How to Organize a Practical Skills Co-Op for your Kids

Is it my imagination or have public schools pretty much abandoned the teaching of any practical living skill?  Yesterday, a financial adviser mentioned, with some pride, that his company’s personal finance curriculum was being taught in a whole two schools in our local district.  Nowadays, practical skills may be offered in high schools, but often with a stigma attached, as though a college bound student will never have the need to occasionally make a household repair!  

This summer, why not form an informal Practical Skills Co-Op with other parents, friends and relatives to help your children and others learn invaluable life skills they may never learn otherwise?  Who benefits?  Everyone!  Adults have a chance to pass along their own interests and passions to a younger generation, and youngsters gain practical knowledge to last a lifetime.

Take a few minutes to jot down names of people you know who might want to share their knowledge and expertise with a small group of kids.  Next to each name, jot down what each person has to contribute to your co-op.  Hobbies, interests, and professions/trades are all fair game for your list! 

Who knows how to catch and clean fish?  Who can mend clothing by hand or can teach quilting?  Is there someone in your circle of family and friends who knows how to can food or make pickles?  Are there outdoor enthusiasts on your list?  What skills might they be able to teach?  Do you know someone who operates a ham radio?  What about gardening, farming, animal husbandry?  Old-timers in your circle will likely be gold mines of information!  Great-Grandma’s recipes for homemade biscuits and gravy need to be passed on to a new generation! 

Once you have an idea of who to include in your co-op, share your plans with each of them.  The dates, time and location of your activities can be as flexible as the individuals in your group, and there’s certainly no need to limit your co-op to just the summer months.  With a schedule of meetings and a few ground rules, you’re ready to go.

There’s no telling what practical, lifelong skills your kids could pick up over the summer.  They may even discover a hidden talent or passion that will enrich their lives forever.  Ditch the TV and video games!  Meaningful, practical skills are deeply satisfying, especially when shared with important people in a child’s life.  A Practical Skills Co-Op is a sure memory maker!

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