According to their website, Habitat for Humanity allows volunteers as young as 16 to work on homes. I imagine kids would have an easier entree if their parents were regular volunteers. Seems inappropriate to try and spring a completely inexperienced 16 y.o. on a group of other volunteers.
Just an FYI for those with older kids.
We went the Montessori route as well, but it's a battle to stay on track. I was very gung ho when the kids were young but then slacked off. Although it's only now (at ages 8 and 9) that they are physically capable of doing many things.
I do think that it is much harder to raise a physically competant child than it was a generation ago. We are more automobile dependent, children may not be allowed to navigate public transportation on their own, adults outsource more physical tasks...
I've worked on a few Habitat builds and it was a great experience. I will continue to do so. I would love to have a garden, but I think that will have to wait a few years. Don't know if my kids will ever learn to work on a car because I don't know how and community college classes usually have minimum ages. We will likely be moving to a smaller home in the near future and I think that in a more manageble place the kids will be able to contribute a much greater portion of the work needed to run a household. Haven't given it much thought for my family, but attending classes and training a dog can also be a great instiller of competance.
Taking part in any aspect of the food prep cycle is a huge one. I am doing an adequate at best job in that area. I would love to hear from those who have their kids very involved in gardening, food shopping, cooking, clean up, etc.
