List from the Bestlife website, comments by me:

1) TEACH A SOLID HANDSHAKE: Absolutely. Nothing says confidence like a good handshake. When I shake someones hand that has a weak handshake I wonder what the hell is wrong with them

2) INSTILL A HEALTHY RESPECT FOR GUNS: Yep, and that doesn't mean fear or loathing. A man should know how to handle a weapon.

3) LEARN LEFT FROM RIGHT: No, not politics, how to use a wrench. Heck, I'm left handed, so this one is hard for me.

4) WHAT TO DO WHEN STOPPED BY A COP: Be polite, sure. But know your rights too.

5) PROPER CONDOM USE: Why is talking about sex with your kids so hard? I've talked to him about sex, but not about condom use. Maybe I'd better add that to my list.

6) HOW TO CONSOLE SOMEONE: Don't, no matter what else you do, say "it's for the best". It's important to just be there for someone at a time of grief.

7) THE RIGHT WAY TO DRESS: The former manager of a local country club wrote a letter to the editor of the paper decrying the utter lack of the ability to dress for an interview of the young people applying for jobs there. And he's right. Teach your kids that how they dress is important.

8) CALCULATE A TIP: The article recommends 20%, but around here, 15% us usually suficient. Both are easy to calculate. Oh, and don't forget to tip at Sonic - they bring the food to you you know. 10% is usually good for a drive in.

9) HOW TO DEFUSE AN ANGRY PERSON: Being able to handle someone who's pissed off is pretty important.

10) MAKE YOUR TEEN A SAFE DRIVER: Here in Kansas, kids are required to log 100 hours daytime driving and 25 (IIRC) hours night time driving before they can get their regular license. Take them out in all kinds of conditions and weather too.

Article at:
http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cda/article/0,5507,s1-3---1941,00.html

1. How about repect for other people.
2. How to calculate change in a store. So many kids today cannot make change without a cash register telling them how.
3. Respect for the opposite sex. This is so lacking in much of our youth.
4. I love the idea of learning to be a safe driver. I am trying to teach my 16 year old that right now.
5. A respect for their bodies. Eat right, excercise, ect,
6. How to check the oil in the car as well as how to check the tire pressure.
7. How to dress when going for a job interview. And how to act when asking for a job.
8. "If you think she is funky, don't forget to cover your monkey!" Or number 5 on the original list!
9. I like the how to console someone. I always have a hard time with that one. My kids have been to a handful of wakes and have handled themselves pretty well.
10. I also agree with the solid handshake. I think that can make a difference between two 16 year olds applying for the same job.


Because I don't have a gun I cannot teach respect for one. I have nothing against them but just don't like the idea of one in my house.

I add respect for adults. Mine are 10 and 3, and the oldest has been calling adults Mr./Mrs./Miss lastname since he was 5. Many times, the adults compliment him, but several correct him saying 'its OK, you can call me firstname' but he replies politely that he addresses all adults that way.

As an accommodation for those adults who troubled at this sign of respect, he has my permission to use Mr./Mrs./Miss firstname. This became obvious because I am a Cub Scout leader, and my last name has 10 letters; some of those 6 year old Tiger Cubs had hard time with it, so Mr. Charlie became the norm.

1. Money is a means to ends, not an end in itself.
2. Everyone deserves respect until they prove otherwise.
3. Don't be a doormat, you don't need anyone's approval (except your parents')
4. Avoid the overly emotional ones.
5. And the overly rational ones too.
6. Learn to save some money.
7. Learn some crafts and skills, you can't get everything out of the computer or TV
8. Love endures.
9. He who laughs lasts.
10. Everything is better with enthusiasm.

I like everyone's ideas so far and I would like to add a few to the list that I preach to my daughter about.

1) Inform yourself of the political genre. Besides your relationship to God, your relationship to your fellow American is just as important. Stand firm on your Right Wing beliefs, but honor and respect the view from the Left.

2) You will celebrate many holidays, but none will be more important then Veteran's Day. You come from a family of many highly decorated war heroes. Many thousand of brave souls have served this great country very unselfishly to protect your rights and freedoms. Freedom is not free. Many paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect us. I expect that you will honor and respect them.

3) You will get in your fair share of trouble (after all, you are a cop's kid). Fess up to it and learn from it. When you lie, you get into more trouble and lose all credibility.

Just a couple of quick ones...

There is usually more than one right answer. Outcomes may be different but they may not be wrong.

