Travel challenge

Does your teenager have a part-time job or an internship/apprenticeship? Discuss travel times with your teen to help them to apply their mathematical skills and understanding.

Things you need

Internet access
Transport timetable
Diary or planner.

The challenge

If your teen’s looking for or has an internship, apprenticeship or job, it’s worth talking with them as they plan their commute. This will help them develop their skills in time management and punctuality, which are also relevant for all parts of daily life.

The conversation

Discuss the following questions with your teen:

Is the time they'll spend travelling too long, and will it impact on other responsibilities? Is it possible to work around these challenges?
How long does it take them to get there and back at different times of the day, or different days of the week?
How reliable and safe is the mode of transportation they are thinking of taking?

Tip:

Helping your teen develop time management skills is important for many areas of their life. You could adapt these questions for planning school, sports, and social commitments.

Road safety tip:

Talk to your teenager about:

What to do if they miss the bus/train/ferry/light rail
The importance of allowing enough time to travel safely and not take unnecessary risks.

The considerations

Talk to your teenager about the importance of being a safe road user:

Always use the safest place to cross the road
Walk on the right-hand side of the road facing oncoming traffic when there is no footpath
Be aware of your environment and surroundings by not being distracted by devices and headphones.

The career

Time management skills are valuable for everyone and are transferable across all industries. Careers that focus on management and planning such as human resources and recruitment, as well as those responsible for transport operations, will need to be a master at planning and allocating time.

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