- I want to teach them to appreciate beauty
- I want to show them that giving can be more rewarding than receiving
- I want them to understand a connection between cause and effect
- I want them to understand what a trade-off is
- I want them to have ample means to express their creativity
- I want to empower them to solve problems and answer questions they may come up with
- I want to help them see connections between seemingly unrelated things by reducing them to concepts; I want them to understand “abstraction”
- I want to teach them to be ambitious, strive for mastery, and have learning goals (not performance goals)
- I want them to understand how to set goals
- I want them to be able to define and express their preferences
- I want them to be able to read people
- I want them to ask difficult questions
- From other sources:
- How to focus intently on a problem until it’s solved
- The benefit of postponing short-term satisfaction in exchange for long-term success
- How to read critically
- The power of being able to lead groups of peers without receiving clear delegated authority
- An understanding of the extraordinary power of the scientific method, in just about any situation or endeavor
- How to persuasively present ideas in multiple forms, especially in writing and before a group
- Project management. Self-management and the management of ideas, projects and people
- Personal finance. Understanding the truth about money and debt and leverage
- An insatiable desire (and the ability) to learn more. Forever
- Most of all, the self-reliance that comes from understanding that relentless hard work can be applied to solve problems worth solving
Specifically here are some things I want to do with them:
- I will read poetry to them
- I will ask them to periodically donate something they’ve earned (or something they own)
- I will reward them for asking why, especially in succession
- I will encourage them to make something out of nothing (papercraft, kitchen chemistry experiments)
- I will teach them a second language as early as possible
- I will ask them to describe things, events and thoughts to me
- I will encourage them to write fiction
- Teach your kid to read
- 50 Dangerous Things you should let your kid do
- Awards don’t work–don’t couple chores with money!
- They should learn Chinese
- Learn the history of the Universe (bighistory)
- Elimination communication
- Wireless, biosensor baby pajamas
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[...] they are ready for marriage. In fact (while this is nowhere close to a proof), I have been thinking somewhat about fatherhood but not really about [...]
All these seem like internal goals and skills you want your children to have. What about their interaction with others? Should that not be as important?
It’s certainly important — this list is just a small subset, things I don’t think many people would think to do.
Another thing to add to the list: go through this book (source).
This is highly exploitable (and likely will be):
“I will reward them for asking why, especially in succession”
I think this is a great list. I think it’s a great thing to think about; and it’s a great thing to document. It will be surprising to look back at when you do have kids. Or unsurprising. Either way, helpful.
There are a couple things I wish I had been taught; and a couple things I’m shocked other people weren’t taught. A mixture of the abstract and practical:
- What is money, at a philosophical level, and the ways it does and doesn’t matter. I think most immigrant parents aren’t well off enough to teach their kids this so I understand.
- That people are fascinating. This gets at the same thing as your “how to read people”. But I think it encourages aspects beyond study.
- How the opposite gender thinks.
I really like your point on cause and effect.
I should like to point out that your children will learn your values implicitly more than explicitly. So if you want them to be a particular way, you should just check to make sure you do it. If it’s a fundamental enough component of who you are, they will likely pick it up.