25 Life Skills a Father Can Give His Son

1. How to jump start a car, how to change the oil, how to fix a flat.

2. How to dance.

3. How to let the big head make decisions when the little head is trying to have its way.

4. How to be equally at ease talking with a janitor or a CEO.

5. How to cook at least two different, excellent meals.

6. How to play a musical instrument.

7. How to throw a punch, how to take a punch, how to see a fight coming and avoid it.

8. How to speak a foreign language.

9. How to say “no” and feel okay about it.

10. How to understand the difference between what someone says and what they mean.

11. How to drive a manual transmission and a motorcycle.

12. How to clean a fish.

13. How to say “I love you” and “I’m sorry,” and mean it.

14. How to tie a full Windsor, half Windsor and four-in-the-hand.

15. How to let someone else be the center of attention.

16. How to make eye contact, shake hands and speak with confident authority.

17. How to use a circular saw, a jig saw and a drill.

18. How to sew a button on a shirt.

19. How to tell a joke.

20. How to swim.

21. How to think critically, how to ask questions, how to question answers.

22. How to tell the difference between encroachment, offsides, and a false start.

23. How to let someone else’s point of view change your mind.

24. How to enjoy the company of a loved one in silence.

25. How to put others first without putting yourself last.

What skills do you wish your father had taught you?

This was originally posted on The Good Men Project.

Author—JD Roberto can be found 5 days a week as host of The Better Show, a nationally syndicated daytime talk show seen around the country. Game show fans known him from shows like The Price is Right and Shop 'Til You Drop, plus reality shows like Outback Jack, Are You Hot? and E! News Live. His writing has appeared in Parents Magazine, Huffington Post, the Los Angeles Times and on theBump.com. Check out his parenting blog at The Hands On Dad and follow him on twitter @jdroberto.

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