Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Life Skills: Auto Care/Repair

We started on our Life Skills topic of Auto Care/Repair yesterday.
We are using "The Lady Mechanic's Total Car Care for the Clueless" by Ren Volpe.
We started off by reading the introduction, which after reading it we just knew we are sure to enjoy this book. She mentions how when she told her parents she was studing to be a mechanic her father said to her without missing a beat "But you have no mechanical aptitude!", She said "Thanks Dad for the encouragment", I thought isn't that so true how a few words from someone can squelch the excitement and enthusiasm for something you want to persue. She stuck with it even tho she had a terrible time with the fellows in her trade school giving her grief over everything she did. I thought that part of the book alone was well worth reading, it gives good insight to what life is like out in the real world when you go against the grain or live outside of the "normal" box.
We jumped right to chapter 5 which was how to jump your car using jumper cables. I have been driving for 31 years and have never used jumper cables. I always have stood back and let others do it which I find sad : ( Since this is an issue we just had with our jeep Kelly was very interested in learning more about it by actually looking at the car and where we are to place the cables correctly. So when my husband got home I asked him to clarify where to put the "ground" cable on the car that is not working for us. Do you know what he said to the both of us "Like you would ever do it yourself"! I felt so deflated not just for me but for Kelly and thought back to what Ren Volpe the author said about her father giving her no encouragment. I remember seeing an episode of the Dugger's where the girls all had to learn to change a tire. the father and bother taught them and then let them try it themselves. What a different experience that would have been instead of hearing her father say "You won't ever do it yourself".....
But hey, I just have to read more and figure this out for Kelly and I! I want to show her she CAN do what ever she sets her mind to and don't let others tell her different!!
If you read about a jeep going on fire in Flagler County Florida you know it is just Kelly & I working on the car : o )

1 comment:

Jennifer said...

We all should learn how to fix our own cars. I'm sure we could all save a lot of money and not get so taken advantage of. Best of luck to you two.

Have you seen any episodes of X Factor. One of the contestants is a girl who is an auto mechanic and her dream is to own her own mechanic shop. :) http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/videos/tora-woloshin-x-factor-audition/