Maybe this year, besides buying the kids iPhones, Kindles and
video games, you can give them basic survival tips for the
house, yard and car, too. Teaching them how to handle and even
prevent emergencies is maybe the most valuable gift. You could
even give them some do-it-yourself skills that could serve them
well when they leave the house to go out on their own. Back when
my kids were small, I used to gather four or five of them
together to demonstrate easy projects, such as painting a room,
hanging a door, finding a stud in a wall and checking the car’s
tire pressure and critical fluid levels. Katharine Kent, owner
of the Solar Store in Tucson, which provides solar and
electrical services, tells us that many parents may not know how
to do some of these basics themselves. So maybe working with the
kids can teach you a few things as well. Start by showing them
basic tools and telling them how they are used: a hammer,
screwdriver and pliers. “Teach them what the right tool is for a
particular job. A flathead s