It's a difficult question. Actually I was always of the opinion that cleaning up after work was part of the work and so I tought it to the kids (still I have to do a lot of the cleanup). Maybe I should reconsider.

On the other hand I think it is important to not correct them too much and let them make errors and even ruin tools. Also a little bit of guidance can actually speed up learning (if they are even willing to take some advice).

Cool article. I think there's something naturally very appealing about making things with your hands. As a kid I found it really empowering because I thought of wood products as something which came from mystical factories, and now I could make them myself!

That said, 5 years old seems really young to be whittling without supervision? I still managed to cut myself whittling when I was ten years older. Hopefully she is following a very strict technique but I am not sure a 5 year old could be trusted not to experiment? I guess if she does hurt herself, she'll survive.

(Gouges are safer)

Lovely article, especially when I seldom get to read such perspectives and ideas

not happening. As a person who has a wide and deep skill set with tool use and scratch building in any material, there aint no support, and HUGE impediments to fostering and building the environment where ACTUAL experiences can be had. danger zones, if you will

now the danger is speaking about "things™", with a passive agressive karen type, or strutted up inspector.

there are NO categories in the insurance or banking and advertising systems for "I build stuff"

everything, every little category is the fiefdom of some fucking turd who has never done anything, ever.

what the world wants is installers for the factory made slop, to go into the slop housing, but of course, nothing fits, so off loading that silently, somehow, (the fitting and fixing) is the goal