I figured this would be a fun one for the OB.

I've got 3 little kids, and lately I've thought to myself it would be cool to have a list of "Essential Skills" that they should all have mastered by the time they leave the house for college. We are raising our kids in the country, and we are going to be raising livestock for 4H and FFA.

Here's a rough list I can come up with for now, but I thought I would just get the convo started and see what you guys think.


- Change a tire/battery
- Butcher an animal (livestock and game - The wife and I are big meat people)
- Repair (very) basic plumbing and electrical
- Be able to do your own laundry and iron your own clothes
- Basic welding and metal work
- Firebuilding and extremely basic survival
- Cooking and food prep (Pet peeve of mine; can't believe I forgot it originally)
- Hooking up, strapping, driving, and backing a trailer
- Firearm safety and operation of pistol/rifle/shotgun
- General construction and tool proficiency
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I'm still building the list, and mainly just thought it would make a fun thread. Fire away!

Edit: I added some based on below suggestions. Good stuff

Store/preserve food

I just list these because I didn't learn until my mid 20s.

Hook up a trailer
Properly load a trailer
Properly strap down a trailer
Back up a trailer

- back a trailer
- tie knots
- sharpen a blade
- take care of firearms (cleaning and lubricatingshooting is the easy part)
- have a conversation looking into someone's eyes and not a phone
- tie a tie
- navigation without modern technology
- fix/basic maintenance of toilet
- basic vehicle/small engine maintenance
- drive a boat
Bonus: cook and make cocktails. You'll never have a shortage of friends.

Add oil change to the above tire and battery changes
Basic food gardening
Critical thinking skills
The difference between empathy amd sympathy
Personal responsibility

Though looking at the start of your list you are going to be doing right. Enjoy them while you can, they grow up and take on their own lives all too soon.

Excellent list so far.

I raised 3 boys and many of those things where important to me for them to learn. Without much thought, I will add a list of 10 in no particular order that were important to me for them to learn (some of these already mentioned):

1. Speak, Listen, generally engage and show interest in adults. It is unusual to see kids be interested in communicating and showing interest with adults. It opened doors for them that I would have never dreamed.

2. Teach them financial responsibility, experience with running a business, and the rewards of working for reward. I set my kids up in a yard business and tried to instill a sense of treating people fairly. They made good money, learned the value of work and how business is done. Item 1 helped with this venture.

3. Teach them to value other people, no matter their background or what they do for a living. Although they are professionals today, they value the work and contributions of others. (Like yard workers)

4. Expose them as they grow up to people of various careers, levels of education, etc. See what interests them and discuss the reward vs. risk of those careers/occupations. Help them to investigate their interests.

5. Support/help them with hobbies and interests.

6. Teach them basic auto maintenance - changing oil, changing tires, troubleshooting.

7. Teach them basic repair and maintenance related to non-auto. Plumbing, electrical basics, carpentry, etc.

8. Teach them a love of the outdoors. Proficiency around a campsite, building fires, pitching tents, in other words, the world outside of an electronic interface.

9. Teach them basic gun safety, and how to teach others gun safety.

10. Teach self-sufficiency, hunting and fishing, harvesting game, processing and caring for the harvest, gardening, knife sharpening.

Well, I hit my 10. I have a bunch of other things that were important I thought, but I am interested in hearing what others think. You have a good start with the interest you expressed and the lists that is being developed. Even though I had only boys, I am not sure if I wouldn't want daughters to know most of the same things plus a whole other list just for girls.

Know your way around the grocery store and the kitchen. Meaning: buy ingredients, follow a recipe, plate/serve a meal, and clean up afterwards.

Self control

1.Basic car maintenance/upkeep
2,Ability to use drill, saw, hammer, sockets, and other basic tools to fix
3.Simple plumbing, electrical, and wood related issues
4. How to make and upkeep a budget
5. How to grill/smoke meat
6. A solid set of knots to tie for various purposes
7. Backing up a vehicle w/and w/o trailer (add parallel park on there)
8. How to use the sun to navigate/guess time and maybe some lunar phases or weather pattern info
9. How to have a good conversation, shake hands, and answer hard questions.
10. (Most important) to know what you believe and the ability to defend it in a civil conversation. (For me that's first and foremost faith and belief in Christ)

These are more outdoor oriented
Woodcraft- handle knife , saw, chainsaw
Build a fire from material available In nature including identifying lighter pine
Pitch a tent and camp primitive
Fish River, pond and ocean
Handle a canoe kayak motorboat
Hunt with rim fire rifle shotgun
Clean and prepare fish and game
Bleed Maroon and yell the entire game for the fightin Texas Aggies Whoop!

Good source for outdoor skills is the F&S skills series
I have the whole set and picked up most of them brand new at a used book store for $10 apiece

Updated my OP based on some suggestions. I'm keeping it generally outdoors related.

Good list. I've got 2 girls and a boy. I plan on holding them to all the same standard if at all possible.

Great lists above, I'll add self-defense. I have 4 boys, grown now, who I had take boxing lessons during their teen years with a trainer. I think it's important to be able to defend yourself with confidence.

Very good thread! Following and will add some stuff later.

Thanks, OP!

Basic first aid and especially CPR. Get them certified. Same thing with ham radio. It's easy and cheap (to get into at least) and honestly a pretty cool hobby as well in itself.

Calling good ole dad when they need more money and not getting anybody pregnant are two important skills that come in handy for all college kids.

Great list, I enjoyed reading OP and all the replies. I can't think of anything that hasn't been mentioned. There were a few suggestions made that I could brush up on myself.

