New Year’s Resolution - Mentor a Kid

[Mr. Pink]

With the availability of inexpensive metal working tools.
And in my opinion, of OK to decent quality.
For example:
$99 flux welder
$20 angle grinder
$5 cut off wheel

Using the above tools and a discarded bed frame the possibility of items that can be fabricated are endless.

I feel that us grey beards have an obligation to try and spark an interest of fabrication in 10 - 14 year old kids.

And in the 15 and 16 year olds who’s mind's are on driving and not mini bikes or go carts, teach them how to check fluids and do simple maintenance like rotating tires and doing oil changes.

 

[Skipp]

I told my wife a few years ago I need a grandson…I’ve been blessed with granddaughters…so I could pass along all this knowledge I have…she stopped I her tracks turned around and said “what fucking knowledge do you have you think a kid would need!” I took offense and listed them on paper…she laughed at most of them and called me an idiot…but the one she said was just stupid was ….dont set your emergency brake in the winter….i guess only us hillbillys get it….

 

[Augiedoggie]

I told my wife a few years ago I need a grandson…I’ve been blessed with granddaughters…so I could pass along all this knowledge I have…she stopped I her tracks turned around and said “what fucking knowledge do you have you think a kid would need!” I took offense and listed them on paper…she laughed at most of them and called me an idiot…but the one she said was just stupid was ….dont set your emergency brake in the winter….i guess only us hillbillys get it….

Ha. What sort of hoity toidy has a working emergency brake anyways......

 

[Mr. Pink]

I told my wife a few years ago I need a grandson…I’ve been blessed with granddaughters…

When my daughter got her driver's license, I was not gonna let her drive alone until she could jump start the car, check the oil and change a tire.
With the car parked in the garage, I told her "pretend the left rear tire is flat".
She proceed to drag my 3 ton floor jack over to the car.
I then said "you won't have my floor jack with you when you have a flat tire at the mall. Pull the owners manual out of the glove box and figure out where the car's jack is stored".

 

[I74]

There is so many of the younger Gens. now,, that don't even know how to use a Ratchet,, or even, let alone,, a manual can opener ect. ect. ect. !
It's really pathetic & sad,, with these younger Gens.,,, pretty much the majority,, with only book & ''Stupid'' phone sense.

Not sure what Public Schools have for manditory shop classes ect. ect. these days,, but they should,, if they don't,, especially with basic mechanic hand tool & maintenance,, on Bicycles ect.,, for kids 10 -15,, & ''basic'' maintenence & ''checks'' ect.,, on Cars,, for kids 16 on up,, before they can get their License's.

I'am a later ''Boomer'',, & pretty much most kids in the 60's & 70s,, knew how to use the tools in Pop's tool box ect.,, & also do maintenance ect. ect.,, even the Girls.

My 67 year old Wifey,, has her own - ''cool custom flame''- ''multiple drawer'' tool box,, & knows how to use every tool in it.

I

 

[sparkwizard]

When my daughter got her driver's license, I was not gonna let her drive alone until she could jump start the car, check the oil and change a tire.
With the car parked in the garage, I told her "pretend the left rear tire is flat".
She proceed to drag my 3 ton floor jack over to the car.
I then said "you won't have my floor jack with you when you have a flat tire at the mall. Pull the owners manual out of the glove box and figure out where the car's jack is stored".

You would be arrested for abuse now.

 

[Augiedoggie]

Our parents would have certainly been arrested and charged with abuse in our modern times. Most kids today would report their parents for the stuff we thought as normal. Dad taught us common sense stuff like not to piss on the electric fence and not to turn your back on a billy goat or reach under a dead hen before checking for snakes, but we learned other stuff on our own. These younger folks can just Google all the hard knock questions we boomers had to figure out ourselves.

 

[I74]

Our parents would have certainly been arrested and charged with abuse in our modern times. Most kids today would report their parents for the stuff we thought as normal. Dad taught us common sense stuff like not to piss on the electric fence and not to turn your back on a billy goat or reach under a dead hen before checking for snakes, but we learned other stuff on our own. These younger folks can just Google all the hard knock questions we boomers had to figure out ourselves.

My Pop's today,, they would throw away the key !

 

[Skipp]

My Pop's today,, they would throw away the key !

I believe Norman Lear knew my father and created Archie bunker from him….

 

[I74]

Something just dawned on me today,, with our ''bruital'' winter 'record setting' weather.

We live in a newer Subdivision,, & there is a ''whole bunch'' of Teen kids that reside here with their Parents also.
The Guy across the street has 2 of them,, & ''not once'' since we have lived here,, have we ''ever'' seen them outside doing snow removal or yard work ect. !!
The kids don't have any pysical limits whatsoever,, & all I ever see,, is the Dad does ''all of it'' himself,, which I think is total bull $#it !!
Seen him out Snow blowing earlier,, with his big 2 stage,, trying to get thru the ''now'' chunked up snow/Ice,, that's @ the intersection side walk off his yard,, & he fell straight backwards right on his back !
He layed there for about 10 sec. & got up, shook it off,, & continued blowing.
The Dudes prob. in his early 50's & super cool.
Glad I didn't have to run out there & rescue him !

