What a 15 year old needs to get a man card.. suggestions please

IMO the list of THINGS does not matter, YOU will know when its time.
I have seen it with my son, can he do any of the things on the list, no
Does he follow in my foot steps, no
but the light bulb, lit up in his brain at 22 and THEN he got his card
Some things cant be taught

 

I agree with ironpony, but in case you want a couple things to introduce, here it goes. Already mentioned, I think, but starting fires. My son, and to a lesser degree my daughter (because of age, not because she is a girl) routinely get challenged to start fires with a variety of different materials. Sometimes I choose what they get, sometimes they do, but it teaches them the principles of fire building, not just where to put the match. I would also recommend passing along the knowledge needed to sharpen blades, of all types. I did not get that from my father, he may not know to be honest, and I am learning now. I am passing that along to my son almost as fast as I am learning. We were splitting wood the other day and I was teaching him as we went along and he actually asked me if I learned what I was teaching him from this site. You guys are great!

 

HighCountry and ironpony, I get your point.. I long held opinion that teenage boy brains shut off at 14 and you just kind of hope you have taught them enough to have them survive till it turns back on.

But he broached topic to me. HE WANTS man card and to have basic life skills before his older brothers.. I guess I underestimated the value of a negative role model. We have talked about future careers. he wants to be a plumber and join military. Cannot get apprentice started for plumbing until he is 16. So he figures he can come here escape his home environment learn something and when he finishes drivers ed this semester get driver time (permit) to boot. Then he goes back to school he has skills, driving experience, a car he's earned when he gets license. then drive him self to tech school...

All I cared about at 15 was my car, my girl, sports and next party.. I can't turn him down.. in fact I was impressed he had put that much thought into this plan...

 

Do not get me wrong, you are doing a great thing here and he is definitely ahead of the game if he is asking for guidance. By all means, guide him. It is a much better situation if a caring male role model teaches him this stuff instead of learning them on his own, or worse, never at all. Keep up the good work and keep us posted!

 

based on what you just wrote and what HE asked of you, i say he gets IT and should get his man card now.

 

Ironpony,
I agree with you almost 100%. It is so true that, "more is caught than taught" when raising kids.

 

all the suggestions are great learned survival skills, the IT is something found deep inside the soul.

 

Yeah line 3 of original post then Lukem, said kill cook clean.. Somebody else added over fire he built on Cast Iron and I thought of you Dave

But I happen to know one of his favorite meals is corn and potatoes roasted in foil on bed of coals . He loves it and we do it weekly in summer..
Also 4 years ago his mom called me and said he keeps asking for ice cream.. Vanilla and I have bought him every kind I can find but he want yours... So next weekend we made some home made together he has recipe now..

I know he can make bacon and eggs and toast on cast iron pans.. on a wood Cook stove at dad camp. Dad taught us at camp, no power, Coleman lantern for lights, water from spring.. A 2 car garage in woods.. He helped shingle roof with me. Did it old way with hammers as my roofing nailer requires compressor and electric.

 

With all due respect, perhaps the entire point: he has earned the respect of an uncle who knows him well and who seems to be a good and decent human in good standing in his community. What more is there..... really?

"Let us endeavor so to live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."
-Samuel Clemens AKA Mark Twain - a man far wiser than I, and I think your nephew is well on his way down that path.

With the greatest respect,
Brian

 

Or even better...how to keep it in his pants until some chica comes along that has her own"woman card" and wants to be Mrs man card...

 

Okay, now I need to ask out of curiosity, what is on the "Woman Card?"

You didn't think only men were reading this thread, did you?

 

See they start with all the cards..and then pluck your man card once they get ahold of you

 

Ah, yah, I dunno. That was just my way of saying a woman that is worthy of being "Mrs man card".
What do you think would qualify one to have a woman card?
And no.

 

...

 

I'm with Stinny

 

My daughters 11. I think she will NEED a woman's card too.. A woman's card to me means she can succeed in this world on her own. So she can want a Man (if he Ever gets past me) but does not need one. She will have the same list (has not been revised yet) maybe I will make an exception on #3...