A life skills book for teens and young adults
They won't listen to you. They might listen to this.
101 short lessons on money, relationships, health, work and character that school never got around to. Written for teens and young adults by two cousins passing down what their grandparents taught them.
A gift for graduates, birthdays and the holidays.
All 101 lessons, one page each
Every square is one lesson. Point at a number to see it, then tap to read it free.
Who are you giving it to?
Pick the person, and we will show you why it fits.
- Parents of teensFor the parent whose good advice keeps bouncing off.
- GrandparentsA gift that passes down what you know.
- High school graduatesFor the grad stepping into real life.
- Holiday gifts for teensA stocking stuffer that does more than sit there.
- Young adults (for yourself)For the 18 to 25 year old figuring it out.
- Aunts, uncles and godparentsFor the cool aunt or uncle who wants to matter.
- Teachers, counselors and coachesFor the adults who work with teens every day.
- 18th birthdaysFor the birthday that makes them an adult on paper.
- College freshmenFor the kid packing for the dorm.
You have said it a hundred times. Save your money. Show up early. Pick friends who make you better.
It is not that teens don't care. It is that advice from a parent sounds like a lecture, and the same advice from someone else sounds like news. This book is that someone else.
Each lesson is short enough to read in the car line, honest enough that it doesn't talk down, and practical enough to use the same week.
"Raising seven children is no small feat, yet they did it with grace, kindness, and unwavering love. Through their example, they taught us the true meaning of what it means to be a 'good' person."From the dedication to Stephen and Helen Irmo
What's inside the book
Ten parts of grown-up life, ten lessons each, and one more to finish.
Relationships: Building connections that last
Boundaries, conflict, forgiveness, and choosing the people who bring out your best.
Romance: Building a love that lasts
Knowing yourself first, chemistry versus compatibility, and why respect is non-negotiable.
Wealth: Building financial freedom
Living below your means, paying yourself first, avoiding debt, and starting to invest early.
Health: Building strength and longevity
Sleep, movement, stress, hydration, and treating mental health like physical health.
Diet: Fueling your body and mind
Food as fuel, reading labels, portions, cooking at home, and consistency over perfection.
Hygiene: Presenting your best self
First impressions, showering, teeth, skin, clean clothes, and the confidence that follows.
Work: Building a career you are proud of
Showing up early, reputation, solving problems, owning mistakes, and knowing when to walk away.
Education: Learning for life
Skills over degrees, learning how to learn, asking questions, and treating failure as a teacher.
Influence: Making a positive impact
Integrity, listening, leading by example, and using influence to lift other people up.
Ethics: Living with integrity and purpose
Doing what is right, keeping your word, fairness, and the legacy your actions leave. Plus lesson 101: Be You.
Read the first chapter free
Get the introduction and the opening relationship lessons as a PDF, exactly as they appear in the book. Hand it to your teen and see if it lands.
One email with the PDF. No spam.
Guides for parents and grandparents
Longer reads on the questions families ask most, each one linked to the lessons that help.
- Life Skills Every Teen Should Know Before 18School covers a lot, but it skips many of the skills that make adult life go smoothly. Here is a plain checklist, sorted into ten areas, with links to short lessons you can share with your teen.
- Meaningful Graduation Gifts for High School GraduatesThe best graduation gifts help a young person step into adult life with a little more confidence. Here are gift ideas that mean something, at every budget, plus a few ways to make any gift more personal.
- Meaningful Gifts for Teens: Ideas That Go Beyond StuffTeens are hard to shop for, and most trendy gifts fade fast. These ideas focus on experiences, skills, and connection, the kinds of gifts that still matter after the wrapping paper is gone.
- Meaningful Gifts from Grandparents to Teen GrandchildrenGrandparents have something no store can sell: decades of stories and hard-won wisdom. These gift ideas help you pass that on to a teen grandchild in a way they will actually appreciate.
- How to Teach Your Teenager About MoneyMost teens learn money the hard way, after their first overdraft or credit card bill. Here is a simple, step-by-step plan to teach the basics at home while the stakes are still small.
- How to Talk to a Teenager Who Won't ListenIf every talk with your teen ends in a shrug, a slammed door, or one-word answers, you are not alone. Here are practical ways to get through without the lecture.
Questions people ask
Who is Jumpstart Your Life for?
It is written for teens and young adults, roughly 13 to 25, who are heading toward independence. Most copies are bought by parents and grandparents as a gift for a teen, a graduate, or a young adult starting out.
How long is the book?
It is 137 pages holding 101 lessons. Most lessons take a few minutes to read, so a teen can pick it up, read one, and put it down without losing the thread.
What topics does it cover?
Ten areas schools rarely teach: relationships, romance, wealth, health, diet, hygiene, work, education, influence, and ethics, plus a final lesson called Be You.
Can I read the lessons for free?
Yes. Every lesson has its own page on this site with a short passage from the book, practical steps, and conversation starters for parents. The full lessons are in the book, and you can get the opening chapter free as a PDF.
Who wrote it?
Cousins Nicholas Gabriel Irmo, a marketer, entrepreneur, husband and father, and Vincent Palizzolo Polyanov, a public servant, military veteran and father of two. The lessons come from what their grandparents, Stephen and Helen Irmo, taught the family while raising seven children.
Give them a head start
101 lessons from three generations of one family, in a book short enough that they'll actually read it.