This is an info post with only a little bit of query. Please skip if you have no kids or no desire to input on teaching them.
I've posted a few bits on Charlotte (14YO) and our various renovations. Summary as it's been a while is no child of *mine* will ever be helpless at general tools or home repairs. I was raised by a mother who 'flips houses' (didnt have that term then) and use us 3 kids were the main workforce.
The last project I mentioned was either her toybox or her closet. Both went well and look lovely. Her skills now include basic painting, basic sanding of wood before sealing then painting, adding cloth covers to wood, and quite a bit of general 'stuff'.
Charlotte is about ready for 'finishing furniture 101' that involves use of wood stain as she has not done that. She picked the item herself. In other threads I mentioned the wood 'box' Don made for raising the portable AC in the sunroom.
This weekend, we go to the local Lowes. I plan to let *her* interface with the salesman and figure out what stain and possible other things she needs. She needs to learn this or like so many, the first time she hits a project she doesnt know, she will hide and then get scared and pay lots for a contractor. (Hint, her being a 'she' has nothing to do with this so those with kids, may want to consider some of the skills you are teaching if you have not? I think it's this little stuff we dont think about that counts in the end).
Task 1: Find the salesman (I will not help but this is easy as she's a pretty bold kid)
Task 2: Tell him it's a bare wood box with interior use (she should do fine here but if she gets exterior stuff, it will be fine). I expect her to tell the size of the project.
Task 3: Ask what safety stuff she needs to know when using the stain
- I expect her to be listing that she has goggles and gloves and forget to say she has access to a resperator but in this small case should not be needed. I expect the salesman to not ask if she has any allergies which she doesnt.
Task 4: Go look at colors and find a *reasonable match* Then select a product.
Task 5: Select brushes or some other application method of the stain suitable. (this is a danger point, she's apt to just get the stain).
Task 6: Come back to me with the stuff (grin).
Hehe this one should be fun. Mom sent me on a trip not too far off from it when I was about 9 but I knew more on such by then and Mom was right there. This time, I plan to be '/mom away' and looking over kitchen knobs (or something) with my cell phone in hand 'just in case'. I suspect she'll have fun. And if she decides a suitable color is blue, it's just a box we made in
5 mins and a blue stained box can be cool!The only query is if you folks trying to teach real life skills, see anything I missed? I do know I didnt presurvey and put a budget constraint but that $ portion she kinda knows since I've been teaching her grocery shopping skills since she was 8 (something side mentionable that if you havent taught your boys this, is a good thing to fix!).
Anticipation: She will come back with a suitable color to the room or just something fun, with less than 10$ in materials, and forget to get a brush. She will get a larger container of stain than needed and have some other idea in mind for the rest. Mom will dig up a brush or sponge and take that out of her allowance (but add back in buying a bit of something to make it up once she has the idea).
Cost to me: Minimal Value in education: estronomical