A tattoo lasts a really long time.

1) Always hold or open a door for a lady.
2) Don't sweat the small stuff.
3) Debt is bad, you can wait to buy whatever it is.
4) Learn to say you are sorry.
5) Admit when you are wrong.
6) Learn from your mistakes.

B'man

I was interested to read the "instill a healthy respect for guns". Couldn't agree more, however as this clearly means "teach how to handle a gun" I couldn't disagree more. Having served my country for 9 years as an infanteer, should my son leave home aged 18 without this knowledge, I will feel absolutley fine.

Interesting, I have a two year old so I'm probably on safe ground for a while on that condom conversation.

(1) handshake, absolutely, builds confidence and starts new relationships off with the proper first impression, nothing more off-putting than a clammy, limp perch of a handshake

(2) guns, well I will teach my kid that guns cause problems - for the most part. I can never figure out someone who collects guns, but then I have about a thousand CDs so I'm probably vulnerable to some comment as well. Must be a Canadian thing, but I think cops and military are the only people who should have em, eh!

(3) I like the one about "there are always two sides to a story" which is so true. Everyone sees life's events through their own experiences, shaping their perceptions and reactions.

(4) treat people as you would wish they treat you

(5) taxes pay for important things - sure I don't want my governments (all 3 of them) to pay for certain things, but taxes pay for the cops, fire fighters, health system and so on

(6) Always vote - or don't bitch.

(7) Understand your family - the dynamics and history - we have our family tree traced back to about 1790 in a small Irish fishing village - I also live about 5 miles from my family farm which was settled in 1848.

(8) yes love endures, but there are always potholes along the way.

(9) get involved - sports, clubs, you name it - there are a lot of things I now regret not doing when in high school.

(10) when you break up with a woman, don't be a jerk.

No doubt there could be a lot more.

quote:

Originally posted by headhunter:
I was interested to read the "instill a healthy respect for guns". Couldn't agree more, however as this clearly means "teach how to handle a gun" I couldn't disagree more. Having served my country for 9 years as an infanteer, should my son leave home aged 18 without this knowledge, I will feel absolutley fine.

So Canadians don't go hunting? It's quite a popular pastime here in the US Great Plains, so, for me anyway, I'm glad my son knows how to properly handle a weapon. I also enjoy target shooting, don't you guys do that kind of thing up there?

quote:

Originally posted by Firelaw:

(2) guns, well I will teach my kid that guns cause problems - for the most part. I can never figure out someone who collects guns, but then I have about a thousand CDs so I'm probably vulnerable to some comment as well. Must be a Canadian thing, but I think cops and military are the only people who should have em, eh!

Have to disagree about guns causing problems. I've lived in the US my whole life, and have never personally seen someone injured by a firearm. I have, however, seen someone beaten with a hammer.

No flame intended, but what you and headhunter seem to be teaching, IMHO, is fear of guns, not respect. It reminds me of a teacher I had in high school who wouldn't let anyone except a custodian plug in the TV in the room because electricity was dangerous.

Without belabouring the point on gun views too much, responsible hunters are fine - in any country.

However, given that in the year 2000 there were approx 1,000 deaths in Canada whose population was about 30,000,000 at the time and that in the US the figures were 29,000 in 283,000,000 - you have a 1:3,000 chance of meeting your demise in Canada by a gun - in the US it is just below 1:1,000 - so 3 times higher.

As these are national figures, I am sure some states are better than others. But it doesn't really take too much thinking to figure out which sort of environment most responsible parents would wish their children to grow up in.

As I do not subscribe to a hunting publication, I felt it important to air a slight concern, that's all. Frankly I am pleasantly surprised this has generated a little response on this forum. After all, isn't that what this is for?

One more point on the guns. No, I do not own one, but many of my sons friends Fathers do. My kids have had it smashed into their heads to have a healthy respect for them and that if their friends start messing around with their Fathers guns, leave. One mistake can be your final mistake with this.

Came up with another one - sometimes a man has to do things that hurt, either emotionally or physically or financially. Like firing a good employee do to cut backs, or fighting back when attacked, or ending a business relationship with someone who's doing something unethical. Sometimes it's hard to be a man, but that doesn't mean you stop being one.

Another good one, is taky your lumps like a big person. I remember driving with my Father when I was younger and speeding by a state trooper. His lights went on and he pulled out. My Father told me to slow down and get ready to take my medicine like a man. Mercifully the trooper did not pull me over.