Teaching kids about self sufficiency is as easy as involving them in everything you do on the homestead. They can learn with you skills that will last them a lifetime.
Why is learning self sufficiency important?
Self sufficiency is something quite lost in today’s society. We buy all of our mass produced clothes in stores that shipped those clothes from halfway around the world. Multiple trips to the grocery store a week for food is the norm. Truthfully, we don’t have to think as much as we used to thanks to the internet and all of the many (and often conflicting) answers it gives.
However, what happens when those systems that our society relies on fails? Or what if there is sickness or job loss and your suddenly faced with financial struggles and can’t afford conveniences?
This is why teaching self sufficiency to your children is so important. It not only gives them skills that can save them money or allow them to survive on them, but it also grows self confidence and work ethic in children. So what skills should you be teaching your children?
1. Basic Cooking
While this might seem obvious, it’s actually an incredibly important life skill that often gets skipped over. While it is easier for busy parents to just get in the kitchen and get a meal whipped up quickly, it doesn’t always benefit a child to not be involved. It can be as simple as letting your little ones help knead a loaf of bread. If you have older children, you can move up a few steps and teach them how to prepare basic foods such as eggs, muffins, or a crockpot roast. Eventually they can start cooking one meal a week for the whole family.
And I do understand that not all kids are going to enjoy cooking. But it is so important for them to learn how to prepare food for their own long term independence. Which leads me to the next skill.
2. Gardening & Growing Meat
This is also something that not every child is going to be interested in. However, not only is cooking your own food important, but knowing where your food came from and how it is grown is vital as well.
When children are little, give them age appropriate tasks such as watering or minor harvesting tasks. As they get older, give them their own little space for growing. Let them choose the herb, fruit or veggie and let them decide on the variety. Letting them see how they grew their own food from seed to harvest might make them a less picky eater as well. Here’s a great article on gardening with little ones here.
Older children can get involved in planting seeds or starts, the maintenance and care and the harvesting of the food.
When it comes to raising meat, allow your kids to care for the animals by taking over feed and water when age appropriate. As you’re children get older, it’s also important to teach them how to butcher the meat they have helped grow. As to what age a child should start helping with butchering, every parent should decide for themselves and their family.
3. Home and Vehicle Maintenance
While most dads teach their sons these skills, don’t leave the girls out! It is important for boys and girls to know how to repair leaky faucets, change the oil in a car or air up a tire. If you are building fence or a chicken coop, get them involved. Learning how to use tools is an important skill too.
Not only is this a great skill for when they are managing their own household, it will allow them to help within the family or even lend a helping hand to neighbors, friends or strangers.
4. Money Management
Home Economics can only teach so much (if they still teach that in school!). Kids need to know how to budget and spend their money wisely, not just write a check. Something to think about as your kids get older is allowing them to start their own business. Whether it’s selling eggs or even raising meat chickens, you may be surprised at how well they can manage a small business themselves.
When children are young, let them earn a little money here and there and let them use that money somewhere like the farmer’s market so they can see what a dollar is worth.
5. Encourage creativity and DIY skills
Finding a skill that your child is very interested in should be encouraged. Whether that is sewing, crocheting, carpentry & woodworking, or even art encourages creativity and self sufficiency. Not only can a child learn a skill that they love, but they could potentially turn that into a way to make money too!
6. Outdoor Survival Skills
From starting a fire to reading a map, these skills can easily be taught on a family camping trip. Why not take some family time and do some primitive camping.
This will also teach them how they can handle emergency situations which is a very important life skill. They will learn not to rely on modern conveniences, but on their own knowledge and skills. Knowing what to do in a survival situation can also boost your child’s overall confidence.
Teaching Self Sufficiency Encourages Critical Thinking and Work Ethic
When you teach your children to work and teach them these skills, they are learning to think for themselves. If they have something productive to do rather than staring at a screen, they will be using their brain.
A good work ethic also comes from teaching your children self reliance. If they have the confidence to do things themselves such as care for a household and themselves and even make money, they are more likely to want to do these things.
It is important to teach your kids self reliance skills. But it is just as important to teach them that one person can’t do everything alone. We do need community and help from others sometimes. Not to mention the fellowship. Start small and work up to the big skills and tasks.
Check out this article here about biblical values on the homestead!
