Help me. I was raised working on old vehicles. My dad told me what to do and I figured it out. When I struggled I asked for help, or he would direct me when he saw I was doing it the hard way. At least this is how I remember it. My Dad doesn't have too many stories of my struggles other than when I was behind the wheel. Those are aplenty!! My son just needs more guidance than I did and it gets so frustrating for us. Today's example. He's at home alone and I told him to pull the seat from his 83 c-10 4x4 and install the new carpet. We've been working on it all summer so he has a decent truck for school that starts tomorrow. Anyway I get this picture today from him asking where the screws for the carpet are. I see the sheers and box knife and immediately know he's had a problem. Sure enough he cut a huge hole in the (new $180.ish) carpet to go around the floor shift AND the $5.00 cup holder vs removing them and replacing them on top of the carpet. He has resources I never dreamed of having with the internet, you tube, my dad who is now retired and loves to help, or even me via text. He doesn't want to do things he doesn't know how to, or want to, and when I push on him to work it out I get this type of nonsense. For the record homework is the same!!!! What am I missing?
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Make him ride the bus -
Ouch. Guess he gets to enjoy that carpet job for a while. This is just one of those moments that will teach him, not the easiest way, but he'll learn.Comment
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Hey, nobody's born knowing everything. Now he knows a little something about vehicle carpet. , gonna be a bunch more learning experiences.Comment
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Mistakes are the best teachers
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Leave it like it is. He needs something to remind him. After a while, get another carpet and do it together.Comment
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At least hes trying bud, better than him on youtube, internet, etc all day long.Comment
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OP, we all live in the times of youtube and whatnot. I still forget I just need to google problems and I will get an answer. Generally I realize it when a friend calls back and says what did you find on Google?
Seems like its a good expensive lesson for your son to learn. Let him save up to get new carpet. Or maybe rebuilding trucks isn't his thing. For example my friend and his older brother. His older brother couldn't find the keyhole to unlock his car door with the key if he needed to, but was a phenomenal kicker for the football team. My friend (The younger brother) could remove the engine, tear apart the motor, replace every piece in that motor, and put it all back together from memory. He was also a kicker, but no where near the level of accuracy of his older brother, and missed a few critical kicks in high school which took us out of the playoffs. Some folks just aren't meant for certain things.Comment
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Make the best of what he’s trying to do and chalk it up as a learning experience. One day he’ll be gone and have a family of his own and days like this will be happy memories. Safe hunting.Comment
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Just calmly explain what he should of done and and leave it at that. I use to feel the same way about my son. But you know what? More and more often I find myself telling him awesome job or even better yet “hey that’s a good idea, that’s why you get paid the big bucks!” Of course we laugh and he say yeah right. Point is I’m haven’t look at something he’s done in a while and thought “ what in the world made you think that was the best way!
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I feel your pain. Im rebuilding a 94 yj jeep for my 15 year old who just got his permit and will hopefully have his license in April.
I buy the parts and provide the tools. I give him guidance and advice and then pull up a chair and watch.
I like to think he is an intelligent young man but some of the ways he goes about the task and some of the questions he asks make me think "just who in the hell helps you lace up your shoes in the morning" ...... i just have to stop him and say no, Window Licker.....like this
Patience is a virtue....stick with it, he'll learn to use his headComment
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This is why projects are best done with cold beer. When you take that step back to get a drink you pause long enough to realize how bad you're messing upComment
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Originally posted by Thwackdaddy View Post
This is SPOT on. For the rest of ya'll thanks for the comments. I am happy in a way that I wasn't there when the screw question came up. The time has allowed me to calm and utilize the mistake more as a learning experience instead of hurt feelings on both parties.Comment
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If you didn’t explain that to him beforehand and he’s never replaced carpet before that’s not his fault....he made it work.
Assuming he’s gonna google “how to replace carpet on 35 year old Chevy “ is unrealistic on your part if beforehand you didn’t explain to him to YouTube it if he had trouble.
You told him to work it out, he did....just not how you wanted itComment
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