Love it when they pick the hard way

[Wolfdog91]

So one thing I like doing is teaching kids. Dont really matter what it is can be anything from video games to shooting, I like teaching when I can but something I gotta say I love is seeing a kid pick the hard way to do something. I honestly feel it's a shame now days that so many times when it comes to learning something people( kids and adults) just pick the easiest way. And if there isn't a really way 123 way to do something they don't even attempt it. There no love for the process, of learning and discovering things about you and the whatever your working on. There's no stories about how hard you worked to get to a point and how awesome it was when you finally got there. It's just " I bought this it works woopity do ".Which I guess isn't bad most of the time ,dont get me wrong I do that with many things,( like if im at work and I can move a pallet of 80lbs concrete bags with a fork lift vs moving each bag by hand well imma pick the easy way lol )and I get some people are just like that. That's how they enjoy stuff and that's fine .But seems to me by doing that in many things....you lose something. Personally when it comes to learning something I want to learn I generally like doing what most would consider more difficult. Just doing the easy way and being done almost immediately just dosent do anything for me whatsoever. But when someone doesn't care how hard something will be , especially a kid , and they are determined to just keep at it and to tweak and modify and to learn and ask stuff until they get it. There's something, special about that.

Was at the river Saturday with some friends. I had bought a cast net just to mess around and see what I'd catch. Well as I was out casting and catching shad, chubs and what not . Some of the kids would come up ask what the fish where, wanted to hold them and show their parents and all that stuff. Was making there little days so why not lol. Well one of my friends little brothers walked up , think he was 12 , And asked me to teach him how to cast net.I told him I'd be happy to but it takes a good bit of practice and it's a little hard to get the hang of it since there no real one right way to do it and he'd have to tweak it around till it worked for him. Kid just smiled shrugged and said ok he wanted to learn. So I showed him the method I did, caught a few fish and handed it to him. Show him how to coil the rope how to position the bet and himself along with some finer points. And I'm not gonna lie he couldn't throw the net more then 3' for the first ten casts but he never got upset. He'd look at me every now and then and I just joke with him and tell him to keep trying. He just kept working on it. I'd give him a little suggestion here and there joke with him and tell him how bad I used to be, but for the most part it was just him. That kid was determined to get a cast like I did and catch a fish. So 15min turned into 30min then and hour and he just kept working on it. I'd look up and he'd be adjusting his stance to trying more or less coil. Slow and slowly I saw that net opening more and more. Three hours later I'm watching him and he just props up like he's about show off and rings out a perfect cast and the look on that kids face was absolutely priceless !

I walked up and told him how great of a cast it was as he was pull up a net full of shiners and I coulda swore the kid just downed a 12pack of red bull the way he was acting lol. Kid just kept saying " I got it! I got it ! laugh "
Kid went around slaying shad in the shallows for the next hour. Kept a bunch for my friends turtle. At the end I was gonna give him the next since it was only like a $20 Walmart net but him and mom took off before I could offer . But yeah idk it's something about seeing someone especially, that young ( I mean I'm only 24 so what can I say lol), in today's "all ya gotta do is / it would just be easier to society " work on something till they get it that just makes me all warm and fuzzy on the inside lol !

[Dusty Bannister]

Good for you. Positive reinforcement and continuing to encourage his efforts and like most things, practice, practice.

[elmacgyver0]

I wish I lived near you, you could teach me.
I'm the worlds worst fisherman.
A couple weeks ago I caught a catfish about a foot and a half long, biggest fish I ever caught, I was elated!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Great story. You're right, most kids nowdays want it done for them, or don't want to do it at all. Might miss a text.

DG

[rockrat]

Good for you!! That kid will never forget how to throw a cast net. Haven't thrown mine in decades

[Winger Ed.]

I like teaching when I can but something I gotta say I love is seeing a kid pick the hard way to do something. I honestly feel it's a shame now days that so many times when it comes to learning something people( kids and adults) just pick the easiest way !

Great story.

I enjoy teaching young folks stuff too.
I've taught some that are quite willing to learn by guidance and instructions.
Then there are some that just have to go wizz on that electric fence to figure stuff out and learn for themselves.

[Land Owner]

Doing the hard stuff, the hard way is a means to an earlier grave. Were individuals connectable by USB, like the Matrix, for downloading stuff to one another, think HOW BORING this world would be! As is, everything has to be passed down, taught, instructed, guided, tried, failed, experienced, skin in the game, and practice makes perfect.

[contender1]

I know EXACTLY how you feel about watching a kid who's willing to work & learn. After 50 years as a BSA Scout,, then Leader,, I've seen many young boys grow into men. The hard working,, and willing ones have often turned out to be the most successful people later in life.

Good story for sure.

[samari46]

They'd probably get a kick out of using a glass soda or water bottle wrapped with fishing line plus whatever you'd use for a bob,hook and sinker at the end. Might be hard to find a glass water or soda bottle today though. Takes a little hand and eye coordination. When I was growing up, used the above setup to fish as I barely had the money to buy the line,bobber and hooks and sinker. Frank

[dale2242]

I am a certified Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Hunter Ed instructor.
It is one of the most enjoyable and satisfying things I have ever done.
Consider becoming one.
If you enjoy kids and teaching kids, you will be a good teacher.

[Wheelguns 1961]

Wolfdog91, you are wise beyond your years. You have discovered the meaning of life!

[Thumbcocker]

Good job!

[pworley1]

Good job.

[DocSavage]

My first tenants had 2 boys both under 10 I think came home one day and one of them was trying to pull nails out of some wood. Kid was killing himself pulling the nails so I walked over asked him if he'd liked to see an easier way to pull nails. Took a small piece of wood placed it as a fulcrum for the hammer he was using,the look on his face on how much easier it was to pull nails you'd think I was a miracle worker. Kicker was they don't teach things like levers/fulcrums,inclined planes etc in school any more. I seem to remember being taught that in 2nd or 3rd grade granted that was 64 years ago.

[fixit]

I wish I was surprised by the revelation of the kids not being taught basic physical math, but I'm not. I recall one of my best learning toys was Legos, provided fun plus learning. Too many schools teach to the test, and never seem to show the value in the basics, if they even teach the basics.

[CastingFool]

I learned how to cast a net when I was about 10. Wanted one so bad that I eventually learned how to make them. Due to circumstances, i never finished the few I started. I still have the shuttles I made. The man who taught me told me he once worked on a net so large, 6 guys were working on it at the same time.

[Wheelguns 1961]

When I lived in the Florida keys, it was routine to throw a 12’ cast net to catch ballyhoo. We would also use a 10’ net to catch pilchards.

[memtb]

Great for you! You may never know the positive effect you may have made on that kid! memtb

[T-Bird]

I agree, it is gratifying to see a kid that is willing to work hard to be successful at something he wants to do. That ain't the first time that kid has worked hard to do something right. That personality trait, to me, is one of the most important qualities to have if that person is going to be a success in whatever they choose to do in life. Well, that and being good to other people.

[Dekota56]

Great job.
I use to like to take young ones out to take them hunting, first with squirrel hunting. Now most is grown up. In my family. Now teaching them reloading. Since they have the interest.
I don’t fish much, great job