Paddleducks
Old Yahoo Group => Yahoo Messages => Topic started by: Tony Frohnhoefer on June 13, 2005, 06:38:39 PM
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Theres been some post lately on this and other list about young people
not getting into modeling. I know there is alot of neat stuff for kids
now. And a piece of wood and some glue is not all that exciting. But
Harry and others encoua\raged me to get my grandson started and see
where it goes. Well I did just that.In fact it took a bit of
persuasion to even get him away from the need for speed video game he
was into on my computer and get started. However as we got to working
together on a small F15 airplane he really got into it. We finished it
and put decals on it etc. He was really excited. And couldn't wait to
show it to his mom. He's only about 7 now so hard to tell but he left
asking if we could get him a little riverboat like I'm building but
smaller.
As a lot of us did I quit modeling while I was busy raising my kids
but the child hood memories of the little sticks and paper us baby
boomers turned into airplanes and stuff when we were kids never left
and as soon as I could I came back to modeling. Maybe he will too. and
start the next generation of modelers.
Tony F
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I was very touched by Tony's story about making the little airplane
model with his grandson..and I'll tell you why.
I never had a Grandpa who would spend time with me making models...as
a kid I LOVED to build them!....my Dad was far too busy in business to
spend more than five minutes at a time with me on my "train
layout"...and the best I got was a trip to the hobby store window on a
Sunday night once a month and an annual visit to London to the Model
Engineering Show! I was fascinated by all the miniature masterpieces I
saw, but had nobody to show me how to build them, and my early efforts
were pretty sorry disasters....I LONGED for JUST ONE ADULT to show me
how to build the kits I spent ALL my "pocket money" on and I certainly
wasn't from an underpriviledged family, quite the OPPOSITE!!!
I also found MOST of the "grown-up" modellers rather stand-offish
and they would often dismiss my eager questions with an impatient
glare which made it pretty clear they didn't have time for a "mere
kid".
When I had three boys of my own, I was determined this woudn't happen
to them....from early on, we did trains, built planes, cars and ships
robots, fantasy figures, visited model shows, displays and museums,
hobby stores, and although sometimes I find it hard to fit it into my
business schedule, I have always managed to find time for the kids in
this way...the LOOK on their faces at the completion of a new model
has made it all worth it...and I find it a great STRESS BUSTER TOO!
>He's only about 7 now so hard to tell but he left asking if we could
>get him a little riverboat like I'm building but smaller. As a lot
>of us did I quit modeling while I was busy raising my kids but the
>child hood memories of the little sticks and paper us baby boomers
>turned into airplanes and stuff when we were kids never left and as
>soon as I could I came back to modeling. Maybe he will too and
>start the next generation of modelers.
> Tony F
I have just spent a very wet, but fun afternoon with two of my boys at
our VMSS R/C sailing Regatta in Victoria this afternoon. They are
both members of our Club and it's a great way of sharing my
time with them...and also TEACHING THEM how to interact respectfully
with adult Club Members. We use our "Junior members" to reach
out to other kids and show them how to use R/C boats and they are
great ambassadors of our hobby to the young generation!
We're very fortunate that our Club in Victoria is very pro active in
reaching out to youth (some pretty neat Grand Dads in THIS club let me
tell you!!!). We have Club boats that youngsters can operate and we
are currently building a fleet of 10 little boom boats (with hulls
supplied by one of our major sponsors http://www.banditboats.com/) and
which kids, their moms and Dads can use during our public displays at
Shopping Malls (we have an excellent mobile indoor pool!). We receive
many requests annually to bring our model boat display and pool to
public functions. All our members are VERY approachable and make a
point of talking and explaining patiently to kids how our boats work!
And WHY? Because, as Club executives we realise exactly what Tony
was refering to....to keep our hobby and Clubs alive, we HAVE to reach
out to youngsters and pull them away from the video games and on to
the kitchen table and maybe out to a pond. And in many ways GRAND DADS
are the Key!!!
You'll find a couple of ideas for paddle wheelers for kids in our
files (or is it bookmarks??) and we are going to be using one of
these formats to prepare "outreach" programs for schools and cadets.
Just an hour's work building little wooden paddlers which can be taken
out to a pond or just in the bathtub... It's ADULTS helping young kids
to discover their own creativity and potential...just in CASE THEY
DON'T HAVE GRANDADS of the own!!!
It's a very satisfying part of the hobby...if you ALLOW IT TO BE!
Thanks Tony and Harry for givng us all a gentle reminder to never
"forget the kids", especially if we want to perpetuate this hobby and
share in some way the pleasure that we've all derived from it.
Modeling CAN be a very introspective and selfish hobby ..but it
doesn't HAVE TO BE!!!
PJ