Whether a year or a decade from now, you’ll have to let go of your baby boys so that they can live their lives and start building their careers. But while they’re with you in the house, why don’t you try to make them learn a few do-it-yourself home projects that will come in handy once they’re in their college dorms and new apartments fresh off college graduation? If they want to go on a gap year, knowing a few DIY projects will be helpful for them, too.
Men, in particular, love doing things themselves. They love building furniture, treehouses, and even their own swimming pools. When it comes to the interior design of the house, they often leave that to the women in their lives. However, when there’s a need for a new bar, countertop, kitchen, and bathroom fixtures, men step in to do stuff themselves. These are the same skills that you would want your kids to learn for the future.
Carpentry and Woodworking Skills
Whether it’s building a new kitchen countertop, a chest of drawers for the bedroom, or a dining table, your boys are going to benefit from learning the basics of carpentry. If they fall in love with woodwork, they can even turn this into a profitable venture. Many carpenters have made a fortune making well-designed furniture that they even export to different countries. If your kids have a flair for carpentry, allow these skills to flourish. You never know what businesses they can build from these skills.
Electric Repairs
Kids as young as seven can now build robots that can flip burgers and turn dirty water into safe drinking water. That’s how great the minds of these youngsters are. The presence of technology in their lives allowed them to explore areas the past generations never had the privilege to explore. That’s why they’re also comfortable tinkering with the smart TV or fixing your phone’s charger. You will be surprised how much they know about making string LED lights for their rooms.
So, why not turn this skill into something useful? Once they are in college, they won’t have the money to pay for a handyman when something breaks down in their dorm room. They can’t certainly call you to fix their TV. They will have to do these things on their own.
Plumbing
One of the most important things your teen boys need to know is how to fix the plumbing. Come to think of it, even your girls have to learn how to tighten a screw, too. Knowing how to fix a leaky pipe will help your kids not only when they reached college but when they start living on their own. You’ll pay $100 for a plumber to fix something so simple. Anyone starting to earn a living won’t have that extra money every time there’s a plumbing problem in their apartment.
Roof
A basic roof problem doesn’t need a professional roofer. If it’s a small leak or hole, all you need is plaster and sealant. It would do men good to know how to do this. Professional roofers often cost a fortune. It is sometimes not practical to hire them for a small leak that your kids should manage on their own. Some men even manage to renovate their whole roof with just a few tutorials from YouTube. These skills will come in handy in the future when your teen boys start their own families. They’ll pass on this knowledge to their own kids.
Painting
When you want a change of scenery in your home, a fresh coat of paint is all you need. But do you have to call a professional painter, or can you do it yourself? Turn this into a bonding activity with your kids. Instead of them lounging around and playing mobile games, they can help you renovate your room. This will also be a good skill to learn since there will be plenty of times that they’ll want to give their room a complete makeover.
The most powerful feeling in the world is to do things yourself. Taking care of things that affect you directly is empowering because you are not dependent on any other person. This independence is essential to young teenage boys and college guys. They surely don’t want to call their parents when they need something fixed in their dorm rooms. But for them to be that independent, the training starts right at home.