I learned to drive with a clutch and stick as did my son and grandchildren. Best anti car theft device on the market.

Great list! Critical thinking skills is a great one. Someone already said navigation, but I'd suggest more specifically - how to read a map. Also, basic manners, politeness, respect....saying yes sir/yes ma'am, please, thank you and being considerate of others. So much of that is missing in today's world.

Skin a buck

Run a trotline

Always pack more beer and ice than you think you'll need

Brevity.

I can touch my nose with my tongue. That's important..

If you're single

Swim. Especially fully clothed. It's a whole different ballgame when you've got blue jeans, boots, etc. on than swim trunks.

I was amazed at how many if my student workers never knew how to swim.

Also gardening/growing food.

Time value of money, compound interest, etc

How to use debt responsibly

1. Basic money management / budgeting
2. Driving a manual transmission vehicle

No particular order, but I feel like anyone over the age of 16 should be proficient in these:

Writing in cursive.
How to write a check and balance a checkbook.
Saying yes sir and yes ma'am, saying thank you.
Cooking.
How to navigate off a paper map, not relying on Google maps.

Sorry, I did more than ten. I had a list like this when I used to work with scouts and youth groups. I also have four sons and this always came in handy. Some of it we learned together but it was fun.



Spiritual Skills

Establish a daily prayer and scripture study routine

Learn how to love and serve others

Be the kind of person you would want to marry



Physical Skills

Critical knots be able to tie down a load, tie your shoe, tie a tie, and tie on a fishing lure

Be able to fix things unclog a toilet, replace a light switch, patch drywall, etc.

Maintain a vehicle change oil, fill radiator, change a tire, jump a car battery

Be able to cook at least one signature meal

Work with your hands build a shelf, plant a garden,maintain a yard

Catch, clean, and cook a fish

Build a fire with and without matches

Sew on a button

Shine your shoes

Cook with a Dutch oven

Grill a steak

Be able to safely handle and sharpen a knife

Split firewood

Navigate with a map and compass

Laundry be able to wash, fold, and iron any article of clothing

Properly handle, shoot, and clean a firearm.

Driving get a driver's license, be able to drive a manual transmission, parallel park, and back a trailer

Water safety know how to launch and drive a boat, paddle a canoe, be able to swim, and know basic water rescue techniques

Be able to change a diaper

Grooming maintain a clean appearance, comb your hair, and know how to shave

First aid know how to treat cuts, burns, and bites. Know CPR and Heimlich maneuver



Intellectual Skills

Do hard things

Give a proper handshake

Read a book have a favorite book and be able to discuss at any given time

Create and maintain a monthly budget understand credit and interest

Be able to entertain a group of children and maintain order

Teach a principle know how to teach- introduce a topic, ask questions, facilitate discussion, provide insightful content

Keep a journal find time to reflect on what is happening in your life.



Social Skills

Know how to introduce someone to someone else

Know proper dating courtesy asking a girl on a date, being on time, meeting her parents, opening doors, putting away your phone, respecting curfew, staying away from compromising situations

Courtesy know common courtesy hold a door open for someone else, say thank you, give genuine compliments to others, don't text when you should call, keep your commitments, be on time, be polite, see a need fill a need (be helpful), and listen

Delayed gratification / perseverance

Guess it depends on what exactly you are shooting for in "essential skills". If it's outdoor related, general, life skills, etc?

For me it would be things like this, assuming general overall skills:

1. Personal finance - understand budgeting, saving for a rainy day, the value of a credit score and resisting impulse buys when there are necessities that need to be addressed first
2. Self reliance - includes general auto maintenance, knowing phone numbers without having to look in the phone to get them, knowing how to read a map, etc.
3. Knowing how to communicate effectively, look the person you are talking to in the eye, defending your opinion, accepting when you are wrong on something, etc.
4. Cooking - know how to cook. Not just frozen pizzas, but know how to shop at the store and cook some basic meals
5. Laundry
6. Basic home maintenance (electrical, plumbing, lawn care, etc.)
7. Firearm safety and proficiency
8. First aid, emergency care, nearest hospitals, etc.
9. Being reliable to others - if you say you are going to be somewhere, be somewhere. Early is on time, on time is late.
10. That it is OK to be alone at times, especially to relax, do some self reflection, meditation, whatever - take time for yourself to make sure you are OK.

Lists are all incomplete because none of them include ****posting on OB.

Learn to homebrew.

When the hordes come after the fall of civilization the phrase "I can make alcohol" will probably save my life.

At least until the raw ingredients run out.

Money Management- This one isn't simple but kids need to understand loans, interest, credit cards(they aren't bad when used correctly), bills, time value/ negotiating wages etc

Excellent topic
My work ethic came from my grandfather who was an Eastern Shore Maryland Waterman. I learned many of these skills through scouting (Bobcat to Eagle) and working on the farm. My other relatives and contacts appreciated my hard work because I was not a "Smart-Assed city boy. I have 2 daughters and 3 grandsons.

So I offer to y'all The Dangerous Book for Boys and Conn Iggulden (Collin's Press) and The Daring Book for Girls by Andrea J. Buchanan (also by Collin's Press).

I personally would add:
Respect those who are older
Be proud of who you are and where you come from (God Bless Texas !)
Treat your word as a Bond, Honor your word or Handshake agreements
Be honest in your dealings
Save wisely and in earnest
Protect those smaller or weaker
Understand that people can have different opinions than you

Give a speech/toast