What to teach kids?

BitterAndTwisted

Definitely a little basic needle-craft. I have friends who never repair anything and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even know how to thread a needle. Maybe just enough to know how to repair a hem or seam or sew buttons on things. Endless pleasure can be had by customising items with new buttons. When I buy something new (to me) I'm usually wondering in the back of my mind whether I have some fancy buttons in my sewing-box to replace them with. A bit sad but I get immense pleasure from it and I'm not hurting anyone else.

If I ever do have to chuck out old clothes beyond repair I always snip the buttons off and often zips get saved as well.

The best way to learn some decent cooking-skills is to have your kids standing there, helping you 7 days a week. That's how I learned from my Granny and my Mum and I never realised at the time that I was being taught at all. Oh, how grateful I am for it now. Same with laundry, cleaning and housekeeping.

I have a feeling that times are going to be quite a bit harder for a lot of young folk than it was for some of us in the past

Dr.Shoe_2

Getting them to help Dad with car repairs, even if it's just changing tyres.
Changing fuses and putting on plugs.
Decorating.
DIY and light building work, (I built my first brick wall at the age of 9 and it's still there over 35 years later).

seraphina

Budget, budget and more budgetting!

Although I can knit I wouldn't be that bothered about teaching it to them unless they enjoy it, it's not something I would force on them. Sewing simple things - like a button on a shirt, or a name tag on, or mending a pair of tights is useful.

Cooking to a budget and general home economics is far and away the most important thing, in my mind.

charliee_3

i would have liked to have been taught and had instilled in me how to do housekeeping, cleaning and the importance of having a routine to keep the house nice.. my mum used to do everything for us and now i just detest anything houseworkey...

cooking, just learning the basics, how to make a sponge, pastry, white sauce, tomato sauce, roast dinner, etc as these are the building blocks for so many recipes.

budgeting... to try and avoid debt in their teenage years as i have only just paid off my teenage debts and i am 34 now!!

Gingernutmeg

Defintely agree with sewing. It made me incredibly popular at university as I think I was the only person in the whole building who could sew on a button and do basic repairs of clothes.

PollyFlinders_3

If you can devote 15 minutes a day, every day, to making sure your children practice reading, then they can learn to do anything they want to, at any point in the future. Its old-style, takes lots of time, but is seriously the most priceless skill that will give your children more choices in life than just about anything else you can ever do for them.

Butterfly_Brain

Cooking - cheap and healthy meals (Ideal for when they go to uni)
Sewing - sew on buttons, putting in zips, make curtains, quilting
Knitting
Housework including how to handwash, Os cleaning and ironing
Change a lightbulb and plug
Decorating
Gardening especially growing veg and fruit
Basic woodworking skills
Car maintenance
Budgeting, meal planning
Depending on age basic plumbing
such as unblocking a toilet and changing a washer

Alison_Funnell

I agree with all of the above wholeheartedly. Especially being able to perform basic mechanical tasks ( oil/water/tyres etc) I was about 9 when I changed my first seal on an oil sump - Grandad had removed it with some help from me, I passed the tools!

I also think a real essential is never to judge a book by it's cover. Whether that means people/second hand items/ideas/cultures. Sounds a bit po-faced but I don't mean it that way. I know that I (and my 20 yr DD) have really found this to be useful. So many of my old friends ( and some of hers) would never consider eating veggie or vegan food even for one meal, using leftovers, reusing/purposing clothes/furniture buying second hand anything, end anything etc. I suppose what I am saying is learn from others.

nickyhutch

Get them into Rainbows/Brownies/Guides/Scouts. They'll learn allsorts, as well as how to get along with other people, teamwork etc etc. The one thing I've insisted my son has stuck with over the years is scouting, and I can honestly say it's made him into a great lad.

sammy_kaye18

I like this thread.

Am mummy to a 5 year old boy though but he already has a few basics learnt i think.

* We grow tumbling toms each year in pots in the garden although this year with troublesome small neighbours I think hanging baskets will be better.
* He knows how to strip his own bed and sort his clothes into colours and whites.
* His chore every morning is to fed the dog (Bruno is a jack Russell I should add and he is supervised whilst doing so!)
* He can list basic ingredients of fairy cakes and pancakes although not quite at the trusting stage of letting him measure yet!
* I brought him little books from Pound land that are basic copy and follow the lines books and basic maths (think I had 3 different ones for his age) which he sits and does 2/3 pages of each day
* We have tidy up time for 10 minutes each day where all toys are picked up and put away usually before supper.
* We read before bed.
* Old Style trips like a walk in the park and I spy on our local doggy walk are some of his favourite things.
* He has a savings jar for pennies and a saving account for birthday money etc which he saves up.
* He helps me craft presents.
* He watches probably 2 hours of TV a day if that. I cant stand kids who are glued to the TV or games console. Don't get me wrong he does have a DS but he only really plays it on car trips or when his brother is here.

I do have one downfall with him though in that when he was born I was adamant I wanted him to eat his fruit and veg to the point I didn't feed him any meat, so now bar the odd chicken burger, and sausage from the local takeaway he barely eats any at all. Another downfall is he is a dried apricot-a-holic which granted its good he likes them but not so good when he can sneakily eat a whole 500g bag to himself before someone realises!

I think he's on a roll at the minute - just need to teach him how to use the washing machine and iron and he's sorted.