Wow. How disempowering of your sister to take away the tools of everyday life. I have a son (4) and a daughter (8 weeks), and not only does my wife want them both to know how to use tools (even "dangerous" ones like knives) she expects me to teach both of them wilderness skills, including hunting and fishing. My son has a flashlight of his own and he and I both have climbing harnesses, with which we do things like scale antenna towers and practice rope rescue techniques. My son can name and tie a figure 8 knot a figure 8 on a bight, a square knot and a clove hitch. He knows how to use a knife safely and with supervision can build a campfire. These skills are not for boys only. Any woman can benefit from the empowerment and self-confidence that comes with being able to DO STUFF FOR HERSELF.

Your sister is on a path towards great rebellion as her daughter grows she will find ways to discover her autonomy that will certainly be problematic for someone who thinks a knife is trouble.

I think some folks have been totally freaked out bu the media ruckus about the "explosion of violence" in the schools and such. The truth is that crime is at the lowest levels since the 1950's (in the US, that is) and the media needs to stir "stuff" up to make the papers sell and the news "interesting".

My sister usually goes out for a night on the town with little more than a compact, lipstick, drivers' license, and credit card.

She worked as a model before getting married, and whatever she needed others provided for her. She didn't want to look like a geek -- like me in other words -- and she needed to fit in with the rest of the girls.

Now whenever she goes out, if she needs something, her husband provides it for her. Her husband, one of the nicest guys in the world, is much the same way. He'll go on trips with not much more than a bit of cash, a driver's license, and a credit card. He dislikes having things in his pockets. He doesn't even like carrying spare change.

Me, I have so much in my pockets that should I ever fall into a body of water, I'm sinking straight down to the bottom, and unless I take my pants off down there, I won't be rising back to the surface!

The funny thing is, my brother-in-law, who never carries pocketknives, let along flashlights, bought for me as a gift a beautiful handmade folding pocketknife. It is a genuine collector's item. He's got style. I guess he doesn't need gadgets.

Me, I have no style, so I need plenty of tools to make up for it!

Ha ha. Who is it that posts on this board who has the signature line, "In the end, all you have left is style"? I was always amused by that.

I wonder where I can buy style online. Grin.

It'll cost ya! - If it was cheap it wouldn't be stylish!