That is AWESOME, Marie! I mentor my niece as much as possible. I’m currently teaching her to crochet, and she loves to bake and is an avid reader so I send her wholesome, moral books disguised as “entertainment.” ;)
My three boys all know how to hunt and fish and can put together a meal if they have a pot and a can opener, LOL! They’d rather cook anything on the grill or over a bonfire than be in the kitchen, though. The youngest one can sew on a button; the other two need wives, but none currently on the horizon. (They’re still in their early 20’s, so no rush. College and starter careers, first!)
I remember those days as a Navy Wife and the long separations. It’s not easy. My then-husband would go on West-Pacific tours for 6 months at a crack. Luckily, I could move back home during those deployments to be near his family and mine.
There’s hope for the next generation, thanks to people like you! :)
Right now I honestly think we’re on the edge of despiration. I’m trying to get a jump on things before they get bad.
My husband earns good money and we’ll be alright, but I remember being the wife of an E-3 with a baby and how hard that was.
Last week there was an article in the Army Times that the last 7 years of pay raises have just been eaten up with the rise of the cost of living. So the young wives in our company are feeling the crunch like I was in the “way way back”.
But most of these young wives are missing the *equipment* to deal with being broke. They still eat out at McDonalds and go out to nice dinners every month because the “deserve” it. They’re still using expensive cleaning products because they don’t know that baking soda cuts grease and that vinegar is antibacterial and can give anything a good shine.
Sadly, most of them don’t *want* to learn. They think that they have it all under control. I’m just gald that there’s one who’s seeing the big picture and taking the initiative to learn.
My daughter has a 16 year-old friend who’s begging to come over to join in on the fun. Last time she was here she pointedly told me that she would be an adult soon and needed this knowledge to be ready.
*That* is our hope for the future! :-)