YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Am I Ready to Leave Home?

Am I Prepared?

Moving out on your own is like hiking in a wilderness.  Would you trek into wild country without knowing how to set up a tent, light a fire, cook a meal, or read a map?  Not  likely!   Yet, many young ones move away from home with few of the skills necessary to run a household.

 Wise King Solomon said that "the shrewd one considers his steps." (Proverbs 14:15)  To help you consider whether you're prepared to step out on your own, consider the following headings.  Place a check  next to the skills you already have and an x next to those you need work on. 

O Money management. "I've never had to make my own payment on anything," says Serena, 19,  "I'm afraid  of leaving home and having to budget my money."  How can you learn to manage money?

A Bible proverb says:  "A wise person will listen and take in more instruction." (Proverbs 1:5) So why not ask your parents how much it's likely to cost each month for one person to cover rent or mortgage, buy food, and run a car or pay other transportation costs?  Then have your parents help you learn how to budget your money and pay the bills. Why is it important to learn to live by a budget?  Kevin, 20, says:  "Once you get out on your own, there are a lot of surprise expenses. If you are not careful, you work yourself to death trying to pay off debts." 

O Domestic skills. Brian, 17, says that what he fears most about leaving home is having to do his own laundry. How do you know if you're ready to care for yourself?  Aron, 20, offers this suggestion:  "Try living for a week as if you were on your own. Eat only food that you prepare for yourself, that you buy for yourself at the store, and that you pay for with money you have. Wear clothes that you wash and iron. Do all your own housecleaning.  And try to get where you need to go by yourself, with no one picking you up or dropping you off." Following that suggestion will do two things for you:  It will (1) give you valuable skills and  (2) increase your appreciation for the work you parents do.  

Next time: YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Am I Ready to Leave Home? -Social Skills

From the Awake! magazine