What Did Your Father Teach You When You Were 10 That Most Adults Don't Know Today...?

[SteyrAUG]

Since the family had moved from Iowa to South Florida, he made sure I could ID snakes from a distance.

Rattlesnakes were rare in the south but kind of easy. He made sure I knew the difference between a coral snake (very bad) and a scarlet king snake (no danger). I had to be able to recite "red touch yellow, kill a fellow...red touch black, venom in lack" from memory.

When it came to water moccasins and water bandits he told me you won't be able to get close enough to safely know for sure so just leave them both the hell alone. He was right. Watched a lot of older kids grab the wrong snake when we were out catching them.

I was always surprised by the people who were old enough to have children who lived in South Florida and didn't know the first damn thing about snakes, or worse they had very bad information they were passing onto their kids. I once heard a person tell their kid "if you leave it alone, it will leave you alone" and it took most of my will power to not say "Well that ain't right, moccasins are the aggressive aholes of the snake world" and will swim off the bank to come F with you in the water.

And some people who try and take their kids camping today? Wow. It's a good thing they stay within 10 yards of the SUV. Cause everything they need is "in the truck." I remember learning how to navigate with the sun, make a fire and learn what stuff is safe to eat (not much, most of what grows in the wild will F you up bad). Always reminded me to bring some "long term" food like jerky.

[Diamondback]

Not my biological father, but my grandfather: Self-esteem is EARNED, between the quality of your workmanship in what you do and trying to make somebody's day a little better than it was before you crossed paths.

[hotbiggun42]

Gun safety

[Ned Christiansen]

Not my biological father, but my grandfather: Self-esteem is EARNED, between the quality of your workmanship in what you do and trying to make somebody's day a little better than it was before you crossed paths.

Hah. We see people in the news every day who have a megadose of self esteem they never earned-- they just deserve it and that's enough for them. People who have a lifetime's experience at accomplishing nothing..... but are superior nonetheless.

What Dad taught me would take a book and even in adulthood I probably have not yet realized it all.

[hotbiggun42]

Since the family had moved from Iowa to South Florida, he made sure I could ID snakes from a distance.

Rattlesnakes were rare in the south but kind of easy. He made sure I knew the difference between a coral snake (very bad) and a scarlet king snake (no danger). I had to be able to recite "red touch yellow, kill a fellow...red touch black, venom in lack" from memory.

When it came to water moccasins and water bandits he told me you won't be able to get close enough to safely know for sure so just leave them both the hell alone. He was right. Watched a lot of older kids grab the wrong snake when we were out catching them.

I was always surprised by the people who were old enough to have children who lived in South Florida and didn't know the first damn thing about snakes, or worse they had very bad information they were passing onto their kids. I once heard a person tell their kid "if you leave it alone, it will leave you alone" and it took most of my will power to not say "Well that ain't right, moccasins are the aggressive aholes of the snake world" and will swim off the bank to come F with you in the water.

And some people who try and take their kids camping today? Wow. It's a good thing they stay within 10 yards of the SUV. Cause everything they need is "in the truck." I remember learning how to navigate with the sun, make a fire and learn what stuff is safe to eat (not much, most of what grows in the wild will F you up bad). Always reminded me to bring some "long term" food like jerky.

Last year when i moved to southern Louisiana my brother told me the eyes on a mocossin was differemt than a water snake. Lol

[Diamondback]

Hah. We see people in the news every day who have a megadose of self esteem they never earned-- they just deserve it and that's enough for them. People who have a lifetime's experience at accomplishing nothing..... but are superior nonetheless.

What Dad taught me would take a book and even in adulthood I probably have not yet realized it all.

This is because our public education system with its focus on "MUHFEEWINGS and Self Esteem Uber Alles" couldn't be a better incubator for mass-production of narcissists if it were purpose-designed with that intent.

[LoboTBL]

Last year when i moved to southern Louisiana my brother told me the eyes on a mocossin was differemt than a water snake. Lol

That's actually true. All water moccasins do have elliptical pupils. It's a very bad idea to get close enough to one to see the shape of its pupils though. Most non venomous snakes have round pupils but there are several exceptions. For example, Coral snakes also have round pupils.

[flenna]

My father always impressed upon me to finish what I started and do it right the first time and not, as he would say, “half assed”. Do most adults know that today? I don’t know but that drive to finish whatever I start has stayed with me my entire life.

[AKjeff]

It was around that age that my father began telling me that life isn't fair.
He had to repeat it a few times before I remembered it.

From the look of society today not many people grew up being told that.

[TommyG]

Carry a pocketknife or Leatherman. Kamp King, Swiss Army and Leatherman have made life a suck a little less on many occasions.