Thinking more of this,, I don't recollect 'ever' seeing ''any'' Teen Kids around here,, doing outside yard work or snow removel ect.

I always had to do the snow removel, yard work,, ''big'' garden Roto tilling ect. ect. as a Teen, when living @ home,, & never got paid for it hardly either.
Before I was a Teen,, I had to do snow removel with a shovel,, but Pop's was always out there also then.

Basically is was put to me by my Pop's,, - You have a roof over your head,, & food on the table.

He was a kid in the Great Depression.

If I would of ever had Kids,, they would of been out there also,, but I would of always been there too,, & telling them that ''I would never have you do something that I couldn't do myself.''

Basically,, learn them - logic, morals,, common sense,,, appreciation,,,, ethics,,,,, & respect.

I

 

[Augiedoggie]

Yessir. Preaching to the choir here sir.
Most of us "seasoned citizens" learned much as you have experienced and described. Most of us old codgers could whip the shit out of 7 or 8 of these kids today, take their lunch money and bang their mom without skipping a beat.....trouble is most of us have to humble ourselves to them when we need our computer fixed or need assistance learning how to operate a new smart phone.

 

[sparkwizard]

My parents are 91. My son is 10.
He may come to the table, see what we are serving, and announce he is not hungry, his tummy hurts, etc. Wifey lets him get away with that.
I would have sat there looking at it until bedtime. It would then be my breakfast, and every subsequent meal until it was gone.

 

[I74]

Yessir. Preaching to the choir here sir.
Most of us "seasoned citizens" learned much as you have experienced and described. Most of us old codgers could whip the shit out of 7 or 8 of these kids today, take their lunch money and bang their mom without skipping a beat.....trouble is most of us have to humble ourselves to them when we need our computer fixed or need assistance learning how to operate a new smart phone.

I hate them ''Stupid'' phones,, & don't even own one.
I have 2 Panasonic ''bullet proof'' wireless - ''push button'' hand sets,, one @ my PC desk,, & one out in my ''Man cave'' garage.

Have to use one of those ''Zebras'' @ P/T work though,, & they crash about every morning around 10:30,, with doing updates ect.,, because there is so much crap in them .

My older HP PC Tower,, I have only just over 60gb used in my C drive, of like over 800 avail. yet,, & just enough to run my basic stuff.
I cleared out a whole ton of Factory loaded $hit in it,, & with doing C drive disc clean up ever few days,, it runs like a top !
Learned all that myself,, plus how to shut off Windows update for awhile,, untill it triggers back on after a week or so..
Haven't figured out how to permanently shut that off yet though....

I

 

[I74]

My parents are 91. My son is 10.
He may come to the table, see what we are serving, and announce he is not hungry, his tummy hurts, etc. Wifey lets him get away with that.
I would have sat there looking at it until bedtime. It would then be my breakfast, and every subsequent meal until it was gone.

The worst for me ,, was,, Lima beans,, & baked Sqwash.. ''Yuuuuccckk'' !!!!!

 

[sparkwizard]

leg of lamb with mint jelly.

 

[I74]

leg of lamb with mint jelly.

Forgot,, Liver & onions ... ''Baarrrffff'' !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Augiedoggie]

Forgot,, Liver & onions ... ''Baarrrffff'' !!!!!!!!!!

Ugh!!
My mom loved liver and onions. She also loved friggin lima beans AND squash AND turnips! I hated all of them. Mom made us all eat liver regularly because it was supposed to be good for your blood. My younger brother asked for turnips with dinner once when we were kids. My older brother broke a dinner plate over his head while we were drying dinner dishes and blamed it on him for dropping it. Little brother gave his vegetable/legume requests a bit more carefully after that

 

[sparkwizard]

Cubed steak was tougher than burnt leather, but we ate it.
Who would voluntarily eat Brussell's sprouts?

Back on topic: My 10 year old son has a buddy at school who seems to need some testosterone in his life, so we may start bringing him over for some tractor and chicken time.

 

[Augiedoggie]

I mentored/coached many youngsters both boys and girls. Always loved children. I worked in church sponsored pre school with a group of other teenage kids as a boy. Also worked with mentally challenged kids in a social program as a teenager. Pre school was County sponsored and paid summer job. I enjoyed working with the little kids and helped serve their meals and oversee their craft and athletic programs and games. Coached boys and girls baseball and softball long after my children were out of school. It was very rewarding when an adult walks up to you 20 or 30 years after you coached them and thanks you for it. Several of the boys I coached played professional baseball. Funny story. Got pulled over by police car and one of the cop was one of the kids that I coached. Just wanted to say hello and thanks.

 

[I74]

Cubed steak was tougher than burnt leather, but we ate it.
Who would voluntarily eat Brussell's sprouts?

Back on topic: My 10 year old son has a buddy at school who seems to need some testosterone in his life, so we may start bringing him over for some tractor and chicken time.

Cubed steek is delicious when prepped right,, like when marinading then breading it ect.,, & making chicken fried steeks out of it.