Never assume everyone knows what you do

Today's lesson is about writing down what you know to share, or showing someone else because you have no idea how much you have learnt over the years that could be useful to those around you.

This lesson came about today when twin 1 came to the town centre with me, and I threw her out of the car to buy the parking ticket for the car park. At 15, I wasn't really expecting her to wail, "How do I use this machine? And which machine is it?" I pointed out that one of the items in question was actually a litter bin....but I was quite surprised, but on reflection, why should she know how to buy a parking ticket? She doesn't drive.

She said, as she climbed back in the car and clutching her prized acquisition, "Cool. They should teach us that sort of stuff in school." Good point actually, you mean they don't?!

The lesson continued after we had arrived back home and twin 2, declaring mass hunger, decided she would make a spam sandwich. But how to open the tin? Just before she mullered the key in riving it off the bottom of the tin, I decided that it would be worth showing her the technique before it was too late. OK, she refused to listen once I had got it started (she is a teenager after all!), but she did finally get into the tin. And repeated, almost word for word, what her sister had said earlier, "They should teach us this sort of stuff in school." (Well, they are twins!)

End result for me - win, win. Twin 1 can buy the parking tickets at future, twin 2 can no longer say she doesn't know how to open a tin of spam/sardines etc, and best of all, I got a sandwich made for me!

So, moral of the story is don't assume everyone knows how to do the things you have learnt to do over the years, and by sharing what you do know with others, you can often find mutual benefits.