From the very beginning…
Ideas
Something I’ve kicked around for a long time was “when I have a kid, what will I teach him?”
The idea is when the kid is 4 or 5, I give him an option to learn one of the following. Depending on what it is, either jackie his grandparents, or I will be able to teach him one of these skills
So here’s the list:
Technical | Artistic | Physical | Domestic |
Computer | Pottery | Sports | Cooking |
Automotive | Painting | Martial-arts | Sewing |
Science | Drawing | Outdoor | Cleaning |
Woodworking | Gymnastics | ||
Insturment | Swordsmanship |
Computer | Insturment | Sports | Outdoor |
Programming | Piano | Baseball | Hiking |
Web development | Drums | Basketball | Camping |
Hardware | Guitar | Football | Fishing |
Software | Violin | Soccer | Canoing |
Typing | Vocal | Tennis | Hunting |
So, do you have any additions you think would also be good to learn?
Yeah, I have some additions. What about Spanish and French and Chinese. Oh, Chinese would be a really good one.
That list is pretty awesome, but why learn just one thing? We’ll be more than happy to help with the sports and outdoors activities :-). Since Jesse is the one with the computer smarts we’ll most definitely leave that aspect to Jesse! :-)
Concentration in one or two areas per year is the idea- I want him to get more than a passing grasp at the subject- as the years go by, he can keep up on things he learned early on.
For example, if I teach him Guitar when he’s 5, that’s something he can continue to do as he gets older. By the time he’s 10 or 11, that’s potentially 6-12 hobbies.
Aunt Lori can teach him knitting! and uncle jay…. well, he can help Ian in blowing things up!
What about swimming, skiing and/or snowboarding? Skiing can be started as early as 2-3. Snowboarding about 5-8 (depending on muscle development). Cassie can teach snowboarding and probably early drums. Swimming–hey Jerry you learned by 3-4.
Christina can teach violin, viola, and some art.
You are already well ahead of so many other parents, who never really think about hobbies or areas of intelectual interest, other then “we’ll see.”
And since this is my first post, congratulations!