Things that kids should be taught

EKE_38BPM

Seeing as Commuting Chat has become an exclave of Mumsnet I thought I'd ask what the hivemind thinks that kids should be taught, outside of the basics such as tying their shoelaces.

I think every kid should be taught how to swim, a foreign language, ride a bike (obviously), play an instrument (mixing doesn't count) and a martial art.
Of those five I can ride a bike and swim (not very well).

So, what else would the hivemind add and how many of my list can you do?

gbsahne001

1,2 & 3; my daughter can do all 5

bompington

Never mind me, my kids can do all of these between them except the martial art - although your average gymnast could probably kick your butt, or head, much more easily than most. The foreign languages are a bit ropey tbh, but if you can order ice cream in french, beer in flemish or chips with fritessaus in dutch, how much more do you really need?

But the main thing I teach them is not to waste your time trying to be witty on internet forums.

davis

How to cook.
The "art" of logical problem-solving.

veronese68

To treat other people as they would like to be treated themselves.
I can swim, ride a bike (not now though) and speak a foreign language. Did a bit of the other two as a kid, piano and judo, but am hardly competent. My kids can swim and ride a bike, and are learning another language. They also know how to treat people, as I hope anyone that has met them would agree.

EKE_38BPM

bompington wrote:

Never mind me, my kids can do all of these between them except the martial art - although your average gymnast could probably kick your butt, or head, much more easily than most. The foreign languages are a bit ropey tbh, but if you can order ice cream in french, beer in flemish or chips with fritessaus in dutch, how much more do you really need?

But the main thing I teach them is not to waste your time trying to be witty on internet forums.

By being a bad role model?

asprilla

I'm busy teaching TMP that only the first three Star Wars movies in order if release date actually count and that 'We're going to need a bigger boat' is a legitimate response to any surprising or stressful situation.

greg66_tri_v2.0

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Seeing as Commuting Chat has become an exclave of Mumsnet I thought I'd ask what the hivemind thinks that kids should be taught, outside of the basics such as tieing their shoelaces.

I think every kid should be taught how to swim, a foreign language, ride a bike (obviously), play an instrument (mixing doesn't count) and a martial art.
Of those five I can ride a bike and swim (not very well).

So, what else would the hivemind add and how many of my list can you do?

Spelling?

EKE_38BPM

Greg66 wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Seeing as Commuting Chat has become an exclave of Mumsnet I thought I'd ask what the hivemind thinks that kids should be taught, outside of the basics such as tieing their shoelaces.

I think every kid should be taught how to swim, a foreign language, ride a bike (obviously), play an instrument (mixing doesn't count) and a martial art.
Of those five I can ride a bike and swim (not very well).

So, what else would the hivemind add and how many of my list can you do?

Spelling?

Oh, for shame!

cjcp

Sub-1 min for Dark Hill.

cyclingprop

Greg66 wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Seeing as Commuting Chat has become an exclave of Mumsnet I thought I'd ask what the hivemind thinks that kids should be taught, outside of the basics such as tieing their shoelaces.

I think every kid should be taught how to swim, a foreign language, ride a bike (obviously), play an instrument (mixing doesn't count) and a martial art.
Of those five I can ride a bike and swim (not very well).

So, what else would the hivemind add and how many of my list can you do?

Spelling?

And grammar.

(4/5).

walkingbootweather

cyclingprop wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Seeing as Commuting Chat has become an exclave of Mumsnet I thought I'd ask what the hivemind thinks that kids should be taught, outside of the basics such as tieing their shoelaces.

I think every kid should be taught how to swim, a foreign language, ride a bike (obviously), play an instrument (mixing doesn't count) and a martial art.
Of those five I can ride a bike and swim (not very well).

So, what else would the hivemind add and how many of my list can you do?

Spelling?

And grammar.

(4/5).

And pedantry - that's very important

UndercoverElephant

walkingbootweather wrote:

And pedantry - that's very important

every one loves grammer nazi's.

essex-commuter

Never talk to strangers or men that wear glod tracksuits and smoke cigars.

EKE_38BPM

cyclingprop wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Seeing as Commuting Chat has become an exclave of Mumsnet I thought I'd ask what the hivemind thinks that kids should be taught, outside of the basics such as tieing their shoelaces.

