Passing on the Hook

My daughter crocheting in front of me while I crochet

I learned to crochet long ago, as a girl. My mom helped me pick up some basics, but my grandmother helped me perfect my technique. I even remember my grandfather commenting to my grandmother one time that I might be even faster than she was. And my grandmother was amazing.
While I don't have tons of time to work on crochet projects anymore, I pick up one here and there--a baby blanket or washcloths for teacher gifts or a hat. Things that don't take long, but still give me that release.

Well, this past fall, when I was working on something, my daughter announced she wanted to crochet too. Okay. She's a bit younger than I was when I first really started, but why not? So, I grabbed a ball of cotton yarn and a hook and found an easy pattern for a washcloth. Nothing more than single crochets and chains.
It was rough a few times. When you don't keep count of how many stitches you've done and your rows either get too long or too short, sometimes all those stitches have to be pulled out and redone. But you know what? She caught on fairly quickly!
One day, I looked up from working on a washcloth and she was right there in front of me working on her own (we were making them to give teachers for Christmas gifts). And it was so neat to see her rocking along just a bit slower than I was.
Has she progressed past that first pattern? Not yet. But, the foundation has been laid. The heritage will continue for another generation.
Is crochet something that is vitally  important? Not really. It's nothing compared to the foundation of faith I'm trying to pass to her. But it's still neat to see those traditions continue. Who knows? Maybe someday, I'll be teaching my granddaughter too.
What handicrafts or traditions have been passed down in your family? Have you taught your children to do something your mother/father/grandparent taught you?

My grandmother teaching me to crochet with thread