What’s the old running joke; the only experience kids have with tools now days is getting yelled at for not holding the flashlight in the right spot? Unfortunately, I think that’s more a joke for Millenials, and less of a joke now for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. In the latter’s case, many of them haven’t even made it as far as the flashlight! It’s a sad truth, but its common that kids and teens now days don’t even know the difference between a Phillips or flathead screwdriver. If you ask a young person how to use a level there’s a pretty high chance they’ll look at you like you just spoke Latin.
As we all know we live in a world where if something breaks, you just go out and buy a new one. Is it easy? Sure! Is it convenient? Ehhhh…sometimes. Is it financially smart? No, not really. It’s almost always cheaper to fix something when it breaks. The problem is, most of us don’t know how to fix anything! And calling a repairman every time you need to change a fuse in your dryer is going to be about as expensive as buying a new dryer anyways!
It was during the early 2000’s when people really stopped fixing things on their own. Instead they switched to just buying a replacement anytime something went wrong, thanks to the influx of cheap, 3rd-world manufacturing and blazing fast technology advancements. Naturally, prices for things had dropped just enough, so consumers were enticed to repurchase, rather than deal with the inconvenience of long drawn out repairs. But one common theme I’ve noticed throughout all the earlier generations before Millennials, is that older folks made things last. Even if they broke down, or stopped working, the earlier generations were able to fix them. This concept is a lost art on today’s young people.
Because of that, most of us now are paying an arm and a leg for a replacement every time something goes wrong! How can a young person expect to get ahead in life when they are purchasing a new car or fridge every couple years, or hiring a contractor every time they decide to change the paint color in their bathroom? These are quick ways spend yourself out of the housing market, or worse, to live with debt your entire life. I know, I know, this is supposed to be a post about tools, not finances. But as your boy grows into a man, he’s going to be faced with the financial leadership of his marriage and family. And there will be a day when his ability to fix things on his own will have a large impact on his financial life. More so, it will impact the overall confidence his girlfriend/wife has in him as a provider. There’s just something to be said about a man who can use his hands to take care of his family and their needs.
Now, the idea here is not that your kid should be able to fix every single thing himself. I’m an adult man and there are plenty of things I can’t fix. One person can’t know everything. But if you have a basic understanding of tools and fixing simpler things, often times you can pair this with some online research and get the job done. By getting your boy into this habit, and encouraging him to try to take on smaller projects, he will end up building a good foundation on how to do handiwork. This will translate to bigger tasks down the line. One day he’s learning how to hang up a picture on the wall with a drill and a level, and the next he’s rebuilding the transmission in the minivan (and saving his family $6,000!) Eventually, the knowledge and experience will naturally build on itself.
Thankfully, the really nice thing is that YOU as his mother DO NOT need to know how to do all this stuff. That’s what youtube is for. On the flip side, you are going to be the one responsible for helping him get started. One of the most common tropes throughout the general contracting industry is this, “Any job is an easy job if you have the right tools”. There is so much truth in this statement. Knowledge is obviously power in this realm, but time is money. And having the right tool for the job will save hours upon hours of work, and even more stress!
A few years ago my wife and I were renting a house with our kids. We were having drainage issues in the bathtub, so I bought one of those long plastic hair removers that you shove down the drain. There wasn’t any hair clogging things up within the first foot, so I figured the clog was further down the line. Soon the bathroom sink started to back up, so, thinking it was a bigger job than expected, we decided to call a plumber. He arrived the next day with a power drill and $100 drain snake attachment. He fed it down the bathroom drain, did a few turns with his drill, and pulled out a big lump of hair that was far down the line. He was in and out the front door within about 8 minutes. He then handed me a bill for $250. I asked him on the way out if he was able to make a good living doing that job. He told me he makes between $1000-$1500 PER DAY unclogging drains. He said he works about 5 days per month to cover his salary. I closed the door behind him then went back to my work from home call center job. Only 37 hours left to go for the week!
The point of that story is two-fold. A simple 5-minute job ended up costing us $250, and that guy makes more money in a day than I do in a week because he has the right tools and knowledge for unclogging drains. By giving your kids an early start, you’re setting them up for a much more successful future, whether they enter into that career field, or are just able to save a few hundred bucks here and there by fixing things themselves.
So let’s talk about how to get the ball rolling. I’m going to address the knowledge part of the equation, then I’m going to list out a handful of tools that every guy should own and also understand how to use.
Knowledge:
Most young men learn how to fix things from their father, uncle, or grandpa. That may not be an option for your boy. It wasn’t really for me until a bit later in life. You’re going to have to really push your kid to be resourceful and willing to try to learn it on his own. The best avenue I’ve found is the internet.
