Dad Knowledge

The last couple of weekends have been very springlike in Chicagoland. And if you’re a guy of a certain age your thoughts naturally turn towards… getting your yard area ready for those summer get togethers. Clean up the patio furniture, power wash the deck, get out the tiki fountain. And what is the common thread in all these tasks? Getting out the hose and opening up the faucets.

The thing about Chicago winters is that it’s freezing cold. There’s usually a valve inside the house that shuts off the water supply to the faucets so they don’t freeze in the winter and crack the pipes. You either know this or learn it shortly after the first winter freeze here.

The thing about winter/summer temperature extremes here is that they can lead to leaky faucet seals. It’s a slow drip and many folks just let it go. “It only leaks when I turn the faucet on” is the claim. My dad would be very disappointed in those people.

Dad would take apart the faucet, use a bit of plumber’s grease on the seals and then put things back together. Magically, no more leaks. He showed me how our faucet had a reverse threaded nut holding things in place. He was passing along Dad Knowledge.

Dad Knowledge is that arcane bit of understanding that unlocks how something works. Teaching someone how to seal a leak in a faucet will help them when they’re faced with other water tight sealing projects. Maybe a bit of plumber’s grease will help seal the underwater electrical connections for the tiki fountain (it does). Maybe it’s good to know that reverse threading exists when you’re swapping out a vanity (it is).

There are so many things in need of repair in our world that a bit of Dad Knowledge could help. But when Dad Knowledge isn’t passed along, it gets more and more scarce. When fewer people have Dad Knowledge there’s fewer chances to pass it along. More things that could be fixed are thrown out or left as “good enough”.

Don’t hoard that knowledge, pass it along. Take the time to mentor. Help someone along. Lift them up rather than mocking or ridiculing. That’s how the work gets done.