born.
2 (c) Children need to build skills such as fortitude, courage, and endurance.
3 (d) It is alright for children to spend time alone with their thoughts or to read a book. Space is peace, and what better attribute to have than peace of mind.
4 (b) Children learn empathy for others by feeding and caring for animals, whether butterflies, birds, dogs or cats.
5 (d) Children need to examine online content critically and not accept all they see and hear. Fake news is real.
6 (a & c) Most children are overstimulated; teach them to enjoy relaxation with breathing exercises and meditation.
7 (a) An uncluttered room is an uncluttered mind. Children should dust, sweep, (or vacuum) and mop out their rooms to keep their surroundings tidy.
8 (b) Communication skills such as letter writing, making firm eye contact, and active listening are disappearing in the cyber world’s onslaught.
9 (b) Manners maketh Man. Children who lack manners always make a poor impression.
10 (c) Teaching children simple steps in First Aid is wise and could save a life. Lesson number one – do not panic.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY,
MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY