Life Skills Schools Don’t Teach Anymore

At one time, school was not just about grades. You would walk away knowing how to balance a checkbook, sew on a loose button, or even cook something besides noodles. Most students now walk away with good test scores and no idea how to function in real life.

For example, in the U.S., adults on average correctly answer only 49 % of questions on key personal finance topics, according to the 2025 TIAA Institute–GFLEC P-Fin Index. School stopped teaching life and began teaching standards.

Conflict Resolution

Schools no longer teach children how to disagree. They just instruct them not to fight. There is a difference. In the 80s and 90s, teachers led “peer mediation” classes where students were trained in active listening and compromise. Now it’s all reports and online posting. We have forgotten how to resolve things in person.

Basic Money Management

Budgeting, credit cards, and taxes used to be in the curriculum. Kids now learn about compound interest when their debt starts compounding. A 2024 Next Gen Personal Finance report revealed that only 26.3% of U.S. public high school students are guaranteed to take a Personal Finance course. It’s like teaching someone to swim after they’ve fallen into the lake.

Home Economics

Cooking, sewing, and basic home care might sound old-fashioned these days, but they used to be just about survival. Plenty of adults can’t even tell you the difference between a saucepan and a skillet.

Time Management

It’s so ironic that schools jam so much into a day but never teach students how to manage their time. With all those deadlines and assignments, you’d think they’d discuss planning, scheduling, or prioritizing. Instead, kids just fly by the seat of their pants. Then they go to the workplace and can’t figure out why they’re fried by Wednesday.

Emotional Intelligence

Empathy. Self-awareness. Keeping cool under fire. The things that predict success are not what we measure. Daniel Goleman’s 1995 bestseller Emotional Intelligence proved the power of “soft skills” decades ago. But still, we give as in algebra, Fs in friendship. A kid might get an A+ in calculus, but if they can’t manage their emotions or respond to criticism gracefully, it’s a failing grade.

Critical Thinking

We used to be taught to ask “why.” Now we are taught to memorize “what.” Teachers are pressured to meet test quotas, not to encourage curiosity. And that’s how you get adults who can’t distinguish a scam from a fact.

Basic Car and Home Repairs

Changing a tire or repairing a leak ought not to be rocket science. For a lot of young adults, it is. By the early 2000s, auto shop classes disappeared from schools. Nowadays, a dead car battery can put a real damper on someone’s week. You don’t have to be a mechanic, but you ought to at least know what jumper cables are.

Civic Responsibility

Schools teach about voting, but not how local government functions, how to read a ballot, or why policy matters. For most students, the last time they heard the word “civics” was middle school. A 2019 survey found that only 40 percent of American adults could name the three branches of the U.S. government, and that 22 percent couldn’t identify a single branch. That’s not apathy, that’s an education failure.

Professional Communication

Writing a polite email, introducing yourself in person, or knowing when to follow up: it sounds simple, but it’s a skill. Many managers in workplaces today have observed young hires “ghost” instead of communicating.

Self-Reliance and Grit

School used to encourage sticking with things. Now everyone gets a “participation” ribbon. That attitude doesn’t play well in life, where effort isn’t always rewarded. Psychologist Angela Duckworth named it “grit” — power through discomfort. Without it, even intelligent kids are lost in adult life.

Etiquette and Social Skills

From handshakes to thank-you notes, they were once considered a significant gesture. Now it’s emojis and DMs. Sure, etiquette may feel old-fashioned, but it will earn you respect and confidence.

Career Exploration

Long ago, schools brought in local professionals to discuss careers — actual careers, not “doctor” or “engineer.” Now, students largely choose careers based on TikTok trends or influencer fantasies.

A survey by The National Association for College Admission Counseling found 45% of students were “uncertain” of their career choices even in their senior year. That’s an indicator we’re not providing enough exposure to them early on.

Practical Tech Literacy

In 2022, Norton’s report showed that 67% of young users clicked on scam links in the last 12 months. Gen Z is as tech-savvy as they come. And for good reason: They can use apps better than the rest of us. But do they recognize a phishing email? Can they back up files or safeguard digital privacy? Being tech-savvy is not the same as being tech-savvy.

Mental Health Awareness

This one is finally starting to get some traction, but it is still done poorly. Discussing anxiety or burnout doesn’t make you know how to cope with it. A few schools have implemented “wellness days”, but students report using that day just to do homework.

Practical Survival Skills

Survival 101 — map reading, basic first aid, emergency procedures. Life doesn’t always have Wi-Fi. When it all goes black, the adapters will be just fine. The rest will be Googling how to build a fire… when power returns.

Why investing for retirement is so important for women (and how to do it)

Why investing for retirement is so important for women (and how to do it)

Retirement planning can be challenging, especially for women who face unique obstacles such as the wage gap, caregiving responsibilities, and a longer life expectancy. It’s essential for women to educate themselves on financial literacy and overcome the investing gap to achieve a comfortable and secure retirement. So, let’s talk about why investing for retirement is important for women and how to start on this journey towards financial freedom.

Science Tells Us What To Expect As We Age: Strategies for Thriving in Later Life

Science Tells Us What To Expect As We Age: Strategies for Thriving in Later Life

How does aging affect our bodies and minds, and how can we adapt to those differences? These are questions that pertain to us all. Aging gradually alters people over decades, a long period shaped by individuals’ economic and social circumstances, their behaviors, their neighborhoods, and other factors. Also, while people experience common physiological issues in later life, they don’t follow a well-charted, developmentally predetermined path. Let’s take a look at what science has told us to expect.