Five ways to make yourself more independent.
Desperate to be more independent? While your parents might not be keen to let you take off on a holiday with friends just yet, there are other ways you can gain more independence. Why not ask your parents if you can…
1. Handle Your Own Money
If you don’t do this already, why not ask if you can set up your own bank account? Managing your own money is a great way to learn basic financial skills. You can use an online banking app to get an at-a-glance look at your money. It’s a great idea to set up a savings account, too, to save money for a later date. You can start to save for your first car, a holiday with friends or even your first flat.
2. Manage Your Own Time
Usually rely on mum or dad to get you up in the morning? Take responsibility for managing your own time – whether it’s getting up and ready for school in the morning to making it to training on time. Set alarms on your phone to keep you right or invest in an alarm clock. You’ve got this!
3. Take On More Responsibility Around The House
Learning how to take care of yourself is an important step in gaining independence. Part of this is learning how to keep a clean and tidy home. Offer to help out around the house with chores like hoovering and dusting. Ask a parent to show you how to work household appliances like the oven, washing machine and microwave.
4. Learn To Cook
Learning how to cook is a great way to become more independent. Knowing how to shop for recipes and how to prepare and cook a few different dishes is a lifelong skill. Look online for simple recipes and write out your shopping list. You can find simple, tasty dishes to make for yourself and your family and friends.
5. Plan A Trip
This doesn’t mean planning a trip to take on your own. You can ask a parent if you can help plan a family trip to learn how to book and plan travelling and accommodation. You can plan something as simple as a bus journey into town to go shopping. Or think of your dream location and plan how you would get there, where you would stay and how much it would cost. You might not be old enough to do your dream trip right now, but you will one day!
As you become more independent, you’ll gain more confidence. You’ll also become more responsible, boosting your self-esteem and self-worth. For advice on learning new skills, click here.
