We teach business, but do we teach life?

Do you understand the process of buying a house, how much a baby costs, how to balance your bank account? I am passionate that we should all discuss bringing back to the forefront of our educational systems today the critical missing components of basic living principles. Basically, we have labored over teaching ourselves, algebraic expressions, geometry theorems, chemistry, world history, foreign languages, and on and on. But I ask you this, who taught you about your credit score, how to buy a house, the importance of marriage, the responsibility of having children, how to manage your personal finances, etc.?

For instance, look at this study from 2005 by one of the 3 major credit reporting agencies. Now it is true that one influencer of your credit score is how long you have been able to have credit, but I believe a lot of this has to do with lack of education as well.

Credit Scores by Age Group

Source: Experian

My point is that we have all learned scientific formulas, theories of mathematics, and about the history of the United States, but have we all learned the critical life skills that can make or break our entire life and our effect on society? Trust me I want to believe that we all have parents who started teaching us these life skills early in our childhood throughout our teenage years and are guiding us into the real world once graduating high school or college. But with my current view of the world and the American society, I have a hard time believing that everyone has been taught these skills.

So I pose the question, “who’s responsibility is it to make sure that these critical life skills are being taught?” Do we take the socialistic view and think that it is the responsibility of our government and public education or do we take the individualistic view that everyone (or at least every parent) is responsible for raising their children and preparing them for life? I myself coming from a school that promotes free enterprise and individual freedom and responsibility take the side of the latter. I don’t want to have to rely on government to teach my kids these skills; they will certainly learn them at home. But I often feel that the way I think is in the minority of this country.

I feel extremely strong about my values and opinions of how business and life relate to each other and I wish more people saw the connection. I wish universities out there would implement more life learning’s into their curriculums and better prepare their graduates for the life decisions they will soon face along with the business decisions they are already prepared for. I wish parents would teach their kids life skills and better prepare them for these life situations. But the truth is, it’s not happening. Does anyone care, are we too lazy, are we too ignorant, or do we assume people will figure these things out on their own? I say they should be taught. And the first school that figures this out will be far ahead of the pack. After this economic meltdown, the focus of these life principles should be stuck on everybody’s radar, including educational institutions, what do you think?

Christopher M. Chandler, is an ongoing contributor at the Ideas that Stick. Christopher holds a MBA from DeVos Graduate School of Management and is an Experience Director at Experience Marketing in Michigan.