Some time ago, I asked my friends of Facebook what ten things your father taught you. The response was impressive. On further thought, it was clear that both the question, and most of the responses were gender biased. Who’s to say which parent will teach their kid how to change the oil in the car, or the subtle tricks of baking. The important thing is how to equip our little girl to succeed.
So here’s the list as I got it. My comments are in [brackets]. Please excuse the duplicates.
- How to separate nice guys from pricks.
- How to negotiate for a raise, or when buying a car.
- Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey
- How to say NO and mean it.
- Floss every night.
- Learn how to write well.
- How to throw a ball, and how to throw a punch.
- How to make grilled cheese in the toaster, how to make scrambled eggs and how to read. how to drive stick shift, to change a tire on my bike.
- My dad used to say never throw the first punch. But if someone hits you, hit back. I think he meant use your fists. I have related his advice more to everyday things. No fists.
- Ride a Bike. Finances. Saving. Standing Up for yourself. How to drive. Mow the Lawn. BBQ. Humility. Patience. Family First. Tie your shoes. Health. How to swim. How to get along with others.
- How to do a basic tune up on the car; oil change, tire change, spark plugs... It's helpful to know the basics even when that's not what you're dealing with, knowing what a spark plug is & where it goes will get you far w/a mechanic who's trying to take you.
- 1. Financial responsibility: balancing your checkbook, paying your credit cards on time, etc. 2. There are no gender roles: Growing up, seeing my dad in the kitchen or sewing dresses for me and my sister really shaped my view on the world at large.
- How to hit the breaking ball. (Go ahead, laugh but, it's a free college education) [I don’t know how to hit a breaking ball… or throw one.]
- Always have money with you.Always be alert in your surroundings.
You are never alone, your parents are always there for you no matter what the situation. - Use your own mind, don't walk into this house & blame anything on anyone else. Followed by : Be independent and pay your own way, that way you are never indebted to anyone else or reliant upon them & that gives you freedom.
- Choose something you LOVE to do as a profession because you will be spending most of your adult life working at it, & if you don't love it you will be miserable. Also remember that most adults change professions 3 times in their lifetimes.
- Only use credit cards for emergencies. If you can't afford to pay cash for it, you can't afford it. And know your percentage rates. Pay cash as much as possible and barter down the price in exchange for paying in cash.
- Waste not, want not. ( he was a depression baby).
- Always carry your trash out, the planet doesn't clean itself up after you.
- Always carry enough $$ to make a phone call & get a cab home.
- Always carry your own roll of toilet paper. And DON'T CHASE THE BOYS -- LET THE BOYS CHASE YOU.
- How to break an attacker's nose, change a tire, look people dead in the face and smile, be kind but firm, throw a football, not get walked on by people bigger than you, love to read, write and discuss intelligently, to love and understand modern art and poetry and film.
- Double every 11 and never surrender. [Blackjack reference?]
- Shoot a gun, how to drive almost any vehicle (important in the teenage years cause you never know what may happen), how to balance a check book, but the biggest lesson I learned from my dad and it has proven successful in life for ALL purposes... If your early your on time, if your on time your late and dont ever show up late!!! this rule helped me catch boyfriends cheating, get promoted faster in most jobs and always got the best parking spots!
- Charge a car battery. Start a fire (in the fireplace, preferably).
- Whittle a shiv. [!]
- Say what you mean. Keep your word.
- Your best investment is in yourself (that and buying a house).
- Carry jumper cables and know how to use them.
- How to talk books, film and politics. How to tell a joke.
- How to drive a manual transmission, throw a ball and not 'look like a girl.'
- And for the love of God - stay off the pole!
- Pee standing up. [I’ll let the girls handle that one.]
- Don't put metal in the microwave.
- Don't marry anyone who doesn't treat you as well as your daddy does.
- How to deliver an effective swift kick to the balls (only in an emergency, of course - you define emergency).
- Jedi mind tricks. [Out of my skillset.]
- Landmark your way back to the truck so you don't get lost in the great outdoors (amazing how much this helped me while traveling in other countries). If you do get lost stay in one place because until the rescuers find you because if you keep moving & they're moving they won't find you...and keep moving so you don't freeze to death. don't every play w. a rattlesnake, either leave it alone or kill it because it will strike the next person who comes along without warning. get back on that horse and ride if you fall off because if you don't get back on & ride again immediately you won't ever ride again due to fear.
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