You can do many things around the house to help teenagers prepare for their first job. Here are six suggestions to help teens who think and learn differently feel confident and capable executive functioning skills.
- Cultivate communication
Teens who struggle with social skills can benefit greatly from role-playing. Your teen can practice basic things like greeting with a handshake, making eye contact, and asking questions while you role-play as a customer, colleague, or supervisor. Talk about what type of personal information is appropriate to disclose (and what is not). For example, it is appropriate to talk about what you did over the weekend but not what medications you use. Other ideas: Teach your child basic ways to answer the phone and how to ask for help or the adaptations what do you need. - Promote practical skills
The house can be a true learning laboratory. If your teen struggles with math, have him organize the money in his wallet and practice calculating change. If your teen has difficulty reading or writing, have him or her write down messages from phone calls. Learning to work in the kitchen could improve her organizational skills, as well as help her find a job in food service. If he is interested in an office position, encourage him to improve his computer skills and help you file documents. - Take advantage of domestic tasks to teach
Housework helps you learn basic responsibilities and skills without criticism or risks. To develop organizational skills, give him tasks such as distributing the family’s mail and tidying up the living room. Help him make a schedule and stick to it. Teens who have difficulty following instructions can use their phone to record videos of how to perform multi-step tasks, such as bathing the dog or washing the dishes. - Teach punctuality
Punctuality is very important for employers. Some teenagers have executive functioning difficulties and they can lose track of time. Help them develop strategies that allow them to be punctual. They can wear a watch or use the alerts and calendar features of a cell phone. Congratulate them when they arrive on time. - Practice following directions
At work, supervisors may list multiple tasks at once. This can be challenging for teens with executive functioning issues. Practice at home by giving your teen to-do lists. Then help him develop strategies for remembering them. For example, if memorization is difficult, your teen can practice taking notes in a notebook or recording the list on a phone. You can also make some instructions confusing so your child will ask questions to clarify them. - Promote volunteer work
Volunteering gives your teen the opportunity to gain hands-on experience. Since it is not paid, people will probably be more willing to support and help you. If your teen can’t find a position, use her personal contacts to help you find volunteer work. Maybe a family member needs help with her business. Through experience, your teen will learn that she has the ability to work on her own.