Help the kids are taking over my workshop

[Hornbeam]

Both my kids 17 and 13 have decided they want to make something in my workshop so half of my limited time is spent helping them make a jewellery box and some fretsaw animals respectively.
Its great getting them enthused and seeing them progress. It is depressing though how little (nothing) they are taught in school.
The only real downside is that that my sanctuary has been compromised.
Ian

 

[Trevanion]

They don't even let kids LOOK at a handsaw without extreme supervision anymore, It's all CNC machines doing the gratuitous work for you. If they don't get a practical education they won't have a practical aptitude later down the line, in my opinion.

Good on you for letting them in, it's a great thing to share. Or a curse depending on how you look at it

 

[bourbon]

Have you got the room to let them build their own shed? Then you can keep your workshop to yourself

 

[sunnybob]

Play loud classical music, that'll shift the little blighters without you actually pushing them out the door. 8) 8)

 

[topchippyles]

Not even woodwork any more as they just call it Design and technology

 

[sammy.se]

When i was at school (it was called Design Technology) i used a sanding disc, lathe and pillar drill, fret saw... Plus all the hand tools.

My kids don't learn any of that now :-(

But, i teach them and let them use my tools, except routers and circular saws of any kind. Jigsaw is ok.

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[Steve Maskery]

This made me smile.
I don't have children, but years ago when I was married, I did have a nephew who was interested.
A couple of summers he came over and Made Stuff in Uncle Steve's workshop. He did a great job and I enjoyed it too, even though it was exhausting playing at being a parent. He's now a Young Man, making his own way in the world, and I'm sad that we are no longer properly in touch, beyond the odd birthday email.
But inspiring others to be interested in making stuff, whether it is in woodwork or in any other medium, has to be something worthwhile, does it not?
How are you doing, Tim?
Regards
Uncle Steve

 

[thetyreman]

I recon kids would love to know how to make a spoon or anything with a spokeshave

 

[scooby]

This made me smile.
I don't have children, but years ago when I was married, I did have a nephew who was interested.
A couple of summers he came over and Made Stuff in Uncle Steve's workshop. He did a great job and I enjoyed it too, even though it was exhausting playing at being a parent. He's now a Young Man, making his own way in the world, and I'm sad that we are no longer properly in touch, beyond the odd birthday email.
But inspiring others to be interested in making stuff, whether it is in woodwork or in any other medium, has to be something worthwhile, does it not?
How are you doing, Tim?
Regards
Uncle Steve

Call me a soppy old sod, but I hope your nephew sees that message sometime.

I have 2 nephews. One is 11, very tech minded and has no interest in woodworking, the other is only 5 and always is following me into my workshop. His tool 'collection' comprises of an old mallet of mine. He loves it, but its pretty stressful having to monitor what and not he can 'tap' with it. (hammer) I really hope his interest continues as he gets older. I'd love to be able to go tool shopping with him in the future..but I doubt itll happen. More likely I'll be buying him console/pc games, etc...fingers crossed though

 

[AJB Temple]

Well, it's worth making the effort. My eldest is 21 and doing aerospace engineering. He has helped me cut M&T in timber frames, trim and raise, do pegging. He can hang a door, and has laid an oak floor. He ha also change the clutch in his car, replaced the exhaust, fitted a quick changer, replaced the wheels etc.

He's done more at his age than I had at the same edge, largely because he has been with me in the various workshops (and cooked beside me as well with sharp knives) since he was 6.

It is so worth teaching our children to do stuff for themselves.

 

[sammy.se]

Making stuff is magical. It nourishes the soul, and the itch everyone has to create and have something to show at the end of their effort. It's why Lego endures and is so popular with kids of all ages.

We need to show kids how wood is another type of lego, where they can create and innovate and share...

But it's not easy.

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[sammy.se]

Also, teaching kids how to attain mastery through patient perseverance. Learning, Practice, and improvement. All hard to teach in today's culture (instant gratification, celebs for no reason, etc). but i hope i can get them to see things that way.


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[Phil Pascoe]

My lad is 18 in May. When he was three he told my wife off because she didn't know the difference between a coping saw and a hacksaw - now he wouldn't know a chisel from a screwdriver. He has absolutely no interest whatsoever in anything remotely practical ............ in fact he has no interest in anything that doesn't have a screen.

 

[thetyreman]

I don't think it's fair to say all young people are not interested in woodwork, I didn't get into it until I was 30 (three years ago), if I'd have got into it younger I might not have been mature enough to fully understand it and and not had the patience I have now, and even worse given up, it has taught me how to slow down and relax and made me far thoughtful, it can be really good therapy, I think we need it more now than ever as the world gets more fast paced, but equally we need to pass on the skills.

 

[Trevanion]

I don't think it's fair to say all young people are not interested in woodwork.

That's true, there are plenty that are interested in a practical education such as woodworking or metalworking, it's just the really rubbish school system doesn't encourage it at all and pushes the kids down paths that either involve science or computers. I don't care what people will say but some kids just aren't academics in that form, they may not be good at science or mathematics but they could excel at something different like woodworking but would never know due to never having the chance. Even if you do Design & Technology these days it's mostly all nonsense paperwork with about a total of a day or so of actually doing anything productive in a year, the paperwork and nonsense jargon involved is enough to put people off for life, honestly!

I was very fortunate to have the opportunities I had to be able to go do something different rather than be another slave drone behind a computer all day.

 

[Lons]

It's a very long time ago but my first 2 years at grammar school included weekly woodwork classes run by an enthusiastic teacher in a very well equipped workshop, I was then forced to give up the woodwork for Latin which I hated, have never used and can't now remember. A few years after leaving, the woodwork shop was ripped apart, machines and tools given away for peanuts and turned into D&T which produced nothing.

I well remember proudly taking home my projects, oak stool, coffee table, table lamp etc.and those classes helped fuel my passion for woodworking to this day.

 

[woodbloke66]

It's a very long time ago but my first 2 years at grammar school included weekly woodwork classes run by an enthusiastic teacher in a very well equipped workshop, I was then forced to give up the woodwork for Latin which I hated, have never used and can't now remember. A few years after leaving, the woodwork shop was ripped apart, machines and tools given away for peanuts and turned into D&T which produced nothing.

I well remember proudly taking home my projects, oak stool, coffee table, table lamp etc.and those classes helped fuel my passion for woodworking to this day.

That's sadly about par today; I had much the same experiences and can still vividly remember making stuff during the early 60's in our school 'shop and like yours, it was very well equipped, but I didn't have to forgo wood mangling and take up Latin. Strangely and for some unknown reason, the woodwork master's nickname was 'Chisel' - Rob

 

[Lons]

the woodwork master's nickname was 'Chisel' - Rob

:lol: :lol: We called ours "Sharpie" but that was mostly due to his sharp tongue when anyone had the audacity to waste good woodworking time by misbehaving. Never when he was within earshot though, :wink:

 

[Jacob]

Ours actual real name was Charley Pine! The woodwork room had all the kit as supplied when the school was built in 1907, with very few new additions.
There's a big move with the young towards green woodwork - spoon carving, shave horses etc. Back to very basics! Must be good.

 

[Lons]

There's a big move with the young towards green woodwork - spoon carving, shave horses etc. Back to very basics! Must be good.

Haven't seen any of that around here so far but really hope it happens