Teaching children to survive

Daily living skills are routine activities and habits that help a person to be independent.
Daily living skills include meal preparation, going to the toilet, personal hygiene, dressing and undressing, cooking, eating, and cleaning the house.
The Covid-19 pandemic caused a high level of stress among the children. It negatively impacted their lives, especially their daily routine. Children have to stay longer inside their homes, their attention must be diverted to doing something productive.
Parents and family members should collaborate in teaching daily living skills to the young ones. Doing this may be challenging.
It is doubly challenging for parents who have kids with learning disabilities like Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other intellectual disabilities because they learn differently.
Parents should commit themselves in teaching their children with understanding, diligence, and perseverance.
Why do we need to teach children daily living skills? American writer Jessica Hagedorn said, “Adaptability is the simple secret of survival.”
Let us teach our children to survive on their own by giving them ample knowledge and skills that will help them become independent and resilient persons. This will help them face challenges and changes in their lives.
Teaching daily living skills will also make them responsible.
Let us allow our children to explore and adapt to the changes in their surroundings. Once they learn these skills, they can easily adjust in any situation and cope with the challenges they may face as they go on in life. (SHEILA D. MATINEK)