The Heilein Maneuver Program & Categories

My goal is to create a Heinlein Maneuver Program for young men. The program should be achievable in four years (high school) with actual quantifiable achievements (i.e. you really can change a diaper).

To that end I have reviewed Heilein’s Quote, the Popular Mechanics article 25 Skills Every Man Should Know and the book 30 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do Before Turning 30 by Siobhan Adcock as well as spent a number of “thinking room” moments pondering.

With this "exhaustive research", I have developed 20 categories of skills and/or knowledge that form the foundation for the Heinlein Maneuver Program.

The Heinlein Maneuver Categories

1) Automobile
2) Citizenship
3) Dress & Clothing
4) Ethics
5) Fathering
6) First Aid
7) Fitness & Exercise
8) Food & Nutrition
9) Foundational Knowledge
10) Health & Hygiene
11) Home & House
12) Husbandry
13) Leadership
14) Management & Analysis
15) Manners & Etiquette
16) Money & Finances
17) Savoir-faire
18) Spirituality & Self-Reflection
19) Survival
20) Water Safety

I think most things can be indexed into one of these categories. I am going to take the next month or two and flesh out each category via posts. My hope is that the Heinlein Maneuver Program have about 100 skills/knowledge elements.

From the Blogosphere: Real Men

There has been a recent spate of things written here, there and everywhere about real boys and real men. It is a reaction to the feminization of the male that has infected American culture. These days boys are to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD and drugged into stupor and men are to be taught to cry in public at the whim of any female. Violence of any kind is to be roundly condemned and we are told that the only thing worth studying in college is Peace Studies with a minor in Lesbian Poetry.

Real men—military guys, cowboys, meat eaters, gun owners and whiskey drinkers—are to be substituted with metrosexual-men—queer eyes for straight guys, public pouters, vegetarians, Chablis drinkers, lisping and swishy sorts and Oprah watchers. READ FULL POST

From the Blog: The Return of Scipio

Heinlein Skill #1: How to Change a Diaper

This task seems to make everyone's list of essential skills. It is one that most guys go through great lengths to avoid. My wife on the other hand states that she loves "changing infant's poopy diapers". Whether you love it or try to avoid it, you better know how to do it.

My GOTO site, About.com offers some advice in the article How to Change a Diaper, while BabyCenter.com's Diapering Guide provides step-by-step instructions with pictures!

My favorite is A Diaper Changing Primer for New Fathers by Ron Harper. Harper approaches it from a man's perspective and keeps it light.

Explore and get this one under your belt.

What constitutes a minimum vocabulary?

What words or minimum vocabulary should be mastered by everyone?

The editors of the American Heritage® dictionaries have compiled the 100 Words Series of books. The books include titles such as, 100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know and 100 Words to Make You Sound Smart.

Speaking about 100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know:

"The words we suggest," says senior editor Steven Kleinedler, "are not meant to be exhaustive but are a benchmark against which graduates and their parents can measure themselves. If you are able to use these words correctly, you are likely to have a superior command of the language."

Periodically, H-M will offer words from the lists (and some of my own), one at a time as: H-M Vocabulary.

What All Young Adults Should Know...

My first offering comes from Safer Child, Inc. This Spokan, WA nonprofit has a vision of a world in which every child is loved, well cared for and encouraged to grow up into a happy, well-adjusted adult. Starting and ending with "That their parents love and respect them", Safer Child offers a list of What All Young Adults Should Know.

The focus is on the love, peacefullness and appreciation of the people and environment around you.

I think a good start to the Heinlein Maneuver(H-M). Maybe, in the future we can return to this an explore individual items on the list.