Teaching My Kids

[ddawg16]

This is garage related because I'm teaching my kids the basics....

This is my oldest son (9 years old) helping me pull wire........he actually enjoys it......and does a good job. If I need to pull a bundle of wires....he is actually real good at feeding wire..knows how to keep the kinks out...

 

[Big-Foot]

Good job John... If you were closer, I would rent him for a coupla days to finish out one of my projects!

Keep those youngsters involved somehow...
My son is only marginally handy.. Seems video games and cartoons on tv were more important to him. He'll be thirty soon and now is finally realizing that he probably should have done a little more "helping" when he was a kid..

 

[darkk]

Great experience for kids....*real* physical labor.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Teaching them how to do things will save them money in the future.

 

[c_mccann]

That's how to be a dad..!

 

[dandan111]

It's a good way to spend time together. My little girl is the official shop vac operator around here.

 

[E.rodz]

I love to see the youth of today getting some real world experience on things that will help them in the future.Now repay him with a project that is for him then post it up on Build something with your kids thread! It is kind of sad to see how few people take the time to do things with there kids.
keep up the great work!.

 

[GarageEnvy]

I spent countless hours in the garage with my father growing up. In addition to learning how to do lots of things (and how not to do a few things) I remember his patience and I never remember him raising his voice. Now as a father of 3 little shop helpers I realize there's a lot more being learned than how to build things.

 

[Hobbit]

I have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years doing my own home/car repairs, remodeling, renovations & gardening. It's all thanks to the time my father and uncle invested in me by including me in all of their projects. I have three things left of my fathers, his hammer an old drill and all the memories of our father & son projects. Our last project together was when I was 16. We scratch built new kitchen cabinets. Your a good father ddawg16 and your sons will benifit from this "togetherness" ,as my dad used to call it, long after you are gone.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I started handing wrenches to my Dad under the car at about 8-10. By 14-15 I was doing all the oil changes and tune-ups on our "fleet" of cars (I think we had 4 or 5 at one time.)

 

[KPSquared]

You can never teach your kids too much when it comes to working hard. Dad taught me everything I know about building, mechanics, welding, and pretty much everything else. I started pulling wrench with him from the time I could lift one.

These parents that let their kids sit inside and stare at the idiot box all day need a solid kick in the throat. Get them involved, teach them, give them something to be proud of.

 

[ddawg16]

I'm glad to see you guys 'get it'.....

This week my oldest son gets to locate and then wire up the outlets in his own new room.

 

[sams]

I'm glad to see you guys 'get it'.....

This week my oldest son gets to locate and then wire up the outlets in his own new room.

I also commend you. It is also possible that this will be a constant reminder of what he can do and acheive himself, important steps.

 

[ddawg16]

Today I had all 3 pulling wire....

Because my new load center is at the back corner of the addition, I have about 75' of conduit between the load center and the area above the kitchen where I have about 5 ckts. No easy way to run romex to that area...so conduit with THHN in it is easier.

Son #1 is in the crawl space under the addition at junction/pull box #1. I am under the existing house at junction/pull box #2. Son #2 is up in the attic at pull box #3 and my 6 year old daughter is in the back yard making sure the bundle of wire does not get tangled....

I pull at box #2....Son #1 feeds the wire...Son #2 pulls the fish tape out. 80' of wire pulled in 5 minutes...

Funny thing.....the kids love crawling under the house....I hate it....of course they fit....I don't fit....

 

[KPSquared]

Today I had all 3 pulling wire....

I realize this is about your kids so please don't be offended or anything but when I saw this thread on my phone, the above sentence was all I could see. . .I was already laughing because all I could think was, "damn, dad always told me that wasn't ok"

 

[risinoutlaw]

Some of my best memories from childhood are from when I was helping my dad out in the shop. I was constantly asking "what does this do?", "why does X do Y?", "how do you do this?", and not once did he ever lose his patience. He was a finish carpenter and did a lot of work from our home shop, and he was always willing to spend the extra time to show me how to do things. He had a stroke when I was 13, and because of all he taught me leading up to that, I was better able to be the man of the house.

Not once have I ever thought, "I wish I spent more time playing video games when I was a kid!", but I always miss the days of hanging in the garage with Dad, working on the house and watching Nascar on Sunday afternoon.

 

[geologist]

I spent countless hours in the garage with my father growing up. In addition to learning how to do lots of things (and how not to do a few things) I remember his patience and I never remember him raising his voice. Now as a father of 3 little shop helpers I realize there's a lot more being learned than how to build things.

My Dad (RIP) taught me a heck of a lot of stuff over the years. He was a little more verbal at times though, but I'd give him grief when he needed it.

 

[HaroRider]

My dad owns a 6 family apartment, and I been helping since as long as I can remember with plumbing and electrical etc. Can say I remember everything, but I know the basics.

 

[HaroRider]

You can never teach your kids too much when it comes to working hard. Dad taught me everything I know about building, mechanics, welding, and pretty much everything else. I started pulling wrench with him from the time I could lift one.

These parents that let their kids sit inside and stare at the idiot box all day need a solid kick in the throat. Get them involved, teach them, give them something to be proud of.

I couldnt agree more.

 

[cderalow]

please above all else when working with/teaching your kids, teach them safety.

Working in a shop/around the house should involve pants at a minimum, closed toe shoes or work boots, gloves if needed, safety glasses...

Teach them there's nothing more important than their well being and safety.

 

[bgoodwin]

Mine are a little older but this is what I had my oldest and youngest boys doing this weekend. Their grandma's garage needed roofed so I volunteered them. I was sitting on the porch supervising.