Let Them Mess It Up: Teaching Adult Kids How to Do Adulting in 2026

Moms Kimberly and Michelle talk about how kids learn best by doing things badly first. It starts in a Montreal supermarket. A mittened munchkin slowly unloads a tiny “future client” training cart while an impatient shopper complains.

They agonize over teaching (and often failing to teach) real-life skills like cooking, cleaning, laundry, wrapping gifts, budgeting, and basic car care. Kimberly tells about a weeklong “adulting bootcamp” she put each of her kids through. It covered how to adult and why they do what they do. They compare stepping in during emergencies while also letting kids practice, mess up, and learn hands-on. They mention learning from TikTok and YouTube, but argue nothing replaces the wisdom of a parent.

They also address dating, consent, an ...