Raising kids

Need some advice, all:

My wife and I agree that the kids need to learn basic survival skills, like how to dress a rabbit, start a fire, make a shelter, etc.

On that note, what did you teach, or are you currently teaching, your kids, and how?

Thanks.

Kids learn by doing. All my kids learned these skills by taking them out in the woods and teach by example.
Some basic knowledge ahead of time helps, but nothing like the real thing. I have a short respite until the grandkids get older.

Ditto what coonlove said.

I see your location as Illinois-first survival skill I learned was seeing Illinois in the rear view mirror 33 years ago.......

I taught my kids and now grand kids The basics of shooting and gun safety, helped them get their gun and hunting licences. Was with them when they got their first deer. Took them night coon hunting . We were on a farm, so chores , respect for animals. Start them early, Keep it fun. old243

Kids are built to emulate their parents. Take them camping fishing hunting trapping from birth. We also had a garden. Kid comes in talking about being hungry send em out to the garden. Mine never volunteered to help can or weed or harvest or prepare. That's part of a being a parent. They all know how. They didn't get a choice. They can all shoot. clean and field strip a lot of different firearms. Drop a dead deer off they don't need lessons what to do with it.


Kids benefit a lot of different ways. Not just because they learn how to produce their own food but they learn how to work. They will adopt your values if you just spend time with them. You don't have to teach them not to steal bully or assault people. They pick it from hanging out with mom and dad. By the time they reach high school and need their space to start becoming independent you don't need to worry about a value system

I'll add. Teach defensive driving. We have a lot of people from Illinois coming up here and they drive like (can't say on trapperman). Most likely city people from Chicago. I do hear the country folks from Illinois are nice people though. The way the world is going you should teach them how to punch buttons on smart phones, tablets, and computers. Lol. Also teach them gun rights and liberals and democrats are bad.

How to fish and find bait in the wild, shoot a rifle, along with all the different types of rifles and pistols, ( just go to a gun shop and show them the difference)
What area hold different game. How to row a boat and paddle a canoe. Cook over a open fire, How to find good water.
I think if you camp and spend time in the wood,(with out a motor home) you will cover a lot of this, but you have to talk and listen to your kids. JMO

My folks started by reading outdoor magazines to me when I was young then I was in boy scouts then learned about trapping.
I'm not overly crazy about the direction the boy scouts have taken but it's a thought.
When asked to do a snaring demo I carry a lighter and a pill bottle with dryer lint wrapped up in a used dryer sheet just in case I even carry a flint and steel in the glove box still.

Before my daughters were old enough to tag along on hunts they would always help process, or at least watch me process any game I brought home. When I brought pheasants or turkeys home that hadn't been field dressed it turned into an anatomy lessen. hey could identify various organs by a very early age and none of them were ever squeamish around blood and guts. It carried over to adulthood.

My middle daughter became my trapping partner, by the time she was twelve she had skinned several hundred fox. That was her job, she'd skin them and I'd flesh and board them and flip those that were ready.

I'd also started takeing them out in the woods at camp when they were five or six years old and have them try to find their way back to camp. They'd lead and I'd follow. At first they had no clue, it was like a game. hey eventually started paying attention and developed pretty good sense of direction.

My daughters are grown and leading busy adult lives now but I have one granddaughter who is my new trapping partner and another that is two. His parents have expressed a desire to have me teach him.

My new trapping partner:

Lugnut, proof of the pudding is that picture of the next generation.

I raised my 4, Basically they came along. Most skills are age appropriate for them , but like others have said; they watch and learn.

There's probably an app that will teach them or they can just google it.

Don't get me started on that. Although, I do think YouTube gave me a better start than reading books. I learn better by watching than by reading.

This is my theory. My oldest is ten, so it is a work in progress.

My advice would be when they learn to use a knife do not tell them not to cut themselves, tell them WHEN you cut yourself we will put neosporin and a bandaid on it. When they learn to use a hammer tell them when you hit your finger we will put ice on it. They know instinctively not to cut themselves or hit themselves but when you say not to they will say I wont and be over confident, when you say When you cut/ hit yourself they will be cautious.
Just my 2 cents

I like that.

No need to overthink it.

Kids are much more in tune than a lot of adults think they are, especially when it comes to paying attention to the way their parents and other close adults act. If you act the part of a jacka** around your kids, they are likely to do the same later. Their young minds are like sponges.....they suck up whatever is closest to them. As far as what they retain, well, I have said for years that they are like one-eared men......everything you say to them goes in one ear......and stays there!

I don't think I ever sat down taught them anything. What I did do since were old enough walk is keep em near me and have them "help" me do things. A 5 minute task might end up taking 20 minutes though. Mine are still young but the 12 year girl probably knows more now than I did when I was 16.

One survival skill most over look is fighting.
Many great things have been shared already.
Basic automotive repairs and maintenance is important.
Manners.

This! Start with basics-Right and Wrong and respect.