I am not a fan of labels. Labels are not all that accurate especially when it comes to the generations, for there are always exceptions. I am thinking on the latest buzzword, Millennials, as well as the others like Boomer, Gen X, Silent Generation and the like.
Being peak Boomer (literally, the year that had the most US births in American history, 1958) I also hear that the generation I am a part of did no favors in our raising of the next generation.
I believe if you try to picture me, you might assume that have gray hair, outright own my home, will soon retire with a good pension, healthy portfolio, and have a condo or two in other more temperate states or at least own a cottage in a location where the family can gather each summer.
Well, not so fast. Gray hair, ok .. you got me there, however the path we choose (or in some cases, the paths we might have been forced down) are not as typical as you might think.
From the start we (my wife and I at ages 22 and 19 at that time) really wanted our new family to be a one-family income home where our kids would have a parent to return from school to as well as to enjoy summer vacations. This ended up being quite the financial sacrifice since the economy transitioned to two-income families in the 1970s (about the time the US totally abandoned the gold standard). We would not trade that for the world.
Another thing we did was take the risk of raising our children on a few acres that allowed them to experience a few things that are atypical for kids these days, to have responsibilities in taking care of chickens, pigs and even a pony. While the old farm house needed plenty of upgrades, and at times it was a money pit, the end result is having some very humble children that are aware of life in multiple dimensions!
The result is that we have five awesome, independent and unique millennials that are a-typical for their cohort. Each one has charted their own course in this world and we are so proud of each and every one of them.
Along these lines comes Daisy Luther from Organic Prepper who shares her recipe for raising two daughters toward being women who are prepared much more that the typical millennial for the years and decades to come.
“Millenials” have been the butt of a million jokes about incompetence. The generation born between 1981 and 1996 is considered entitled, ultra-liberal, and naive about how life works. But maybe they’ve gotten a bad rap because what no one ever points out is that maybe the issue isn’t with these young people but with how they were raised. I know that my own millennial daughter is competent, frugal, and independent.
As a parent, the most important job I will ever hold is “mom” to my two daughters. And if I’m not teaching them the important life lessons they need to survive and thrive in this crazy world, I’m not doing a very good job at all. Of course, once they get out there, there are a million variables, but how they deal with those variables has a lot to do with whether they were raised to think independently or raised to wait for rescue.
What follows are a few snippets of what schools will not teach your kids but what love of our children might drive us to provide them:
Everyday skills every young person should have
Here are the lessons that I think every parent needs to teach their child, whether you’re raising boys or girls. Before leaving the nest, they should be able to:
- Cook inexpensive, nutritious meals from scratch
- How to use up leftovers
- Get from point A to point B using public transit or under their own power
- Budget limited money so that the most important things are paid first ..
Let me hit the pause button right there a minute. In this world of instant gratification there is nothing so awesome than seeing first hand a younger person hold off or actually say “no” to a purchase that might make them incredibly happy, until the credit card statement or monthly payment shows up in an e-mail.
Other categories are covered by Daisy as well:
- Use basic tools for repairs
- Cook a healthy meal from scratch
- Cook a “company” meal – everyone needs one delicious meal that’s a little fancier they can cook when they have a guest
- Grocery shop within a budget and have healthy food for the week ahead
Yes, this last one is so important in the long term. The diet of food that we live on greatly impacts how our body’s health might be in the decades to come, again, it seems against the grain, and does not have immediate effects, but is important for the long-haul. As someone who has seen the butter to margarine to butter shift for “health” as well as the eggs are bad for you to eggs are good for you, it is important that our kids know how to critically think and research things online in a way that seeks truths about the foods we have available in the US.
- How to pay off debt if they have it
- How to keep safe: they need to have basic self-defense and weapons-handling skills.
- How to navigate with a paper map – not Google or their car’s GPS
- How to make extra money fast if an emergency arises
Some of these things Daisy share makes perfect sense and are things I had not thought of. Even though all my kids are adults now, it is not too late for them to learn!
Emergency skills every young person should have
Some of the skills above will cross over into emergencies, like First Aid. Outside of the basics of everyday life, your kids leaving home should know:
- How to light a fire
- How to cook safely over an open fire
- How to keep warm when the power is out, whether that means safely operating an indoor propane heater, using the woodstove/fireplace, or bundling up in a tent and sleeping bags in the living room
- How to keep themselves fed when the power is out – they should have enough supplies on hand that they can stay fed at home for up to two weeks: cereal, powdered milk, granola bars, canned fruit, etc.
- How to deal with the most likely disasters in their area
- About the dangers of off-grid heating and cooking, such as the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in unventilated rooms.
- How to purify water
- How to keep safe both at home and when they’re out. Be sure they know the difference between cover and concealment
I found Daisy’s article thought provoking and informative. I challenge you to have discussions with your families around the campfires this week as you “get out there” to enjoy summer in nature!
I know I will ..
-SF1