Children will learn many life skills on a homestead. They will learn for one the feeding and caring for animals, and will no doubt make many of them pets. It really is something to see a child of 60 pounds leading a 1000-pound animal by a lead rope and have that huge animal be as gentile as a baby with them. Their skills will go into preparing the ground, planting the seeds, cultivating along with harvesting and preserving that harvest. They will learn that the animals that are slaughtered on the homestead were born and raised there for the purpose of food.
Depending how far one goes with their homestead their children will learn to cut, split and stack wood for winter fuel. They will learn to operate large machines while putting up the winters hay supply, they will learn to mill lumber from the trees they have cut down, along with repairing and maintaining the equipment they operate. They will use the lumber they have milled and build barns, sheds, corrals and other wood products such as shelves, tables and chairs. They will have knowledge of alternative energy as well because our home is currently a hybrid with our lighting being produced by solar power. Metal fabrication and welding occur here so they will have a knowledge of how to use and make metal objects as well.
These are a few of the life skills our children have have learned here, along with their normal schooling lessons. Of course they learn that working together as a team makes things go smoother and faster. They played together and most of the time didn’t always cooperate in the games they played.
Our oldest daughter is grown now and serves in the Army. Not bad for a home schooled homestead raised child. Our young teen age boy is near as good with a chainsaw as Dad and operates it safely and with the respect that such a piece of equipment deserves. He and our second daughter whom now works for the Postal Service operated any of our tractors our youngest son currently has his own tractor and is learning how to not only operate it safely, and also how to maintain it. Our other children are grown and all work away from home and are doing well at their jobs, Their employers love their work ethic.
Never let anyone fool you into thinking that raising children in this life style will leave them short in the world, they will have experience that children their age won't have, and by the time they are ready to go out on their own they will have gained much of the experience they will need to enter the work force. In fact by the time our children reached age 18 they had a broader experience than most anyone their age or older in carpentry, electricity and mechanics as well as the other valuable skills they acquired.
The homestead is a perfect place to raise and nurture children, it will give them many opportunities to learn the important skills they will need to live a fulfilling life, how we as parents apply ourselves to teaching them will make all the difference in the world.
Many will say it sounds like all they do is work. Well they do help in all aspects of the work here, but there is plenty of play at this homestead. After all we homestead so we aren't tied to the 8-4:30 routine and life so far is good. Many will think that's the lazy way, but I beg to differ with them. Life is what you make it and if you are one of those that measure accomplishment based on how much money one has then I personally feel sorry for you. Because you haven't learned that life has more to offer than money.
Our children have grown up knowing Mom and Dad. We won't be that fuzzy childhood memory that many have of their parents growing up. After all most parents today spend more time at work and away from home than they spend with their children being parents. I know, but we need to make a living! Well; is it really a living you want to make or is it a life?
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