Hey mister........

[Jantrix]

So yesterday I'm perusing aisles at Michaels that might not normally see a lot of traffic of the male variety and I hear this voice.

"Hey mister!"

I look down to see a young man about 13 years old. "What's up?", I replied.

"What are you doing looking at this stuff for? It's for girls!"

I smiled at him and said, "Yes I know, but beads also have other uses, that guys might like."

He looks at me rather dubiously so I began to explain to him all the cool uses we modelers have found for a variety of things in the bead aisle.

After five minutes, he says, "Okay man, whatever." and walks off.

Ya know..........................I don't think he believed me.

[charlie8575]

This, sadly, is another illustration of how we, through over-standardization and poor child-rearing practices, have managed to breed every last bit of imagination and thought out of most of our youth.

While I can hope (?) that this was simply a case of snarky 8th-grader striking, I fear, based on professional experiences and doing some volunteer work with youth in De Molay and Rainbow, that this young man was far too representative of the broad cross-section of today's junior/senior high school kid.

We're in trouble.

Charlie Larkin

[blunc]

it's the playstation generation...

[jamesG]

mike, don't blame the video games but the parents who stick their kids in a room with them insted of theching how to use their heads for something besides a hat rack.

[Dr. Cranky]

Parents (the everyone must be a winner type), schools (expensive daycare for the kids) and society (cheaper-faster) are all responsible for this, I guess, and it's never going to get better, so it goes . . .

[tubbs]

it's an instant gradification world. nobody has the patience for anything anymore.

[David G.]

The good news is, you can't miss something you never had.

The bad news is, those who want us to just "shut-up and buy things" are winning.

David G.

[heatride]

Rob when I was that age a hundred years ago if I would have been crazy enough to talk to a adult like that ,

after you whipped me then brought me to my parents and they would have whipped me .

[VW Dave]

My question is.....what was the kid doing in that aisle prior to his comments?

[Deathgoblin]

Actually, I know some guys who bead. And I use a lot of stuff out of the beading aisle as well. Some of their wireworking tools are better than you can get anywhere else.

[rel14]

if it doesn't have buttons, or a video screen, forget it,,,

[Lunajammer]

In some ways I find the dialogue refreshing. "Out of the mouths of babes" and all that. Manners aside, he put it out there, asked, listened to the answer then made a judgement. Grown ups would have just politely kept to themselves and assumed the worst of you.

Edited July 25, 2012 by Lunajammer

[91blaze]

I'm ashamed to be considered part of the "playstation generation" when I see things like this. I do like to play video games occasionally, but I've never really been one for "instant gratification". I've always liked making my own things rather than buying them and I respect others, that's just how I was raised. Many parents these days are ill-equipped to raise children, which results in bratty kids who have no respect.

[Bartster]

That's funny & cute enough for me!

[Jantrix]

My question is.....what was the kid doing in that aisle prior to his comments?

I was at the end of the aisle and his female parental unit was looking at something along the wall. The entire time he was speaking to me, she never batted an eye.

In some ways I find the dialogue refreshing. "Out of the mouths of babes" and all that. Manners aside, he put it out there, asked, listened to the answer then made a judgement. Grown ups would have just politely kept to themselves and assumed the worst of you.

This is very true. He wasn't using a rude or petulant tone of voice, just questioning something he thought odd. I shared it because I just thought it was kinda cute.

[signguy2108]

I remember a time when kids rode bicycles, played hide & go seek, and actually helped mow the yard!

[Guest Johnny]

So yesterday I'm perusing aisles at Michaels that might not normally see a lot of traffic of the male variety and I hear this voice.

"Hey mister!"

I look down to see a young man about 13 years old. "What's up?", I replied.

"What are you doing looking at this stuff for? It's for girls!"

I smiled at him and said, "Yes I know, but beads also have other uses, that guys might like."

He looks at me rather dubiously so I began to explain to him all the cool uses we modelers have found for a variety of things in the bead aisle.

After five minutes, he says, "Okay man, whatever." and walks off.

Ya know..........................I don't think he believed me.

So just what was you doing in that aisle???

[Jantrix]

So just what was you doing in that aisle???

Looking for cone shaped beads to use making megaphone headers.

[sjordan2]

A generalization, but one that I have lived...

I'm a Baby Boomer, raised by people who had lived through the deprivation of Depression and war, and wanted to give their children a better life. As a result, I became part of the most coddled generation to date, swimming in the '50s growth of the economy where more people had access to the American Dream, and the middle class mushroomed in size. Unfortunately, we also became the worst, laziest parents in generations and passed it along to our children, who passed their laziness and random values to their children. To judge the children, of course, look at the parents. The scary part is, today's children will be tomorrow's parents.

I'm lucky that I've had a wonderful family and raised an awesome daughter with a great personality who never - (really, never) - created any kind of problem, and is now a successful engineer.

There are certainly some great parents out there. And there are plenty of people who never had access to the American Dream and have to raise their children in bad environments. They have their own multitude of challenges, but I guess that's something for sociology textbooks.

Edited July 25, 2012 by sjordan2

[58 Impala]

I'm also a baby boomer and grew up in a strict household. My parents raised me to be polite and respectful, I was also taught by my father and grandfather patience and how to do things and work with my hands. I was also taught self reliance and not social dependence. My wife was also raised in a similar household.And I'm proud to say we have raised our son with same principles and to be a hard working,ambitious and a self reliant individual. He was a well behaved child,did well in school and just recently graduated college with two bachelor degrees. Yes he enjoys playing video games and loves technology, but I also taught him to work with his hands. I have taught him how to build car models (of course), also how to work on 1:1 cars and a little bit of woodworking thrown in. He just got married a wonderful woman with like disciplines, so I think they will pass the same things on to their children.

My father showed me how to build car models, I showed my son and hopefully he will pass the hobby on to a future grandson (with a little help from me of course )

Edited July 25, 2012 by 58 Impala

[Steven Zimmerman]

My father showed me how to use a hammer, saw, level, miter box, shovel...I remember spending one entire summer when I was fifteen, pulling used nails out of boards and hammering them straight again, so they could be reused ( Dad was a Minister; we were rebuilding a church.) We were the only kids in town who had tongue and groove flooring, tilt out windows, screen door, and two sets of bunkbeds in our TREEHOUSE !....POINT being, he taught us skills I use to this day, and I think that is reflected in my modelling....Hand a teen ager a level today, and see their reaction...HUH ??!.....

[zenrat]

Kid needs a clip round the ear.

[southpier]

was his mother hot?

[wrecker388]

Well, at least i`m not one of those kids. Kinda can't be. My Xbox blew up. Oh well

[wrecker388]

Truly, i never even paid for my Xbox , it was given to me when it blew up the 1st time, and my Dad and I fixed it(i kinda just watched,but oh well)