Teaching the youth

Please check out this video from today. My son and nephew ages 13 and 12 soldering copper for the first time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzcqEUgYj_U&feature=youtu.be

Worst case the video is on youtube, its titled solder school and my channel is called REAL ROOFING

Thx. Im very lucky to have my shop. Its on the top of the tallest hill in nassau. We always have a breeze so its a pleasant place to work. Security is somewhat of an issue which is why you dont see any of my smaller tools in there. I have another enclosed building nearby for that. This is a very dangerous country so we have gates, walls, razor wire, dogs, cameras and big guns.

I agree with yall completely when it comes to the kids. Id actually be very disappointed if my kids get involved with roofing, extremely. My only intention is to build a foundation of good character and a strong work ethic.

As a child i was taught to put pride and integrity into every single thing i did. I remember cutting grass with precision and efficiency, the same with sweeping floors, cleaning stalls, painting fence, etc. And it was never for money, it was to earn my keep and build a strong foundation. Ive met many corporate leaders who say these same things were crucial to their success as well.

I believe the greatest discipline as a parent is to refrain from giving answers but to stick to fundamentals.

Very well said to both of you. My Dad worked me from 14-18 and I think it helped me tremendously. He wanted me to get a better profession because he had it so hard starting the business. I got a great job and any time office equipment needed moving, boy was I glad to get a sweat going.

Then I got burnt out on working w/ computers all day. Time to go back to roofing! That was a great decision.

That's a good point Woody and I'm personally familiar with it from both ends. I got no end of flak for sticking with this profession (and if practiced properly it is a profession) and I did get my feelings hurt a bit when my fireball nephew left to go into finance. (Of course he owns a five thousand acre ranch now and my place is a half acre.) When my daughter reached a certain age I forbid her to work with me anymore and she's in great shape right now; she has two beautiful children and is teaching in the public school system. Works as hard as I do. My other daughter took the skill set I helped instill and became a field botanist, self-employed and highly sought after. (A bit of a task-master, though.) And then there is my son. One day he told someone he hated roofing. "It's hard, it's hot, it's dirty, and you have to wear really ugly clothes." He's kind of too tall for the work and it wasn't a good fit, but I went to see him in his kitchen at the Ritz a few years later and he took me on a tour. Place was like a submarine, equipment packed together utilizing every square inch, hot, intense, constantly generating grease and dirt, and he looked at me slyly and said, "In the end, we're not that different, are we dad?" When it comes to your kids you're looking for quality and personal development. Build a good base and let them take it where they choose.

They both go to the same video. No need to click both.

Reminds me of my youth, first bending drip edges with dad in the shop at the age of 6.

PS: "Real Roofing" was the name of my first company. Wish I'd have at least saved a few of the pens I had made. Hard learned lessons are all I have left, but those memories have served me well.

What happened? Seems like rants about self inflicted oppression and plastic roofs get all the attention. Smh

My boys where out learning our trade when they were young.

The law does not let us teach anyone roofing until they are 18. This gives the other trades get first pick.

OS, meeting you and your family has been a great inspiration. Everyone in your family clearly represents an example of greatness!! Respect

Awesome bro good to hear early exposure made a difference. I taught my son slate when he was seven. Then i thought, why teach him a trade he will never be able to use? But one thing i realize is behaviors turn into habits and habits turn into character. I can clearly see how practicing foolish sloppy trades is building foolish sloppy men. I believe our work becomes a manifestation of something within and its important to practice straight, even and proper. Especially when it comes to the unseen where i believe thats how we develop integrity. Lay felt straight, rough frame as though its finish work, etc... I remember restoring 100yr old homes and becoming consumed by the spirit of the original craftsman. I was in awe of dormers built according to the size of slates so they layed out perfectly, copper flashings leaded into the bricks with no caulking still functioning and almost impossible to tear out, oak decking with gaps no felt still solid, etc. Ever tear out a 100yr old bathroom? There is no separating the tile from the mudwork, why that doesnt make people scratch their head about backerboard and rubber pans is beyond me.

Working for very wealthy people has had a major effect on me i must say. One living in the usa could easily believe in oligarchs, banksters and corporatocracy. Getting away from it is such an awakening! I know so many billionaires that money is a side effect for them. The same is known of lincoln, washington, franklin, jackson.... Great character. Do every thing in a great way. Compromising for profit will lead to small financial gains but sticking to great character will get you to the top of the mountain where money is but a grain of sand on the beach of life. This is why i continue to teach anyway.

I am firmly against evangelism in any way because education is bringing forth that which is within. There is no stopping those who seek just as there is no teaching those who inquire not. I believe however it is the responsibility of the illuminated to be available to those who seek. Not for answers but to leave breadcrumbs. We can only be effective by distributing pixels, the mind is taught to arrange these pixels in a certain way which always leads to the virtual perception we seem to unanimously agree on, therefore we do not challenge what we see, touch, taste, etc. But the mind which is but a great tool utilized by the soul will arrange the pixels in a completely different way. The resulting image will only be understood by a few but it is impossible for this image to be a counterfeit. Anyway im ranting again!!!!!! Blah blah blah lol

Im thankful i live in a free country and my son is joining the crew full time this year. Respect

Excellent. My Dad always says its every fathers responsibility to teach his skills to his son. That's why I started on the crew in the summers at 14. That got the state's attention though, they came in and interviewed everybody asking if he was using child labor. I was already 19 at a different job by then though!

Very cool though. Here I am 31 years old spending my evenings messing w/ patterns and looking for used sheet metal tools...