My father is long gone, and I am 63, but model trains helped keep me out of trouble when I was a teen.
My father was a long time "holiday" HO modeler, but when I was 10 and we moved into a house with a basement, he built a pretty good sized layout (two 5x9 platforms in an L shape) and before long handed control over to me.
By age 14 I was working in the local hobby shop, at age 15 I was a member of the Severna Park Model Railroad Club, by age 20 I was married, and managing the train department in a different hobby shop.
Trains kept me out of all kinds of trouble except for this convertible and the blonde.
At age 19 I hot rodded and restored the convertible and married the blonde. The car was fast....... I drove the car for eight years, and kept the blonde for 17 years.......
I thank my father every day for all the great stuff he taught me.
Sheldon
BigDaddy "I made him listen to classical music"
All three of my girls listen to classical music while they hobby/craft, because that is what we lisened to while they did homework.
Yup... I made them!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
My son remembers that every vacation started with a trip to the airport at 0'dark 30
He also remembers, which I did not, that I was into classical music at the time, and Baltimore used to have a great FM classical station, and "I made him listen to classical music"
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Thomas .... Thanks for shring your wonderful story !
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
My son was into video games. Pac Man and the early Space invaders.
He was really into it and spent a lot of time playing the games. I told him once that he should find something constructive to do, that he would never make a living playing games.
He dabbled with karate and pulled an oar in crew at college.
Today he works for Microsoft, a producer of video games and a programmer.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
Great story Thomas.
For my kid it was hockey. Usually four days a week.
If your kid is sitting in front of the TV he/she needs a hobby. MRR is a good choice if they are interested, mine was not. Spending four days a week at the rink was the best quality time. My son is now 22 and the last time he went to play he said come on Dad, going to hockey is not the same without you. Melted my heart.
Having him involved with hockey saw him become involved with sledge hockey for wounded warriors and disabled persons as well as introducing hockey to troubled youth. No time for TV for this kid.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
That's a great story, and not something you'd learn from a "how to raise your children" book!
We have two sons in their early 20's. A few years back they asked me "What's the point of the model train running around the Chistmas Tree?" I tried to explain that in my generation, an electric train was THE Christmas gift, and a rite of passage, indicating that you were old enough to take care of an expensive toy.
"Oh" they responded, never looking up from their iPhones!
Jim
I live in fla & my son lives in NEW HAMPSHIRE. the other day we were facetiming & we were talking about how i raised him, out of the blue
he says " you know what kept me out of trouble growing up during the high school years " the fact that i kept him so busy with model railroading & layout building he didnt have time or want to do drugs or booze.
as a dad i was blown away & happy that he told me
i know you guys have similar stories