After watching this, I feel like a failure as a father

[MacGyver]

Here's the funny thing about the cardboard box they used for the bus.  Back in January, my wife found a police car that Target had put on clearance after Christmas.  It must have sat on the shelf for a little while, because she got a $500ish dollar electric police car for my son for his birthday for about $75.  It sat in our attic for months until his birthday rolled around.

 

The police car is awesome.  It has lights and sirens, a loudspeaker that works and is motorized. My son loves it.  But, if the girls pull out the school bus while he's in the car, he'll leave the car where it sits and go and get in the bus - which is literally the box his car came in.

 

I'm all about cool projects - especially when you've got your kids working alongside you on something they're interested in.  But, I think that we're also probably pretty susceptible as parents to constantly compare our efforts against the Pintrests and Facebooks of the world instead of the needs of our kids. 

 

I think it's incredibly humbling to look at our kids and see that they're pretty happy with a box or a half a sheet of plywood perched in a tree. We could probably all step back and learn a little bit, there.

[kckndrgn]

That dad is awesome.  Would love to do that for my kids, but lack the time,money and skill set to get it all done.  Wonder how much he'd charge to build me one?

[bersaguy]

That dad is awesome.  Would love to do that for my kids, but lack the time,money and skill set to get it all done.  Wonder how much he'd charge to build me one?

I don't know how much the guy would charge but let me ask you this. Would it have the same meaning if you were able to buy it as it would if you were able to build it? Some things are just not the same...............jmho

[peejman]

Here's the funny thing about the cardboard box they used for the bus.  Back in January, my wife found a police car that Target had put on clearance after Christmas.  It must have sat on the shelf for a little while, because she got a $500ish dollar electric police car for my son for his birthday for about $75.  It sat in our attic for months until his birthday rolled around.

 

The police car is awesome.  It has lights and sirens, a loudspeaker that works and is motorized. My son loves it.  But, if the girls pull out the school bus while he's in the car, he'll leave the car where it sits and go and get in the bus - which is literally the box his car came in.

 

I'm all about cool projects - especially when you've got your kids working alongside you on something they're interested in.  But, I think that we're also probably pretty susceptible as parents to constantly compare our efforts against the Pintrests and Facebooks of the world, and speed WAY too much time doing so, instead of the needs of our kids. 

 

I think it's incredibly humbling to look at our kids and see that they're pretty happy with a box or a half a sheet of plywood perched in a tree. We could probably all step back and learn a little bit, there.

 

Yes. 

[MacGyver]

I'm at least partly who I am today because I had an allowance and a Radio Shack within walking distance when I was a kid.  Seven segment displays, bar graph LEDs, were a big part of my childhood.  And, you can buy a lot of that stuff on a $5 allowance.  Add in the Arduino and Raspberry Pi units that are available today, and the possibilities are truly endless.  Honestly, when I start up the Raspberry Pi out in the garage with the kids, I feel like I'm a kid again right alongside them.

 

I'd argue that any parent today would be well served to buy their kid a $30 Raspberry Pi and a starter book for kids.  Give them that and some space to play, and I expect you'll be surprised by what they come up with.  You might even turn them onto an interest that will feed them one day.

 

Take a look at these project, any of which can be built with your kids for less than $100 and see if you don't see something that would interest you and them:

 

https://learn.adafruit.com/category/raspberry-pi

 

http://www.adafruit.com/category/105

 

http://www.adafruit.com/category/117

[gjohnsoniv]

I'm at least partly who I am today because I had an allowance and a Radio Shack within walking distance when I was a kid.  Seven segment displays, bar graph LEDs, were a big part of my childhood.  And, you can buy a lot of that stuff on a $5 allowance.  Add in the Arduino and Raspberry Pi units that are available today, and the possibilities are truly endless.  Honestly, when I start up the Raspberry Pi out in the garage with the kids, I feel like I'm a kid again right alongside them.

 

I'd argue that any parent today would be well served to buy their kid a $30 Raspberry Pi and a starter book for kids.  Give them that and some space to play, and I expect you'll be surprised by what they come up with.  You might even turn them onto an interest that will feed them one day.

 

Take a look at these project, any of which can be built with your kids for less than $100 and see if you don't see something that would interest you and them:

 

https://learn.adafruit.com/category/raspberry-pi

 

http://www.adafruit.com/category/105

 

http://www.adafruit.com/category/117

Funny that you brought this up.  I've been really looking into this the past couple months to see what all the interest was in it.  It looks like it's an awesome system with a lot of potential.

[Guest kingarmory]

Did the guy borrow those kids?  Can't imagine any hardcore nerd like that actually getting laid :rofl:

[Guest kingarmory]

And it pains me to admit that I could do 90% of that stuff without having to consult a book :yuck:

[MacGyver]

Funny that you brought this up. I've been really looking into this the past couple months to see what all the interest was in it. It looks like it's an awesome system with a lot of potential.

You can basically look at this as a $25 computer that has the horsepower and functionality to allow you to add logic to your projects. They're fun to play with, but they open up an amazing amount of space for creative innovation.

My seven year old and I are about to put together a watering system for our garden that waters based on the moisture content in the soil at different levels. They're a great intro to logic and controls.

I can't wait to see what she comes up with.

[GlockSpock]

You can basically look at this as a $25 computer that has the horsepower and functionality to allow you to add logic to your projects. They're fun to play with, but they open up an amazing amount of space for creative innovation.

My seven year old and I are about to put together a watering system for our garden that waters based on the moisture content in the soil at different levels. They're a great intro to logic and controls.

I can't wait to see what she comes up with.

 

As far as programming them, how difficult is it to do such things that you mention (water project).

[E4 No More]

Let me just say that building crap for your kids is NOT what makes one a stand up dad.

I wouldn't qualify it as just "building crap" for your kid; he clearly threw-in a lot of love to give them something GREAT! Notice, he said the boys helped.

[gjohnsoniv]

As far as programming them, how difficult is it to do such things that you mention (water project).

I think there's a lot of pre written code out there you can use and tweak if you want.

[MacGyver]

As far as programming them, how difficult is it to do such things that you mention (water project).

I like to think my child is a genius, but it's pretty accessible to her, especially working with me.  I personally know two 10 year olds who are using them to do some pretty cool stuff.

 

Adafruit has a bunch a step-by-step tutorials.  Look at a few of their projects and see how that lines up with your skillset.

 

It's never to late to learn - and you guys are young.

[peejman]

Those raspberry pi things are really cool, but my kids are far too screwdriver and hammer oriented for one.  Maybe in a few years.