Essential Life Skills for Boys

Confidently tackle tasks and everyday life with this guide to life skills for boys.

Does the preteen boy in your life know how to wash his clothes? Plunge a toilet? Leave a tip? Read a map? Manage a bank account? Do you have the time and energy to teach him? Let Essential Life Skills for Boys lead the way with the tools he needs to succeed. These critical life skills will help him become a responsible, resilient, and confident young man at home, at school, and out in the modern world.

• Designed for boys ages 10−14 who need to learn the ins and outs of personal hygiene, clothing care, communication, school success, and much more.
• Addresses kids living in a digital age; the skills include social media safety, texting with care, online communication, and other ways boys live their tech-savvy lives.
• Easy to read, absorb, and remember, particularly for preteens with short attention spans.
• Helps boys gain confidence and become independent (and helpful to family and friends).
• Detailed checklists let boys mark off skills they’ve learned and challenge themselves to learn them all!        

“Whether your son is starting his journey toward self-sufficiency or seeking to enhance his existing skills, this book is an empowering read that fosters personal development in every aspect of life. Essential Life Skills for Boys covers a wide spectrum of crucial life skills, ranging from self-care and cooking to house repairs and money management. This book enables kids to feel confident in achieving the skills they need most, whether they’re looking to whip up a meal, learn about body care, exercise, and nutrition, or even build strong relationships. The book also acknowledges the challenges of academic life, providing strategies for organization, time management, and effective study techniques. It is truly evident that the author is an educator himself and understands firsthand the complexity and needs of these essential skills during this critical stage of development.”
—Joanne Mercaldi, co-founder and CEO of BLOOM (BloomForAll.com)
 
“Shaving. Cleaning the bathroom. Tying a tie. Packing a good lunch. Dealing with peer pressure. There are so many skills boys need to master to take care of themselves and contribute to their households and communities. How do we teach them all? This book, from award-winning middle school teacher Scott Todnem, can help a lot. It explains how to master more than 60 crucial life skills in a practical, lighthearted tone that is perfect for tweens and teens.”
—Christopher Pepper, author and health educator, MrHealthTeacher.com

“Essential Life Skills for Boys is a practical step-by-step guide, chock-full of how-tos for tackling day-to-day tasks as well as tips for maintaining mental health. For any young person who is starting to take on more responsibilities, whether around the house, such as doing their own laundry or cleaning the bathroom, or at school, such as navigating a conflict with a classmate or teacher, this book will become their go-to guide. Its concise language and straightforward tone will undoubtedly resonate with its intended audience.”
—Katie Gallagher, “boy mom” and director of education at Candor Health Education

“This book is the quintessential guide for the success of every teenage boy. Our education system can only do so much, and this is where Scott Todnem comes in. From tying a tie to boiling pasta to money management, Essential Life Skills for Boys is the book I wish I had growing up! Furthermore, a large part of the book is dedicated to interpersonal and intrapersonal communication, which is a must for the mental health and well-being of our kids. A beautifully organized life handbook for every teen!”
—Kevin Mecchella, youth speaker and host of the Upgrade My Classroom podcast
Scott Todnem has been teaching health education at the middle school level since 2001 and was awarded the 2019 National Health Teacher of the Year. He uses his platforms to promote cultural diversity, gender inclusivity, mental health awareness, and suicide prevention. He is the author of Growing Up Great!: The Ultimate Puberty Book for Boys and Sex Education for Boys: A Parent’s Guide. Scott lives in Illinois with his family, where he enjoys reading, record collecting, and watching great movies.

Martha Sue Coursey is a San Francisco–based illustrator, type designer, and artist. She grew up as the only child of metalwork artists in a house they built on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona, where books and desert creatures were some of her best friends. She holds a BFA in painting from California College of the Arts and a postgraduate certificate from Type West. When she’s not drawing, she’s taking care of too many plants or walking the dog.