10 Must-have skills your child needs to succeed

There are certain skills your child should assemble over the years in order to become the best version of themselves. They’re already practicing math calculations, reading comprehension, and discipline at school, but there are many other strengths that are often overlooked, like soft skills, social skills, and learning skills.

If you want your child to be a strong-minded, successful problem solver, combine some of our recommended skills from our “Must-Have Skills for Children” series into their lifelong learning process. These will help improve different areas of your child’s life from socialization to career success.  

1. Reading a Road Map
Your child may never have to read a road map, but there are still many benefits to knowing how. There is so much they can get out of this underrated skill, from growing spatial awareness to understanding directions. Read More

2. Cleaning Their Own Rooms
If you want your child to grow more responsible, there’s nothing as effective as this habit. Cleaning their own room will start a ripple effect, positively influencing other areas of their lives from completing assignments to taking care of their possessions. Read More

3. Setting Clear Goals
Goal setting will grow increasingly important as your child enters middle school, high school, college, and then ultimately the workforce. Rather than having them wander aimlessly, your child should learn to sharpen their focus on what they would like to accomplish. Read More

4. Preventing Procrastination
Procrastination will hold your child back in life—if it isn’t already. It feeds the wrong traits, like laziness and perfectionism, instead of the right ones, like high self-esteem and healthy ambitions. Here’s how your child can regain control of their time. Read More

5. Starting Conversations (Connecting with Peers)
If you want your child to make good friends, feel a sense of belonging, and grow a strong network, this skill is a definite must-have. The ability to socialize and connect well with others will prove important in overall longevity, happiness, and financial success. Read More

6. Writing Vividly
Does your child’s words come to life on the page? Anyone can write, but not everyone can write well. Luckily, this can be improved. These tips will help your child take their writing to the next level so they can truly connect with the reader and clearly express themselves. Read More

7. Learning from Gameplay
It’s not all fun and games! There’s a lot to be learned from traditional board games like chess to modern digital games like Animal Crossing. Whether they teach strategy or goal setting, games can nourish your child’s life beyond stress relief. Read More

8. Failing Successfully
No one wants to fail, but it is important to accept that failure is inevitable, particularly on the road to success. To develop a growth mindset and resilience, your child should practice failing over and over and—most importantly—learning from those failures. Read More

9. Journaling Daily
Taking the time to journal can do wonders for the mind and the soul. Your child should develop this habit for both self-care and self-development. Journaling enables them to understand themselves and grow in all areas of their life. Read More

10. Practicing Self-Care
Self-care is a lifelong skill to cherish. It’s becoming more and more widely practiced because of how it elevates the quality of life and combats stress. Teach your child how self-care habits can prevent burnout and depression. Read More

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Learning and improving never ends, that’s why we’re here to help your child make room in their life for curiosity, joy, and self-improvement. With these ten must-have skills, and those to come in future blog posts, your child will continue to become an enthusiastic lifelong learner and responsible young adult. We are excited to see your child thrive in every challenge they tackle!  

To pair with these must-have skills, our JEI Learning Centers offer excellent programs that further support lifelong learning through healthy study habits, personalized instruction, and individualized pacing. While tutoring only targets problems temporarily, we go above and beyond by building a strong foundation for all future learning. Learn more about our State Standard-aligned programs and contact us at (877) JEI-Math to speak to an expert in education.