[WWI] Kids and kits

[J.R. Boye]

      I tried hard to get my son (and even my daughter) into the model hobby. I spent quality time at this, and coached him and praised his work. I let him spray camouflage and use knives. I took him to an IPMS meeting or two which he enjoyed. One time, the model he brought won him a junior prize, and a pick of the kit box (he grabbed the biggest, an F-16 in 1/32).
      But he never caught the bug. I kept at my models, and people bought him interesting kits over the years, but it didn't take. He went through scouts and did a number of craft projects which he wasn't bad at, but that was the extent of it.
     Yeah, video games are definitely a factor-he did get into that. I tried out some of these, too, but I just didn't see the point. For me, there is simply something about the 3-D object that the 2-D world can't satisfy.
       All of my friends had models too- usually a number of them. My brother and I built all kinds-airplanes, but also ships, cars, monsters, trains, dinosaurs-just everything. 
        I work with kids regularly, and it is so rare to find one with a curiosity about his world, let alone history. The "inner world" is just so tempting and addictive it seems.

                                             J.R. Boye


  P.S. - I think Dennis' "Tech Support" (I've had the pleasure of meeting her, and she is nice) actually does half of the model building. Notice how helpless he seems to be without her? We need to see video next time :-)
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