The two most important lessons I've learned from this forum and site are:<br><br>1. Your brain is your most important survival tool<br><br>2. Practice, practice, practice.<br><br>I had carried a MFS in my fanny pack for about two years, but I never tried starting a fire with it. I did try to make sparks with it and learned that the tiny pocket knife I toss in as a spare wouldn't make sparks. That discovery alone during a true survivial situation could have been life threatening. <br><br>Anyway, after finding this site last winter, I wised up and actually put the skills o test during a family campout. I was actually surprised on how easy it was to make a fire if you are properly prepared. But it's still a skill that one should practice. I also had my children try it. My oldest, a Boy Scout, managed to get the fire going with a little work (he didn't have enough kindling to keep the flame alive, a common mistake all young scouts make). My younger children needed my assistence to get the fire going. But I will have them try again this camping season so they eventually will learn the skill.<br><br>I'm planning on making one weekend a "Survival" weekend for my younger children. No, I'm not going to turn them loose in the wilderness. We are going to play-act what they should do if they ever get lost. We'll review the contents of their kits and practice how and when to use each item.<br><br>That way, just like adults, they won't have to learn those survival skills in a survival situation and they can focus theur brain power on other tasks, like thinking, observing & planning.