YouTube: There are many channels where people will do complete walk-throughs on how to fix certain things, showcasing not only the tools you’ll need, but also how to use them. You can pretty much find anything on youtube. Just make sure that if your boy is trying to fix something specific, that he uses the right brand and model number when looking for online directions. When it comes to things like washing machines, where a company has released 6 different models that look pretty close to the same, the internal components may be different. So, using identifiers like model numbers, part numbers, brand names, etc. will really help with finding the correct videos to watch.
Online Manuals: Generally now days its pretty easy to find manuals and instruction booklets for almost anything via a quick Google search. So if you are someone who throws away all your paperwork when buying a new item, don’t fret! (Although I would suggest hanging onto that stuff in a box for a rainy day, and if your item comes with a slip to register it for a warranty, you should do that! I usually register items that cost me over $100.)
Tools:
Hammer: This one is obvious. The Hammer is probably the most versatile tool known to man. It can be used to knock things loose, wrench up old boards, or fasten new ones together with nails. It’s a pretty simple tool, but lots of practice can really help someone “hit the nail on the head” instead of leave holes in their freshly painted walls.
Screw Drivers: A handful of different size screwdrivers is essential to every man’s tool bag. Obviously removing and replacing screws is the number one use, but they can also be used to pry or scrape. There are two main types, Phillps and Slotted (Flathead). Phillips screwdrivers have a “cross” at the tip, while Flatheads have a single flat blade. Your son will need a variation of larger and smaller sized screwdrivers, as many electronics use very small screws.
Utility Knife (Razor Knife): From scoring drywall to scraping paint off windows, a utility knife has a lot of..utility! You wouldn’t believe how beneficial these things can be in a pinch. And the nice thing is, most of the time they can fit in your pocket so you can access them in a tight spot.
Pliers: I’ve found there are two types of pliers that I use the most: Channel Lock Pliers and Needle Nose pliers. Channel locks are going to be used for larger tasks, like unscrewing the garden hose from the side of the house when its rusted on. Needle nose pliers will be helpful in tight spots, like pinching a wire or tiny piece of plastic while fixing an electronic item. Both are incredibly helpful when you need them, and sorely missed when you don’t have them!
Tape Measure: Regardless of how keen your eye, you’ll never be as precise as an actual measurement. I personally prefer the kind that you have to pinch to extend, and will lock when you release your grip. Quick and easy! But some folks like the slider button lock. Its all preference. Either way, everyone should know, ‘Measure Twice; Cut Once!’
Level: A 12-24 inch level will be perfect for probably 90% of household projects. Just make sure the bubble gets centered between the two lines and you’re golden. A metal level tends to last longer than the cheap plastic ones, but both are very useful, especially for hanging artwork on your walls!
Socket Set: These babies can come in many different sizes. A basic standard set comes with a handful of sockets and a ratchet. You can go wild and get a set with hundreds of sockets, but for most applications its probably not necessary. Having a handful of 10-25 sockets will probably be all a beginner needs. Its worth noting that most folks use sockets when working on vehicles, lawnmowers, etc., rather than on carpentry/construction related things.
Adjustable (Monkey) Wrench: This is the wrench with the little rolling adjuster to expand/retract its width. It’s great to have when working on mechanical items!
Allen Wrenches: These guys are mega handy when working on smaller electronics, or even a lot of cheaper furniture commonly purchased from Amazon or Walmart, like bed-frames or baby cribs. You can get a small set in a rubber holder or built into a folding handheld that looks like a swiss army knife.
Flashlight: Every tool bag needs a small flashlight. It seems trivial, but not having one when you need it can mean the difference between being able to complete the job or not!
Power Drill: Most people will disagree with me, but I believe a battery operated power drill is ESSENTIAL. My Ryobi hammer drill with a quick release head is used more than any other tool I own. You will need to get a few bits, and a battery charger (preferably with a backup battery), but it is easily worth the cost. There are so many awesome attachments that can be used with a drill to help with other jobs, such as the plugged drain I described above. Every young man should have a power drill.
Honorable Mentions: A Step ladder, unless your kid is a giant. And an easy to carry tool bag/box.
After years of tool collecting and working construction jobs, this is the list that I landed on as the most foundational group of tools that a young man should own. Ultimately, it’s not necessary to have all of them right away. Just purchase them as needed. But in the end, this is going to be the core group that most common tasks require.
Over time, as your boy grows and his experience level increases, he will begin to lay a foundation that will help him not only save money for his family in the future, but also give him confidence in himself as a provider. As he leads, his family will know the peace of having someone to depend on that will be able to take care of them. Throughout His word, the Lord calls men to provide for their families, to prepare a place for their wives, and to be wise financial stewards. Encouraging your boy to take a chance and learn to fix things on his own will turn into a character trait that ends up helping him obey the Lord in each of those ways. And someday when your son is grown, hopefully he’ll get to hear his own kids say “My dad can fix anything!” That’s a moment that every guy should experience, because that’s a moment to be proud of!
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