Royce Shook

4 years ago · 3 min. reading time · ~10 ·

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41 Old Fashioned skills that Children need to know today

41 Old Fashioned skills that Children need to know today

My cousin sent me this list via Facebook and I thought what an interesting idea that we as the older generation could tell our sons’ daughters and grandchildren how to do these things. By the way, many of the younger generations do these things very well, and I would say they do some of them better than my generation. Generation gaps exist, they always have, we were not understood by our parents, they were not understood by theirs and we certainly do not understand the next generation. To compensate we give wonderful advice, which is not needed.

For the first five skills listed, I have shown how easy it is to find out how to do them. I could do the above with all of the remaining skills that we or someone speaking for my generation believe our young people should learn. My point is that all of these skills can be learned online and learned very quickly.

We may not like it but we are moving to a need to know society. Each generation has to learn many skills to make us happy and productive, without a previous generation telling us what those skills should be. We did not like it when our parents told us what we should do, our children and our grandchildren will not either. They will ask us and learn from us when they are ready. Be patient and enjoy.

1. How to write a letter

a. When was the last time you were asked to or did write an actual letter? I have not written an actual letter in a very long time, I have written many email messages and tweets and blog posts, but have not had the need to write a letter. If I needed to write a letter, I would just go to YourDictionary and do a search and find learn on how to do this task.

2. How to make a phone call

a. This is an important skill and most children learn this before they learn to write, however in the event that a child did not know how to make a phone call, they could go to WikiHow and find at least three ways to make a phone call.

3. How to take a message

a. This is another important skill and one that many seniors do not know how to do well, but a quick search of WikiHow and I could find out how to take a message with pictures.

4. How to get to know an older person

a. Great skill, a quick search of Google gives us over one million, nine hundred thousand ways to do this.

5. How to sew on a button

a. If you have to do this, then all you need to do is go to YouTube and do a search for how to sew on a button, which I did and found over 20 videos which had been uploaded in the past week, The list as you can see is interesting and some skills should have been taught by the parents, or teachers but all can be learned quickly when the need arises to learn them. One thing the next generation is good at is finding things on the Internet. Let me know what you think.

6. How to play with a baby

7. How to make a genuine apology

8. How to read slowly

9. How to hammer a nail

10. How to shake hands in a time of staying six feet apart

11. How to introduce themselves

12. How to take notice of the needs around you

13. How to make scrambled eggs

14. Hoe to balance a chequebook

15. How to see a job through to completion

16. How to write a thank-you note

17. How to do laundry

18. How to take care of a garden

19. How to fix something instead of replacing it

20. How to plan a healthy meal

21. How to hand a picture

22. How to wash dishes

23. How to make a budget

24. How to wait and save for something

25. How t check tire pressure

26. How to ask questions to get to know someone better

27. How to read a map

28. How to find a book in the library

29. How to and when to seek counsel from someone more experienced

30. How to care for a pet

31. How to select a gift that the receiver will appreciate

32. How to admit a mistake

33. How to set the table

34. How to iron a shirt

35. How to give someone the benefit of the doubt

36. How to weigh out the pros and cons of a decision

37. How to have good table manners

38. How to read a recipe

39. How to attend a concert or a performance

40. How to do something well even if no one is watching

41. How to be kind.


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Comments

Fay Vietmeier

4 years ago #17

#17
John Rylance Your wisdom is revealed John ~ I may quote you on this in some future post ... you are a pearl-bee ;~) "Between sowing and reaping comes nurturing. If you nurture what you sow then you will have a better harvest when you come to reap." ~ John Rylance "Sow what you want to harvest"

John Rylance

4 years ago #16

#15
Between sowing and reaping comes nurturing. If you nuture what you sow then you will have a better harvest when you come to reap.

John Rylance

4 years ago #15

#15
Thank you for the kind words. I like to try and create a pearl out of my oyster shell every so often.

