Growing up my father allowed me to work with him. We would do small things like sand, apply glue, and apply gold leaf. These are simple and tedious things that having your kids do can be useful to get a job done quickly. What he’s known for though is painting. He never taught us how to paint.

He says it was because he didn’t want me to learn a skill and earn money that way instead of what our education from public school could afford us down the line. I just wanted to dismiss that thinking.

I grew up in the public education system and I’m not saying don’t send your kids to school (But do get and understanding of the school you’re sending them too), but don’t let the US education system do all the teaching for your kids. Teach your kids whatever you can, not just hold the flashlight, but teach them actively. Don’t wait till your own father is dead to gain an interest in passing down what you know, don’t wait till their teenagers either where it will be harder to teach them what you know. When they’re kids they’re basically mental sponges. Let them learn what they can from school, but give them the opportunity to be better than those other kids in class, to know more, to have more options when they grow up.

It so easy to give the responsibility of teaching to someone else. To the government or to the church. Take some responsibility for the kids you brought to the world and teach them the things that worked for you AT LEAST. Even if you’re a bad teacher TRY. Let them try too and let them FAIL. Failure is fine, it’s a big part of how we learn. You may be tempted to just take whatever it is away from your kid and do it right yourself, but this is part of the process.