Wish I had more time to expand this thought before heading out the door, but everything you mentioned I had actually edited out because I felt like I was being over the top boastful.

I literally had typed "I'd trust him to frame my house, wire it too" Quick hit list, he does leather working(sheathes and holsters dog collars belts etc) has helped butcher pigs chickens and goats. He can do brakes and ball joints. Kept his own rabbits. Built his own blacksmith shop cutting the timbers himself.

He loves Gordon Ramsay and taught himself to cook some seriously good dishes. He makes his own charcoal for his forge and to cook with. He's a damn good archer, and now that he's of age is currently building his first AR from parts kits.

He came fave to face with a bear while hunting last year. It came and drank from his coffee cup----while he was holding it. Stayed silent. Was chill. Never even considered shooting the bear.

I am not half the man he already is.

I'm so proud of you that kid. It's a shame he's never had the opportunity to meet many his age. That's been the ONLY downside of this lifestyle. I can picture him being a great Dad, but as of now I don't know if he's ever talked to a girl. When he finally does though I bet she's impressed. He should be able to take his pick when the time comes.

When he was 15, I explained how he was at the perfect age for putting on the type of muscle that sets the tone for the rest of your life. A buddy of mine told him to split wood because he'd get jacked.

Kid put up 10 cord and we didn't even have our wood stove yet. He did it just to do it. Then he sold the wood. Then he bartered for some heavy wooded land so he'd never run out of wood to chop.

If the power goes out, it might take a week before he notices. That's not something I think most kids his age can relate to.

For what it's worth, i went three years deep into getting my BSME before I watched office space and really rethought my desire to finish just to end up in a cubicle. I have never not once used differential equations.

Best gig I ever had was building dump trucks. Make 80k/yr because I could weld and wire and do hydraulics. I've built up a tool collection worth more than my house because I refuse to hire an "expert' to do anything. Empirically acquired man skills get you the things money could buy if you choose other paths but you don't have to suck the corporate cock to get them.

Damn I am totally out of time lol

But yeah. Stuff. Reasons.