(July 11, 2012 at 2:24 pm)jonb Wrote: He now knows there is a willing audience for them, what about when he realises he can sell them? and you find yourself the father of a great entrepreneur?

I would feel the same as if he became a homeopathic practitioner, which is to say, bad, because he would be making money selling lies.

(July 11, 2012 at 2:24 pm)jonb Wrote: Also there is no dichotomy between putting the bins out and using your imagination, doing a mundane job is a very good time to switch your imagination on.

Well, I don't care what he does while performing a task, but if he were to NOT take the trash and instead spent any amount of time trying to craft a spell to magic it away to fairy land I would intervene and point out the error in his thinking.

I wouldn't worry about it unless he starts LARPing. Those guy make even me look like the cool kid.

It all seriousness, though, he does sound a bit like I was, and my parents never helped me develop my creativity, which is something I've always regretted. I was going to be a scientist, and that was that. Instead of controlling a kid's course through life, we need to guide them.

Although, I will admit that one of my biggest fears as a parent is walking that fine line between letting my son do what makes him happy and preparing him to function in the real world, i.e, have a good work ethic.

Maybe someday he'll be making videos like this ....









.....that'll show yu .... spells are real!!

(July 11, 2012 at 4:02 pm)Rhizomorph13 Wrote:

(July 11, 2012 at 2:24 pm)jonb Wrote: He now knows there is a willing audience for them, what about when he realises he can sell them? and you find yourself the father of a great entrepreneur?

I would feel the same as if he became a homeopathic practitioner, which is to say, bad, because he would be making money selling lies.

(July 11, 2012 at 2:24 pm)jonb Wrote: Also there is no dichotomy between putting the bins out and using your imagination, doing a mundane job is a very good time to switch your imagination on.

Well, I don't care what he does while performing a task, but if he were to NOT take the trash and instead spent any amount of time trying to craft a spell to magic it away to fairy land I would intervene and point out the error in his thinking.

So the real world is not everything. Morality is more important. Good for you.

Using ones imagination is not about inactivity, in fact work is a very good stimulus not taking the bins out is not taking the bins out and a separate issue.

I can work very hard and also be wasting my time playing with all sorts of fanciful theories.
Advancement has only ever happened when animals have wasted their time trying out something which might or might not work you can only say if it was a waste of time after they tried it out. If he worked out a way to take the bins out more efficiently at no cost more power to his elbow.

PS I don't think your an overbearing father, if you were you wouldn't even mention the conundrum. My problem is you seem to be equating imaginative thought with laziness. Prolonged inactivity actually harms the mind. Using the imagination is a stimulation.

I think this is more a sign you should stop him watching Twighlight at all costs.
It is an awful, awful film. I think I'd rather watch that tape from the ring then risk being exposed again.

(July 11, 2012 at 4:11 pm)Faith No More Wrote: I wouldn't worry about it unless he starts LARPing. Those guy make even me look like the cool kid.

I've always wanted to go LARPing, it looks like a hilarious excuse to smack some geeks with rubber swords.

Seriously, why the fuck don't they do it in the UK.

(July 11, 2012 at 5:10 pm)Napoleon Wrote:

(July 11, 2012 at 4:11 pm)Faith No More Wrote: I wouldn't worry about it unless he starts LARPing. Those guy make even me look like the cool kid.

I've always wanted to go LARPing, it looks like a hilarious excuse to smack some geeks with rubber swords.

Seriously, why the fuck don't they do it in the UK.

They do, in random fields somewhere in the middle of nowhere, according to a couple friends I know that do it. There's a lot of mead drunk apparently.

(July 11, 2012 at 5:14 pm)Tobie Wrote: They do, in random fields somewhere in the middle of nowhere, according to a couple friends I know that do it. There's a lot of mead drunk apparently.

Lol I actually googled it after I posted, turns out they do do it.

I'ma signing me up for a super fun time

As far as LARP'ing goes, I HAVE made some PVC swords and a bo staff and wapped the shit out of the kids. Good times! My wife thinks I'm crazy for playing so hard, but I don't give a shit; they dig it and it beats board games by a mile! I gotta toughen them up somehow and she wouldn't let me get boxing gloves, although I might do that in the near future. I didn't make any fireballs for our games, but have included some nerf guns for ranged attacks.

Jonb, I'm not really sure how you read a false dichotomy into anything I've posted. I always try to strike a balance with my kids, simple enough concept; difficult in practice.

(July 11, 2012 at 5:10 pm)Napoleon Wrote:

(July 11, 2012 at 4:11 pm)Faith No More Wrote: I wouldn't worry about it unless he starts LARPing. Those guy make even me look like the cool kid.

I've always wanted to go LARPing, it looks like a hilarious excuse to smack some geeks with rubber swords.

Seriously, why the fuck don't they do it in the UK.

Hovik used to dress in armor and beat people with rattan weapons. Apparently, it doesn't tickle.