Fay Vietmeier

4 years ago #14

John Rylance The simplicity of truth ... sometimes you are a gem John ;~) Learning is part of the life journey ... blessed are those who have a student mindset ;~) ... a desire to learn ;~) Everything is a sowing & reaping Sow ... what you want to reap ;~)

John Rylance

4 years ago #13

#12
True. You are never too old to learn, you've just had more time to forget what you have learnt when young.

Royce Shook

4 years ago #12

Thanks, everyone for the additions to the list. Zacharias, I like your idea of doing nothing, when I was younger I did that a lot. John your idea is very important. Ken, you have a number of interesting and wonderful ideas, I especially like "learn CPR". Fay, I love your statement "but then there is an art in how one gives ... and how one receives" and your add about "feed the birds". Franci I agree that number 40 is important. Some wonderful ideas out there, let's keep adding to the list.

Fay Vietmeier

4 years ago #11

#8
John Rylance "How to prioritize mobile phone usage." After the children learn ... they can teach the adults ;~)

Fay Vietmeier

4 years ago #10

#9
Zacharias \ud83d\udc1d Voulgaris "How to sit quietly doing nothing" The benefits reaped will determine how "essential" this actually is ;~) ... Be still and know ... “In peace, nothing so becomes or benefits a man … as modest stillness.” ~Shakespeare

Fay Vietmeier

4 years ago #9

#7
Ken Boddie We were in like-think on the garden Great adds: "How to catch a fish." "Know first aide" ... these are all things that could save lives ;~) Be well Ken ;~)

Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris

4 years ago #8

I'd add "how to sit down quietly doing nothing" (I want to say "meditate" but I understand some people may not deem that an essential thing to know). This may prove an invaluable skill in the future since digital detox may be a thing we all need to do, possibly because of the recommendation of a physician. Cheers

John Rylance

4 years ago #7

Looking at this rapidly growing list, it's fast becoming so much to do so little time before adulthood. I would add one. How to prioritise mobile phone usage.

Ken Boddie

4 years ago #6

Good list, Royce, which many of us oldies take for granted. Depends on the age of the “children”, but I would add the following: • How to cut the grass with a motorised lawnmower and the edges with an edge trimmer. • How to look after plants and to grow vegetables and food crops. • How to catch a fish. • How to say please and thank you and to follow good etiquette and have good manners. And then, particularly for the boys: • How to use a duster and a vacuum cleaner. Also, even before they get to their teens: • How to learn and apply the rudiments of first aid; and • How to apply CPR. Your kids might just save your life one day. 🤔

Ken Boddie

4 years ago #5

Good list, Royce, which many of us oldies take for granted. Depends on the age of the “children”, but I would add the following: • How to cut the grass with a motorised lawnmower and the edges with an edge trimmer. • How to look after plants and to grow vegetables and food crops.

Fay Vietmeier

4 years ago #4

Zacharias \ud83d\udc1d Voulgaris Franci\ud83d\udc1dEugenia Hoffman, beBee Brand Ambassador Me 3 ;~) 40. How to do something well even if no one is watching ... this is a “spirit of excellence”

Fay Vietmeier

4 years ago #3

#1
Zacharias \ud83d\udc1d Voulgaris Me too ;~) 40. How to do something well even if no one is watching ... this is a “spirit of excellence”

Fay Vietmeier

4 years ago #2

Royce Shook Thanks for sharing ;~) There is an ART to develop in many of these things: ... write a thank you note ... write or a letter ... make a “genuine apology” ... ask questions to get to know someone better I think gaining wisdom from those who come before us is of GREAT value ... but then there is an art in how one gives ... and how one receives ;~) My adds: How to PLANT a garden ... vegetables – flowers (different info) How to clean a cat litter box How to clean the toilet How to feed birds How to wash windows I liked on this list: 35. How to give someone the benefit of the doubt 40. How to do something well even if no one is watching ... this is a “spirit of excellence” Sharing this ... hope people will add things that we can pass on ... endless IDEAS ;~)

Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris

4 years ago #1

I imagine the 10th thing is becoming less and less relevant these days! I particularly like the 40th one. Cheers!

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