Daughter gloat

[Glen]

It's that time of year again when my daughter, age 12, starts her science fair project, which means I usually get to help make the display case, the box or something. She has some good ideas this time, but she needs two boxes, about 20/16/4 to hold her ideas. Well, yesterday it was just the two of us (SWMBO had some other duties) in the shop. This year she wanted to do all the building. I told her other than the table saw that would be OK. (She's on the short side and the reach would be, IMNSHO, too dangerous.) With daddy hovering over her shoulder she jointed the boards, ran them through the planer, used the router table to cut rabbets and grooves, applied the glue and clamped them up (although this time I provided the extra hands to hold the clamps as she tightened them, usually this was reversed).

If I may brag (try to stop me, dammit!) she did a great job. All those years helping me paid off, she actually was watching, not just hanging out in the shop. Her two boxes, although not yet finished, look very good. I reminded her to check for square and one was dead on, and the other, with some help from some corner Besseys, needed a bit of tweaking. I'll post on abpw when she's done.

Secondary gloat - she took first place either in her school or in her school district in the sci. fair for four years running. This is her first year in junior high, so she hopes to keep the streak alive. As far as I am concerned the time we spent together yesterday already made her a winner!

Brag mode off, Glen

[George]

Great to have the kids in the shop, isn't it? Especially with daughters, who too soon find some guy they'd rather spend time with than dad.

Kids at school use the tablesaw only when they can clear a board past the blade without touching the table (~5'5").

This year she wanted to do

[Mike Alexander]

Sounds to me like you may have both been the winners yesterday. ...Mike

[mel]

I'm blessed with two daughters myself ages 12(almost 13) and 10. You are a brave man. Every time I consider letting my oldest use a tool I remember this is the one that ran her bike into a parked car breaking her nose. Scares the heck out of me to let her use even the simplest tools. I know I need to get over this.

[George M. Kazaka]

My Daughter grew up around the shop and me allways doing work around the house, It takes a certain knack to be able to go afrer a two year old after she picks up a sharp chisel and start running away from because she knows you need it and you got to chase her to get it, Never held my breath so long in my life.

She went on the roof one day when i went in to get a bite to eat and left the Ladder on the side of the house Another Breath holder she was maybe 3

Now 24 almost thru with nursing school and miss those times more that one can know. So Glen trust me when i say You are a very rich man and you can Gloat away al you want. Now get your damn feet on the floor and stop floating

[Swingman]

Sounds like my oldest (now 30). She could pluck a duck, skin a squirrel, filet a fish as fast as I could, or fetch a downed dove or quail better than the dog. The youngest (now 18) told me in no uncertain terms when she was about nine - "Daddy, I'm just NOT a country girl!".

The latter, however, is the one who designed and built her own bedside table ... go figure.

[RKON]

Your a GREAT Dad. You are teaching your daughter among other things confidence and self esteem. I too have my 11 year old daughter helping me build my dream workshop. She loves the time in the shop and is always asking me when we are going to work in there. We're almost to the point where we can buy the equipment to fill the shop and start generating saw dust.

Enjoy the time because as any dad on the Wreck will tell you they grow up fast !!

May you and your family have Health, Happiness, Prosperity, and plenty of Saw Dust in the New Year.

Rich

[Silvan]

You need to get over that. :)

[Silvan]

Nice tale. I wish my own daughter took more of an interest in what I do. She's Mommy's little girl. Barbie dolls and stuff. I have tried, but there's just no interest there. My shop can't hold her attention for more than five minutes.

[Larry C in Auburn, WA]

Take it slowly, but you've got to do it. People don't grow up and suddenly wake up with new skills. She'll never learn to avoid parked cars unless she keeps riding her bike and she'll never be able to run a table saw unless she can run a cordless drill and she won't be able to do that until she can use a screwdriver and ... baby steps, but you've got to do it. Both for her and for yourself. You won't get another chance with her so take it now! Today!! I said now, instead of reading this post, can't you take a hint???

[Swingman]

Based on my own experience, you may never "get over it". I never worried too much about my oldest daughter coming to any harm. The youngest has been constantly in my "worry conscious" since the day she was born ... SWMBO feels the same way.

I am starting to think it is nature's way of letting us know which ones need the most protection.

[George M. Kazaka]

Need not to worry Mike, she will still make your eyes water, your heart skip beats and then pound out of your chest and your head to swell to twice its normal size, She will do this unknowlingly and in her own time and her own way. You will have no doubt in your mind when that happens George

[Larry C in Auburn, WA]

You've got to find the "what's in it for me" from her perspective. Perhaps a simple box to hold some Barbie's, then a bigger one, then something else, pretty soon you might have her hooked. Or not. Get her excited about wanting something the two of you could make then you let her know that she'll have to help. I have no doubt she'll be there in a minute. Get her to design the size of it then mark out the boards, you can cut them, she can spread the glue, etc.

[George M. Kazaka]

You Are right Always trust those instincts they are always right Isn't it Scary

[Thomas Kendrick]

[Silvan]

Not bad thoughts. Maybe build a doll house or something...

[The Guy]

One of my brothers had a similar quandary with his two daughters. He started them out building bird houses. The first batch of bird houses were "pre fabbed". All the girls had to do was to squirt some glue and drive a few nails into pre drilled holes. Decorating the houses was more of a project and more messy than the actual assembly.

Later he progressed to teaching them to use hand saws, tri squares and block planes. That took care of the next series of bird houses.

As it stands now, the older girl lost interest in wood working while the younger one is a dedicated wood shop helper.

At last count, the girls still had ten fingers each. :)

Tim

[Silvan]

Interesting. I did something like that with the boy already, but I didn't think of doing the same with her. I guess I'm a sexist after all. Bad Daddy!

Bird houses it is. I still have a kit or two laying around from days of yore.