What I Wish My Parents Had Taught Me: The Practical Life Skills That Matter Most

There’s no shame in learning late - only in never learning at all. For many of us, adulthood arrived with a thud, not a graceful transition. We were handed diplomas, maybe a set of keys, and then expected to navigate a world full of contracts, credit scores, and emotional curveballs with little more than “call if you need anything.” And while love and support are invaluable, they don’t substitute for practical life education. This isn’t a blame piece. It’s a gentle inventory of the things many of us wish had been part of our upbringing - not because our parents failed us, but because they were often figuring it out themselves. So here’s a guide to the life skills we deserved to learn sooner, and still can. Banking: More Than Just a Place to Store Money What we needed: How checking vs. savings accounts work What overdraft fees are and how to avoid them How to read a bank statement and spot errors Why direct deposit and automatic transfers are your best friends Why it matters: Bank...