Remember when you were a kid, and it seemed like your dad could do anything? Catch a fish, build a playhouse, fix a broken toy, even cook dinner… sort of. 

As we get older, we start to understand our fathers are not invincible, mythical figures. They’re ordinary folks, just like the rest of us. But we never lose our desire to grow up to be the kind of guy who can do all the important man-stuff that our dads could do.

These 101 skills are a good place to start. These are things every man should know. Master them. After all, you might just have kids of your own someday, and you’ll want them to think you can do anything. 

1. How To Build a Fire

There was a time when if a man didn’t know how to build a fire, he would die. Think about that next time you’re roasting marshmallows. You may not rely on fire for survival, but you can still take a page from our caveman forefathers. Being able to gather tinder and kindling and use it to get a fire going is an essential skill. You should be able to do it with one match (or better yet, without matches). 

2. How To Change a Lightbulb

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How many men does it take to change a light bulb? The correct answer is one. That means you also need to learn to take the globe off your ceiling light fixture, which is actually the hardest part, but I have faith in you. 

3. How To Tie a Necktie

One thing every guy needs to know is how to look sharp when he has to. That means you need to wear a tie sometimes, and if you’re over the age of 12, then it’s no longer acceptable to wear a clip-on or ask your mom to tie your tie for you. There are a few different necktie knots – the four-in-hand knot is arguably the simplest – and once you learn, it’s like riding a bike. 

4. How To Parallel Park

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Don’t be the guy who holds up traffic backing up, pulling forward, and making multiple attempts to squeeze into a space. Some of us parallel park exactly one time, to pass our drivers’ tests, and then never do it again. If that sounds like you, then you should probably brush up on your skills.