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Daughter's complete lack of interest in RVs!!...

ppilotmike

Well Known Member
Please help!:confused: I've had a real problem getting my daughter interested in our RV-10 project. I feel it's extremely important that she be actively involved so that she will feel a sense of ownership and pride when it's completed. However, it seems that no matter what I do, she just doesn't seem interested.

When I get her into the shop, she can't seem to focus her attention long enough to grasp any of the tasks at hand. When she is interested, it's usually just because she wants to play with the tools, instead of getting any real work done. Once things get a little monotonous, I can tell she isn't paying attention:mad:.

Also, my wife has pretty much given her a free pass by not allowing me to have her deburr anything, "because she's worried she'll get cut.":eek: When we go over the plans, I can almost watch as she falls asleep while I'm talking.

What on earth can I do to get her interested? Doesn't she realize what this project means? Besides, how many young ladies get to build their own airplanes at home. I'm asking the RV community for any help they can provide...

What can I do to get my daughter interested in the build!?

https://picasaweb.google.com/109414440645033591020/AmeliaOnPlans#5692387648607685922:D:D:D
 
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Daughter's RV apathy

Mike,

I feel your pain. My 13 yr old only rolls her eyes when I try to get her involved. It usually requires a bribe and then she helps only begrudglingly.

I was trying to think of some words of wisdom until I looked at your photo. You've got your work cut out for you :D.

Good luck!
 
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The problem is that she clearly knows the project is yours, not hers. She's thinking, "why would I ever need four seats." Just wait until she's a toddler, and her event horizon becomes even shorter (and I'm not even going to mention the eventual distraction of boys entering the picture).

The solution is simple enough: get her a project of her own, so that she builds a sense of personal ownership. She's a little small, so she'd fit nicely into an RV-3. And she looks like a scratch builder anyway.

--
Stephen
 
I too was taken in - good humor

The instruction book looks pretty good - do you also get semistandard drawings with the RV-10? I like the aluminum strip that looks like it is a drill backstop and the icecream sticks. Man are those things valuable - I went through a whole box of 500 during the original build and had to buy a new box from Hobby Lobby as I got into the speed mod program on our RV-6A.

Bob Axsom
 
Beats me!

Is she under warranty? Can you take her back and get a good one?

She should be bucking rivets at this age while she can still get way back in the tail cone.
 
I spent 5 years building my plane not 15 feet & down a flight of stairs away from my wife, son, & daughter. Not once did any of them come down to see what I was doing. When asked, they would come down to help me move something, and my son did buck some rivets for me maybe twice. My wife did 1 rivet.

Good Luck!!
 
You have to get her interested in a boy who likes planes. That will change everything.

Now my Son is really into planes, maybe we could hook them up. Of course, at three years old, all he wants to do is acrobatics. Go figure.

She's a cute one!
 
She will grow with the projects progress!

You may remember that you did not have an airplane to play with at that age, if so you were not as privileged as she will be. That's a good thing!

Build careful, Travel safely and enjoy your many blessings.

Your family, :) :eek: :p

Did I miss anybody?
 
You have to get her interested in a boy who likes planes. That will change everything.

Now my Son is really into planes, maybe we could hook them up. Of course, at three years old, all he wants to do is acrobatics. Go figure.

She's a cute one!

C'mon, Bill...everybody knows long distance relationships don't work. Ya gotta get him a girlfriend closer to home... :D
 
Cute photo.

Don't worry. By the time she is 17 she will still outwardly appear to not be the slightest bit interested, yet will know far more about it and every other topic on earth than you do!

The interest level may dramatically change though, if you can demonstrate that it can transport her to even the most distant parties.

:D

Happy New Year! (We're already in 2012 down under)
 
Looks like she is involved. She makes a great paperweight.... as long as the diaper is dry. ;)

Very cute thread BTW.
 
My prediction is that by the time she is crawling, you won't be able to keep her out of the shop. When my twins were one, I tried to erect a child barrier across the open garage door to keep the toddlers out so I could get some work done, but as they grew older there was no way to keep them out, so I put them to work instead. It has actually turned into a really neat experience for both father and sons.

DSCN4125.JPG


DSCN4364.jpg
 
Andy.. awesome photo !

Mel, she's a cutie.. now if you can get her to rivet before she can walk then you have a talking point !:):)
 
Oops.. Spell check got me.. I meant Mike. Sorry.:(

Welcome, George! No worries on the spell check, it happens to all of us. You did make me do a double-take, as I think Mel's kids are a bit older than that; his grandson just joined the US Air Force! Feel free to start a new thread to introduce yourself. Your history sounds interesting, and we'd all like to know more, especially about that wood homebuilt.

--
Stephen
 
The way to get your kids interested in your project...

I'm just stunned that no one else said this after 2 pages of posts.
If you want your kid to be interested in your RV project and help build it, the one sure way is ......

ABSOLUTELY FORBID them from going near it or having anything to do with it.

Next thing you know they'll have whole skins de-burred, dimpled, and cleco'ed in place, and bucking bar in hand.:D
 
The competition is tough...

The competition with IPhones, Ipods and friends at school is mighty powerful. Our grandkids are living in a different world. We finally up graded to smart phones and learned how to text and what an APP is and feel a little more connected to their world. I may have impressed them with an APP that has a plumb bob and another with a darned good compass.

Build your 10 and enjoy it. If your daughter gets interested, good, if not, don't get too aggravated over it. She will grow up and some day appreciate what you've created.

I've got 4 kids. One of them is a pilot. The other three are into other things, you can not force a young person to be interested in anything they are not interested in.

Take the peaceful path, let her be. You certainly don't want her to grow up with a memory of disconnecting from dad over an airplane project.
 
Mike,

I think she needs to get CLOSER to the project.

I would suggest rolling her up in the schematic book so she
can absorb some of the materials in in.

CAUTION: Make sure she has her protective gear on.:p
 
I think Bill had the right idea. When she gets interested in boys, you can sell her on the idea that her plus an airplane would make a wildly attractive package. Time enough later for her to learn that boys would be intimidated - by that time you should have the aviation hook firmly set. And the custard filling with that donut is that auto-intimidating boys reduces another risk factor for you.;)

On the other hand, the persistent boys will be pilots, so maybe the risk factor goes up... :D
 
Have just a little patience......

You might be a little to anxious, 4 months is when they start to become productive and can actually do something without slobbering all over your project. There is also the likelihood of them messing up your plans if you try too soon (the blowout is unpredictable).
Today, RaNae and I went for a nice ride in the RV-10 and came home and had the girls work on the -12 project.

IMG0828-XL.jpg
 
I love it! Of all the cool things I've seen on VAF this one's my favorite.....of course I have an 8 month old daugther and a tail kit so I'm partial to both...
 
You have to get her interested in a boy who likes planes. That will change everything.

Now my Son is really into planes, maybe we could hook them up. Of course, at three years old, all he wants to do is acrobatics. Go figure.

She's a cute one!

This kind of advice will always work:D
 
Why are you complaining? You don't have to buy a bag of lead shot now.
 
Great Pic

Great Pic, Scott. Glad to see you are doing your part to raise the next generation of builders. That would make a pretty good Christmas/New Year pic, that is if you had Ranae in the picture as well. Congrats on the growing family - of kids as well as airplanes.
 
Thanks for all the advice!

I'm glad you all had a good chuckle. I figured it's a good way to bring in the new year. Happy 2012 to all of my extended "RV" family members. By the way, this is our first child. Her name is Amelia, and I can already tell she'll be a flyer.:)
 
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