The Surprising Skills Many Kids Are Missing — And How We Can Help

I recently saw a striking piece about today’s students, and it really got me thinking — are we overlooking the basics? According to reports from teachers across the U.S., many kids are arriving in the classroom lacking what used to be considered everyday skills. 

photo courtesy www.stillwatertherapy.org

What’s happening

• Children as young as first and second grade have told teachers they can’t tie their own shoes. 

• Other reportedly missing skills include peeling their own snacks, unwrapping food, telling time on an analog clock, handling simple tasks like zipping coats or folding clothes, and even writing legibly. 

• Multiple educators say this isn’t just about “kids being kids” — many believe the decline has to do with reduced opportunities to learn independence at home: less hands-on practice, more parental (or adult) help doing chores and basic tasks. 

Why it matters

These “simple” life skills — shoe-tying, packing their own lunch or backpack, tying shoelaces, undoing inside-out sleeves — build independence, confidence, and self-reliance. When children don’t get to practice them, they may struggle with resilience, resourcefulness, or even basic self-care tasks later on.

At a time when academic curricula are packed and children are spending more time with devices than with hands-on tasks, we risk raising a generation that’s highly knowledgeable on tests — but potentially lacking foundational life skills. As one teacher put it: “kids are becoming a generation of 35-year-old basement dwellers.” 

What we can do — as parents, educators, and mentors

• Make time at home for real-life tasks: shoe-tying, peeling fruits, dressing themselves, packing bags.

• Encourage kids to try and fail — and try again. Let them struggle a little; let them learn independence.

• Treat “life skills” as part of education. Not just academic learning, but real-world competence.

• Talk often with kids about responsibility, ownership, and self-reliance — because confidence and competence go hand in hand.

For those of us in education — and especially here at Steele’s Scholars — this is a timely reminder: academic success and real-world confidence grow together. When kids build independence, they become stronger learners in every subject.

If you’re ready to give your child both the academic support and confidence-building skills they need, now is the perfect time to start.

I offer personalized tutoring packages designed to strengthen learning habits, study skills, independence, and self-reliance — all in a supportive, encouraging environment.

👉 Book a tutoring package with me today and set your child up for success inside and outside the classroom.