The best skill you've ever learned

[Coffeeismylife]

I was thinking about this today..... Have narrowed it down to:

1. Learning to read
2. Learning to drive

I'd love to learn something new, or have a new hobby. Would love to hear other people's thoughts!

Overall, this strikes me as a very gender stereotyped list of responses. I wonder what you'd get if you asked men to list the same.

Masking (ND)
Driving
Reading
Swimming
Can jump start a car
Can plan and manage a budget, skilled in income maximisation and wise investing
Breastfeeding
Memorising
Maths skills
Can ski and ride a horse

Climbing trees
Opening beer bottles without an opener
Starting a fire
Gutting a fish
Being able to ID many wild plants
Servicing and repairing a bicycle
Fishing
Basic DIY, no electrics though
Sewing and knitting and made own clothes when young
Flat pack furniture, have also restored furniture
Stitching people up and removing stitches and giving injections( I did work in a medical field I don’t just stitch and inject random people)

I have just realised I would make quite a decent survivalist in an apocalypse.

@Goawayangryman maybe gender stereotype lists but to some extent skills are related to our sex e.g. breastfeeding. Others are probably more stereotype e.g. sewing. There are plenty of skills listed that would be considered male stereotype e.g. opening beer bottle without an opener. It would be interesting to see a similar question asked to men I agree.

There is a question for me too - what is a skill? Is it something learnt or something you happen to be good at.

I saw an interesting program years ago where they took people and ran them through a series of tests to identify hidden skills. The ones I remember were ability to pick up languages and orientation (ability to read maps and navigate through unfamiliar terrain). It was very interesting. I remember one woman who had the orientation skill identified was taken somewhere to test her skills and yes she had an unusual ability. She was completely unaware that she had this ability. Another chap who had an unusual ability to learn languages was too totally unaware. The program arranged for him to learn various languages and he was impressive.

sickofturkey

Would love to learn to swim !

That could be very useful if you fall in the sheep dip tank!

How old are people saying touch typing? I'm mid 30s and I never had to consciously learn to touch type any more than I consciously learned to walk. MSN Messenger took care of that. I reckon it would be a complete waste of time teaching touch typing in school. You just learn it by yourself when you type a lot from a young age (from about 11/12 in my case but I'm old enough to remember dial up internet so the kids these days probably learn earlier).

Touch typing. Grateful for it every day.

I’m 47.

I can touch type but I am in awe of how the young people who text with two thumbs. I can't for some reason. They are so fast.

It's probably around my age that you get that split between people who had to learn touch typing and people who just picked it up without thinking. Still a vital skill either way for anyone working on computers.

I'm not a lightning fast texter and not very good at typing on a smart phone though. Younger people are better than me at those. Though I'm significantly faster than my parents. I suppose the earlier you start practising anything the easier it comes - children are such amazing learners.

Learning english language (english is my second language). It gave me opportunity to work and live in the UK and I am so grateful for that.

I learned to touch type in my late 40s. I didn't even see a computer in real life until I was 18.

Sorry to jump in... can anyone recommend a touch typing course please? It's something I'd love to be able to do! tia

My friend was told to use Mavis Beaton - he's dyslexic - sit is not available free.

Can I add some more?
After having DC with respectively very broad and very narrow feet, I've learnt how to check the fit of shoes.
Horse riding - I love horses.
I also know my way around an old-fashioned petrol engine (that isn't covered with all sorts of cowls and heat shields).
Sewing - I made my own DCs christening robe, bonnet and knickers. I can also knock up most things on a sewing machine, but have never tackled curtains due to their size. (Came in handy over covid when I made triple layer fabric masks with a filter pocket in.) I also altered DCs clothing including a skirt which needed more darts and the waistband adjusted - and it was made of a heavy stretch fabric so not forgiving.
I can do most DIY tasks and have hung kitchen cabinets, completely redecorated houses, fitted new light fittings and more. I learnt these skills because when I was married, then H was bloody useless and made a huge fuss over everything, accompanied by swearing. (I've now christened him Mr Bodge it and Bash it in my head. )
I remade my back garden after a fence came down in a storm and I had it moved (and had to double dig and remove tons of bindweed root).
Sadly, I can't tackle some of the jobs anymore as I have fibromyalgia and it either hurts too much or takes too long to be realistic.

Learning to swim as a child.

Just talked about this with student ds today as I was machine sewing something. He was quite envious of this and the fact that we learned hand sewing, knitting, crochet, weaving, cross stitch in school.

Driving a powerboat
First aid
Reading micro expressions
Speed reading
Making people laugh
Making a baby go to sleep

I agree with...

• driving
• touch typing - learnt 25 years ago during my gap year, using typing 'games'
• simple mending - sewing kids badges, hems, holes, buttons
• swimming - life skill

Skills I have that are useful...

• Every day maths confidence (budgeting, percentages, interest)
• Good sense of direction/map reading skills

When you are spitting with anger slow right down and speak very quietly.

Being able to get by in France speaking and understanding.

I taught myself to do the proper loud thumb and first finger in the mouth whistle very useful when trying to signal children on the beach/express joy at festivals etc

Can light a fire with sticks (not that useful)

Can milk a goat or cow

Can make a stone tool (see above for useful in the zombie apocalypse)

Basic sailing skills of small boat with one sail

Swim/Drive/ride

.

Reading
Swimming
Driving

Bit actually I'm going to go with massage. I did a course at university and it is so useful. Even when my teenagers are angry with me, they will sit down for a shoulder rub and I can get them to talk to me while I work out shoulder knots.