I think every kid should be taught how to swim, a foreign language, ride a bike (obviously), play an instrument (mixing doesn't count) and a martial art.
Of those five I can ride a bike and swim (not very well).

So, what else would the hivemind add and how many of my list can you do?

Spelling?

And grammar.

(4/5).

Isn't that the school's job? I good at grammar never was very.

wgwarburton

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Seeing as Commuting Chat has become an exclave of Mumsnet I thought I'd ask what the hivemind thinks that kids should be taught, outside of the basics such as tieing their shoelaces.

I think every kid should be taught how to swim, a foreign language, ride a bike (obviously), play an instrument (mixing doesn't count) and a martial art.
Of those five I can ride a bike and swim (not very well).

So, what else would the hivemind add and how many of my list can you do?

How to assess and take risks (to suit their own appetite for same). To take responsibility for themselves.

I have done your five but my musical aptitude, in particular, was iffy to begin with and has deteriorated since...

Cheers,
W.
PS Tangentially, there are two major obstacles to learning a foreign language in the UK. The first is that you can get by alarmingly well without doing so and the second is that it's far from clear which one to choose, and hence it's harder to practice.

wgwarburton

UndercoverElephant wrote:

walkingbootweather wrote:

And pedantry - that's very important

every one loves grammer nazi's.

Oh, har Bl***y har :roll:

Cheers,
W.

bompington

EKE_38BPM wrote:

bompington wrote:

But the main thing I teach them is not to waste your time trying to be witty on internet forums.

By being a bad role model?

That was the implication, but it clearly wasn't well enough put to make it clear :oops:

asprilla

walkingbootweather wrote:

And pedantry - that's very important

Judging by my daughter, pedantry is genetic rather than taught.

walkingbootweather

To think of themselves.

Everyone has to "think of the children" don't they?

EKE_38BPM

bompington wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

bompington wrote:

But the main thing I teach them is not to waste your time trying to be witty on internet forums.

By being a bad role model?

That was the implication, but it clearly wasn't well enough put to make it clear :oops:

I don't use emoticons, but that was a case where me using one may have been a good idea. The oops is mine, not yours.

To add to the list: to recognise when you are in the wrong and apologise?

FoldingJoe

Why doesn't mixing count?

Got my old 1200's in the attic they could use. Needs a new mixer though!!

bompington

EKE_38BPM wrote:

To add to the list: to recognise when you are in the wrong and apologise?

I would if I was, but I'm not so I won't, is that clear?

( )

rhext

Personally, I like to teach them as much made-up stuff as I can reasonably get away with.

bompington

rhext wrote:

Personally, I like to teach them as much made-up stuff as I can reasonably get away with.

Personal favourite (quite well-known by now) the claim that ice cream vans play music to let everyone know there's no ice cream left.

UndercoverElephant

rhext wrote:

Personally, I like to teach them as much made-up stuff as I can reasonably get away with.

Quite right! Every few months number one son comes up and says something like,

#1Son - "You remember when you said that Dale Winton had losing contestants on 'The National Lottery: In it to Win It' taken down to his dungeon and tortured until they took cyanide capsules to end their pitiful existence?"

Me - "Er, not specifically...."

#1Son - "Well I'm pretty sure that's not true now."

It's a shame when they grow up a bit. At least he'll always have a healthy fear of Winton.

Kieran_Burns

rhext wrote:

Personally, I like to teach them as much made-up stuff as I can reasonably get away with.

National Curriculum then?

veronese68

Asprilla wrote:

walkingbootweather wrote:

And pedantry - that's very important

Judging by my daughter, pedantry is genetic rather than taught.

x2

Regarding what school's teach kids we were told our son (9 at the time) wasn't stretching himself enough. We told the teacher he was a 9 year old boy and surely it was his job to give him more testing tasks then. But then, re the above, he does have a tendency to correct his teachers if they are wrong.

Kieran_Burns

I would teach them that:

The world owes them nothing
You get out of life what you put in
The green cross code
The magic floor that takes dirty clothes and turns them into freshly washed and ironed ones does not in fact exist

UndercoverElephant

Kieran_Burns wrote:

The magic floor that takes dirty clothes and turns them into freshly washed and ironed ones does not in fact exist

:shock: Say it ain't so!!!

rhext

Did you know that the Great Wall of China has catflaps at 1 mile intervals along its entire length.