Recently The Mom With A Prep and Are We Crazy Or What? ran blogs on skills that a kid should have by the time they turn 12. This really gave me some food for thought, my son just turned two and a half and I was left wondering what Preparedness skills would be important for him to learn by the time he is 12.
- Safely Use Our Woodstove– We heat our house with wood. It has proven itself to be reliable and safe. I want my 12 year old to be able to safely start and maintain a fire.
- Gun Safety and Marksmanship– I want my 12 year old to know the fundamentals of safe gun handling and marksmanship. They don’t have to be little Tier 1 Operators in training but being able to put lead on paper is an important skill.
- Firearm Maintenance– My 12 year old will be responsible for the care of their own .22 rifle.
- Small Game Hunting– I’m an avid hunter (note, I said avid not good) and while I hope my kids will share my passion for the outdoors I won’t force them to take it up but, I want to see some basic proficiency in it.
- Running Our Generator– During the Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy I found that the more people in the household who can run the generator the better. I want my 12 year old to be able check/add oil, add gas, and to start the beast up. This would be one of those skills that is “only if Mom or Dad are home” skills. While I think operating a small engine should be in the skill set of an almost teenager, touching the breaker panel is a little beyond them. Plus if they can start it I can watch from the window, nice and warm. If you grew up in the 70’s you know your Dad would have done it to you!
- Cooking– Cooking is one of those life skills that I consider uber important. Being able to take basic ingredients and turn it into something palatable is a huge benefit in a Preparedness situation.
- First Aid– Again I’m looking for a basic and Common Sense level of competence. A Red Cross First Aid/CPR course would be a good place to start.
- Splitting Wood- Since I heat with wood this one is near and dear to my heart! I’ll admit I daydream a bit about my son being a big 16 year old (I was 6′ and 200 lbs at 16) and taking over maul duty from me, but I’ll settle for a 12 year old who can swing an 8 lb maul safely. This might seem like a menial skill but it teaches perseverance and toughness, besides callouses never killed anybody.
- Safely Use and Maintain a Pocket Knife– A 12 year old should be responsible enough to be trusted with their own pocket knife afield or when working in the backyard. Being able to keep it clean and sharp just goes hand and hand with ownership. I do war with myself over this one and I’ll admit to being a bit saddened that we live in country where a Father has to question giving a 12 year old a Swiss Army Knife. . .
- Garden Skills– A working knowledge of growing food in DIRT is a must!
Well there you have it my 10 Preparedness Skills for 12 Year Olds.
What do you think? Did I miss anything?
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Great list –
my teens are a little older (14 & 16) and I will tell you it’s a godsend that they know how to work the generator – my husband travels a lot so having them know how to work it & be able to lift the gas cans is immensely helpful.
We don’t have a woodstove, so my adds would be:
knowing how to safely start a fire in the fireplace – set wood/open flue!
being able to start up the camp stove
Taking care of an animal. Pets teach so much to a young person. Even better if the animal is being raised for sustenance, like rabbits or chickens.
Managing their own money. Helps them with making good choices, saving, using resources wisely.
Chores period. Having to be a part of and contribute to the family units well being.
Mental and hand physical hobby. Such as wood working, macramé, carving, knitting, croche, leather craft. Things that can burn time while keeping the mind busy, while producing objects for use, barter or sale.
I like the cooking one a lot. Preparedness aside, the ability to feed yourself more than Ramen noodles and Hot Pockets will provide you a full belly of good food. It also impresses the ladies 😉
Plus, in a preparedness situation, the person who can comfort everyone with a good, hot meal usually will be able to calm any fears and set the group in the right direction.
If your teaching “preparedness” to your son, you may want to think of the phyisical aspect as well. It may sound a bit barbaric, but being able to physically defend yourself is a lost art. Teaching your child when, and more importantly, how, to defend him/herself, in a given situation, is essential to anyone’s preparedness list.
When each of my now adult children were 12 yrs old, they were introduced to the washing machine. They were responsible for their own laundry.(I know many think of no electric at all, but even in Zimbabwe, electricity can be on for four hours a day. Knowing how to hand wash isn’t rocket science. A wringer, however, can be pricesless.) They knew how to properly hang their laundry on the line and how to iron their own shirts/clothes when necessary. The boys, with varying abilities knew how to: chop wood, building/carpentry, metal fabricating, engine repair, basic house repairs, animal husbandry, build a fire, garden,cook and run a business. Two boys, on their own decided to learn some sewing basics. The girls, with varying ability, knew how to build a fire, sew with or without a sewing machine, knit, repair clothing, live frugally, cut and style hair, cook, organize a household, run a business, child care, and animal husbandry. All the kids helped with putting up food, and were able to properly asses items for purchase. Each child, boy or girl, had a pocket knife at an appropriate age and was/is expected to carry it and use it–and they did/do. We also taught them to think out of the box and think through problems with clarity and good resolve. They knew first aide, and more than one went into healthcare.
They all use these skills today with their own families.
Your list is fine. Unfortunately, most people forget that there are other skills that are important. Pa Ingalls considered himself a carpenter. Ma Ingalls was able to clothe and feed the family with what Pa provided. Unfortunately, Pa wasn’t the best with money. We live in a money changer controlled world. Controlling the money in ones life rather than the money controlling the person is very important as well.
Lighting a match! This is a skill taught at scouting camp. Just have them light into a bucke of water. — Happy Preppers
I agree with laundry and sewing!!! I taught my kids how to do their own laundry by 3rd garde (with supervision). I’d add home care- cleaning, etc. Also some basic ideas on animal care, and maybe emergency shelter building. How to make a lean-to, snow cave (depending on where you live), etc. Nancy @ Little Homestead in Boise
The motto when I take my grandchildren camping is “learn to do more with less. They are taught the basic skills of knife and gun use, fire building, etc., But the most important skill is learning to use the mind. So, problems are given and the children are asked to solve them using a different idea or material to get a job done. It, empowers the child to solve problems, using his mind and helps decrease a panic situation. My grandkids actally love this little game and can be quite ingenious.