Do you pass your survival skills on to your children?

So, do you?

My daughter helps with cooking and gardening, and she knows a few bits and bobs about staying hydrated and keeping warm/cool in certain weathers, but as of yet I haven't really talked to her about bad things which could happen because she's still very young and still figuring the world out. Instead I just try to weave little pieces of information that could help her survive into her life.

I have a friend with an eight year old daughter who he has taught everything he knows to. She has skinned rabbits and picked mushrooms, and has regularly been camping and handled a basic air rifle. She's a great kid and loves all of it. There's nothing he would consider not worth teaching her. (As a side note, we have a friend who thinks she's too young for all that - especially the hunting and skinning - but that's a different story!)

 

Probably yes. Even if I end up living in a tight urban area. Definitely not skinning, hunting game or how to handle a fusil. But I could learn them my own fishing, foraging, kindling, harvest and blade handling skills whenever We have the chance of spend some time in the wilderness.

 

By the time I became interested in this topic, my children were grown and gone. It hard to have a impact on them after they are grown and I have not noticed them having much interest in it. Maybe a little. Get them while they are young, then you can make a real difference in their lives. Maybe I can have some influence on my grandchildren.

 

It would handy if there was a guide - though wouldn't that be handy for everything to do with parenting? But I would like to know at which ages children are mature enough to learn about x and y, and responsible enough to handle certain tools and equipment. Obviously all children are different though, so that would never work. It's difficult because some things my daughter seems so advanced with, she really grasps and loves certain concepts. But with other things, she reminds me that she's still just a tiny human being who isn't ready for some parts of the world yet and that I can protect her for just a little bit longer.

 

Honestly, I think what to teach and when to teach it depends on several different factors. The first is the area you live in. Certainly if you live in a very urban area and don't get to the country much, you're not going to be able to teach a child to hunt and skin a rabbit. Second, the child's age as well as their level of interest and their maturity level should all play a part in what you teach them and when. Some children aren't mentally prepared to think about "what ifs" and if bad things happen. It will give them nightmares. That being said there are things you can teach them without explaining why it might one day be relevant, like gardening and how to avoid food poisoning. Even activities like fishing and picking mushrooms/berries are all helpful survival skills that don't have to seem like some ominous doomsday talk to a child.

 

We have no children to speak of but when we go on a camping trip, we bring along the children of my sister - a boy and 2 girls. Those kids have learned a lot. It is their duty to pitch the tents and to prepare the improvised stove if a barbecue pit is not available. We have also oriented them in arranging the food items properly. In camping areas, be it mountain or prairie, the usual enemy are scavenging insects particularly ants. You wouldn't want your food to be full of ants that's why the food storage area should be safe from scavenging insects and animals as well - there are camp areas where mice is the number 1 enemy, worse when there are rats. That's why we also have a rule with leftover food that it should be secured very well and buried if necessary so as not to attract animals and insects.

The kids are also oriented with emergency procedures like in an accident or health problems, how to seek help, how to avail of emergency needs like splinter or torniquet. But the best part is in preparing the food. Cooking is a tiring chore but the kids have to learn although it's not their responsibility since we adults still handle the actual cooking. But with the cleaning up, the kids also help. I'm sure that in the years to come, those kids would be teaching their own kids the rudiments of camping.

 

Fantastic picture and it sounds like your children had a really engaged, supportive teacher too. In fact overall it sounds like they had a great start in life. I know that with regards to my own parenting, that I aim to emulate the behaviours I was really glad my parents exhibited when I was younger, so the fact that your children are passing on the family wisdom shows they must really feel to have gained a lot from it

 

I have kept most stuff about prepping/survival from my son but have taught him most stuff one way or another without it being about survivalism
It has been about camping, shooting and making do mostly from me and lots from five years of army cadets
He has no idea he is but he is a survivalist!
Also the reason I am here. not so much to learn though I still get a bit here and there but to pass on what I know!
In real life I regularly instruct on firearms care, shooting, safety and tactics.
This sunday there is a local shooting meet and greet at the range where newbies and old timers alike can have a go of different firearms
and maybe get a little coaching!

 

Children are the sum of there experiances and there IQ
The more stuff you can engage them in the better it is.
Being too SAFE with your children will retard there development !

 

I think teaching your kids this early would really help. As a kid I learned how to fish and have been to the country and saw what farm life was like, but to me this was all fun even some of the work. My family never had a lot of the luxuries of living in urban or suburban ares before they migrated from the south in the 60's. The thing is when you make it seem like a fun activity they'll get used to it. I think if your not comfortable with the idea
of gardening hunting or living off the grid that's when things can be ruff. In the event they'll be forced to be self sufficient lessons they learn from there childhood will make things easier for them.

 

Kids should learn survival skills when they are still young. The unexpected can happen. While the parent may believe that they'll be around to teach the kids what they know later what if shtf and the parents have to sacrifice their lives so the kids get to safety? How would they survive on their own if they haven't learned anything?

This is why it's important that you start teaching children survival skills as soon as they can learn because you never can tell what will happen.

 

To answer your question as well as to reiterate what most have said and demonstrated here, the answer is yes. It is way easier to teach kids than most adults. Kids are naturally inquisitive-whether they think it's a game or know the real deal is up to you. Also age is something you will be able to determine as the parent. I have taught many different grade levels from kindergarten to 12th grade. Although each grade level was inquisitive, the younger kids had more of a natural thirst and want to know more. They are still at the age where they want to please their parents and/or family. However, teenagers do care and will take the initiative if they can honestly see a benefit from it. I have a 10 year old nephew (his Mom, my sister, is a chef) who started learning how to cook maybe about 3-4 years ago and he can cook better than some adults I know.

I remember helping my Grandmother clean a pig when I was about 7 or 8 but I was gardening before then. We had somewhat of a farm growing up and we were taught to plant, grow and cultivate gardens amongst other things for food and to sell. Cooking with the basics was something and very essential to survival. Most kids will be happy to learn something new. If not just for the extra time that you spend with them but to make it an event that everyone can join in should work wonders for the whole experience.

 

Kid can be taught easy!
Why do you think all those weirdos at universities become teachers!
To spread the rainbow word
And for feminazis to destroy future men with corrupt words!

 

I can only think of a few things more important than passing on survival skills to your children. My dad taught me survival skills he learned in the marines. I think all children should learn basic survival skills. No one likes to think bad things will happen, but it is important to be prepared for worst case scenarios .

 

I have kids and they are still young enough that I can still teach them about how to survive. They are still exploring the world as it is. However, this year I have been thinking about sending my kids to a summer camp where they learn about this stuff together with other children. Certainly, they would enjoy it more and they will learn things that I cannot teach them or do not have the knowledge about. Of course, having a guide for kids would be wonderful!

 

I think most certainly you should. I learned the best just watching my mother as a child. I can remember helping her make apple pie as early as four years old. I learned how to hunt and fish from my Dad, grandpa, and my uncles. I have tried to pass those skills down to my kids as well. But I do have one daughter that would rather hang out at the shopping mall than be outdoors any day. And she certainly did not get it from me. I only shop when I have to.

 

you don't have to explain everything about survival to them but you can teach them a few tips in the time that they are growing up. for example the things about earthquake,you can show them something like that even if they are a kid teach them what to do when it comes to them. you should let them believe that the world can be dangerous sometimes. but it's not good to explain them all in once if you do that they probably freak out
and yeah I am agree to teach it to childrens