Day 58: Decide what skills to pass on in your family

Day 58: Decide what skills to pass on in your family

Families are the nuclei of society, cells of history and knowledge through which wisdom and morals are transmitted from generation to generation and beyond.  What age-old traditions and skills define your family?  Make a conscious effort to inculcate them in your children and grandchildren today.  Here is a case study to inspire you.

W H I T T L I N G
The Medvak family of Cloverdale Oregon  (Robert, Annie, Gabriele, Sammy and animal companion Pooch) have long enjoyed whittling as a hobby.  But it's something more too.  Let's hear it from Rob Medvak: >>Whittling's not just an inexpensive and fun pastime, its a way of life.  I learnt to whittle from my grandfather Bobbie Medvak, a bear of a man, who could turn a 10-by-10 chunk of good solid basswood into, say, a cowboy boot or a love spoon in ten minutes flat... Now that's whittling!<<  The Medvaks went through a rough patch in their marriage a few years ago when Annie entered a lesbian >>phase<< and Rob reckons whittling not only helped him and the kids through it, but made them stronger as a family.  >>Me and the kids we used to carve little pictures of Ann when she was gone, which was a really quite difficult thing, very elaborate because you've got to get the expression right, and of course after she shaved her hair they didn't look much like her anymore so we moved on to carving bottle stoppers instead.  Sam even carved these beautiful wooden horses all on his own.<< Rob Medvak is proud to have passed the tradition on to his children.  >>I reckon Gaby and Sam will be whittling for life.  It's a good character-building discipline.  Anyway, they can't wait to show Mommy all their work as soon as she comes back.<<

I want to pass down to my future kids the love to read and appreciate art even if they aren't artistic.  I want them to see and accept the differences in people and to never be afraid to ask questions or take things just at face value.  I want them to respect others and those older than them.  I will teach them to love good music and appreciate their roots.  Any other talents or interests that they have I prefer they find for themselves.