Things your parents taught you (that aren't common)

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earlnabby
earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
in Chit-Chat
Every child is taught things by their parents like how to cook, how to drive, how to play sports, etc., but there are always those oddball things that not every parent teaches their child. What did you learn that most kids are not taught?

In my case, since I was a little girl my Dad taught me how to sharpen knives with a whetstone and honing oil. He was obsessed with knives being sharp and would work on his often. He had the usual pen knives and hunting and fishing knives, but he also did some cooking so he made sure the kitchen knives were also always sharp. I too am slightly obsessed with keeping my knives sharp, thanks to him.
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  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
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    Great topic.

    From my mom; how to properly iron a man's dress shirt and pillow cases. I still iron my pillow cases today. Nothing nicer than crisp, but smooth pillow cases.

    From my dad; how to change a bicycle tire. He showed me how to remove the inner tube and patch the punctures. Then, how to put it all back together again.
    Also, how to repair a broken window; from measuring the replacement glass to using the tiny window points and finally a nice looking proper glazing.

    There are 1001+ things they taught me, these are just what popped into my memory tonight.
  • BeardedYoung
    BeardedYoung Posts: 229 Member
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    I used to ask my mom if we were rich... we clearly were not. She would always say "We are rich in love" so I was taught...

    You can be broke and still rich in love.
  • Owlie45
    Owlie45 Posts: 806 Member
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    How to cut up a chicken. None of my friends know how.
    Gun safety.
    Never touch dads archery stuff.
    How to sharpen knives.
    basics on gutting and quartering game.
  • Zerodette
    Zerodette Posts: 200 Member
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    How to tie a necktie. I'm a girl, but my Mom always tied my Dad's ties and she told me one day I'd tie my husband's ties. This might be a Southern thing??
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    From my mom: embroidery, general hostess/entertaining skills...anything from a formal dinner or baby/bridal shower to making a simple BBQ or birthday meal seem lovely and special (even on a tight budget), small talk and customer service skills (again making people feel special in ordinary or less-than-ideal circumstances). Also she taught me how to organize & carry out a great garage sale by the time I was six years old (every step from pricing, organizing, and writing the newspaper ad, to bagging items & making change at the sale).

    From my dad: to live within or beneath my means, be careful with credit, and to be a contractor in all areas of life...by this I mean, if you don't know about cars, go to an automotive professional...if you need something done, seek out the best person for the job at the best price. I also learned a lot of stereotypically "female" things from my dad such as how to cook eggs, do laundry, or clean a bathroom. My mom was a huge perfectionist so she wouldn't allow me to do any of that as a kid and I lived with my dad as a teen and he showed me.
  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
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    My mom and grandma taught me how to crochet.
  • WhatAnAss
    WhatAnAss Posts: 1,598 Member
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    I was taught how to work on cars so if I ever got standed alone I may be able to figure out the problem.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
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    i grew up in a rural town in central WA state as a kid, and my dad taught me how to barrel race. when i was a little girl i wanted to grow up and be a barrel racer. of course, i also wanted to be an artist, author, and veterinarian :happy:
  • NetflixAndChocolate
    NetflixAndChocolate Posts: 57 Member
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    How to write a letter of complaint.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    Soaking an infected wound in hot salty water. I still do this! Works like a charm.
  • bandgeek_17
    bandgeek_17 Posts: 10
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    My mom was an art teacher so she taught me how to draw. She also taught me how to tell when eggs have gone bad. My parents taught me how to budget, how to figure out insurance, and pay my taxes. My dad taught me how to write a resume and how to figure out how to hire an employee.
  • ninjabunnygo
    ninjabunnygo Posts: 24 Member
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    how to pull a proper pint of guinness
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
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    A nearly lost art in today's society... how to raise, kill, and butcher your own meat for the table, and how to dress out and skin game. I've been doing this since I was five years old, when my father taught me the best methods of killing and dressing out ducks, chickens, geese, rabbits and squirrels ( the latter from hunting).. Healthy, free range meat with no hormones or chemical feed additives!! Plus I take a lot of pride in knowing how to do it. Last week I helped a friend with a small self-sustaining farm kill and dress out 9 turkeys....I can't believe she raised them for meat and for sale but didn't know how to butcher! So I had the chance to pass my skills along.
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
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    respect


    look at today's youth!
  • nzchikky
    nzchikky Posts: 304 Member
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    Weaving :/
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
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    How to make the perfect Manhattan. They still tell me I make them better than any bartender, but I sometimes believe that this is just to get me to make them at their house.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 791 Member
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    From my grandmother I learned how to do a full formal table setting something I've thus far only used once in Spanish class. There were also attempts made at sewing and other handicrafts none of which I have any talent for.
  • leftinthekitchen
    leftinthekitchen Posts: 98
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    dad: how to properly lift heavy weights, he was a bodybuilder before he had kids. how to change the oil in my car and change a flat tire.
    mom: how to make guest feel welcome in your home, to give back to those in need. how to walk in high heels(this isn't ever used but when I was able to wear them it came in handy) and how to sit like a lady and pick things up like one too. oh and how important it can be to not walk out of the house looking like a hot mess.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    respect


    look at today's youth!

    Hear, hear!:drinker: And darn right I teach my own kids how to give and earn respect, too!

    Also, my parents taught me how to drive stick (seriously, does NO one learn this nowadays?), clean and filet fish--and how to catch them too, and changing my car's oil by myself. Lots of self-reliant, money saving, common sense skills.

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