They’re calling it “Life Skills Summer Camp,” or “How To Be A Person Summer Camp,” or even “Life Skills Boot Camp,” but what these moms all have in common is that they’re taking advantage of the free time between school years to teach their kids important lessons that aren’t happening in school.
Everybody has ideas about what the public school system is lacking, whether it’s more recess and arts, financial literacy and home ec, or self-reliance and how to change a tire. Some parents think their kids should have a learning experience more like their own, that included shop and cooking, and others wish their kids were being taught the skills they found themselves lacking when they exited into the adult world, like balancing a checkbook and filling out job applications.
Regardless of the specific lesson, the trend is to use an at-home “summer camp” to teach your kids these missing skills. Some moms are sharing the process, and results, on social media.
A Different Kind Of College Prep
One college psychiatrist has even weighed in, saying she loves the idea and hopes that for high school kids, parents will make sure to implement skills like laundry, keeping a room clean, and cooking simple meals. She and her commenters also discuss skills such as protecting mental health and paying bills — things that are easy to take for granted, unless you don’t know how to do them.
@collegepsychiatrist #stitch with @Motherly #adulting #collegestudent #chores #budgeting #lifeskills #teachthechildren ♬ original sound – The College Psychiatrist
Lots Of Life Skills To Learn!
In fact, many of the moms sharing their experience offering their kids a Life Skills Summer Camp say that cooking and laundry are among the lessons, along with emptying a dishwasher.
They’re also including objectives like learning to tie shoes, wash and blow dry hair, and handle other personal grooming tasks like nail clipping. Most of these skills are the sort of things that are easier, on a hurried school day, to do for your kids, rather than invest the time teaching them — and summer is the perfect time for that transition.
@emily_ley It’s time for How to Be a Person Camp! We started this when my kids (now 11, 7, 7) were younger and add to it (and review a few old things) every year. What are we missing here? ????????????????????????#lifehacks #camplife #simplified #howtobeaperson ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
Some Moms Get Really Creative
It’s not all scrambling eggs and clipping toenails, though. Some parents are implementing skills that might have been less obvious, but that still definitely crop up in adulthood, like wrapping gifts. Kids are also learning to sign their name, pack an overnight bag, use a knife safely, and even introduce themselves to a new person.
@emily_ley Gotta get those corners right ????. Teaching my kids how to be grown-ups one step at a time. #MomsOfTikTok #HowTo #HowToBeAPersonCamp #Trending #motherhood #lifehacks #lifeskills #parenting #raisingboys #raisinggirls ♬ original sound – Emily Ley
ADHD Coach Weighs In
By the way, for those of us whose kids are neurodivergent or have any developmental struggles, summer is such a great opportunity to fill in those skills that others seem to have absorbed through osmosis. One ADHD coach weighed in on TikTok to offer some specific advice for using a similar program or plan to help your child learn to use a grocery list, comparison shop, and follow through to meal prep and cooking!
@parentinginreallife Summer is a fantastic time to teach our kids life skills in a way thats both educational and fun. Dm me if you want some more ideas! #summer #lifehacks #lifeskills #summervibes #adhdtiktok #adhdtips #adhdsupport #adhdawareness #adhdcoach #adhdtipsandtricks #summerlearning #timeblindness #executivedysfunction #executivefunction #ef #anxietysquad #anxietyrelief #copingskills #edutok #audhd #socialskills #GAD #summerfun #foryou #fypage #momsoftiktok #parentingtips #momtips #lifeskillsforkids #cooking #lifewithkids #kidssummer #resilience #budgeting ♬ original sound – Dana Baker, ADHD/Anxiety Coach
Life Skills Camp Away From Home
While these moms are making their own at-home Life Skills Summer Camp programs, there are also organizations and businesses offering similar services for parents whose work hours just don’t leave the opportunity for a full program at home. Some of them also delve into topics that are very important life skills, but that not all parents may be prepared to teach — like dealing with bullying, substance abuse, or teen pregnancy.
Some programs even offer virtual camps for lessons like financial literacy!
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