We have people bring their kids to our space. As long as the parents are cool (and the types who bring their kids to a hacker space generally are) then there is no problem. They don't expect us to be a free babysitter, nor freak out if their kids stub their toe when nobody was looking. It's mostly a "use common sense" situation for us.<br>
<br>Arclight<br><a href="http://shop.23b.org">http://shop.23b.org</a><br><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Jan 24, 2010 at 1:25 PM, Adam D Bachman <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:adam.bachman@gmail.com">adam.bachman@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Just to throw in an anecdote, I had my kids (4, 3, and 0.5) and my wife along at a special workshop this weekend at Baltimore Node (guest starring Mitch Altman! <a href="http://baltimorenode.org/2010/01/next-saturday/" target="_blank">http://baltimorenode.org/2010/01/next-saturday/</a>). They brought along a box of Legos and some books and were in their own world as deeply and almost as long as I was. (and my coffee roaster mods work beautifully, btw)<div>
<br></div><div>We're homeschooling our kids and bringing them out into the world is part of life. Of course they don't do the same things I do but dammit, this is a hackerspace. The 45 year old sitting next to me at the workbench is highly unlikely to be doing the same things I do. We both come to do things that stimulate our minds. Being around passionate people inspires passion in me, and I assume it's reciprocal. I create at my level, she creates at her level.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Age has nothing to do with it.</div><div><br></div><div>I expect to be responsible for my kids because I care about their safety and I care about them not messing with other people's stuff. But, I don't have time for people who oppose children on principle. That's ageism and doesn't make sense. Come in at the same time as my family and get to know them before you lump them in with every other young human on the planet.</div>
<div><br></div><div>As far as the space and official rules and family rates, I'm one of the *very* few members with kids, so we talked about it, but it's just not relevant yet, so no legislation necessary. (again: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. why isn't this in the hackerspace design patterns collection?) <br>
<br></div><div>As long as I've got a key and there's no specific rules or legalities preventing me from bringing my kids, I'm going to bring them and free them to create according to my and their own judgement.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Having written this, I can see that it's a simple decision for me, but also that my own passion for the topic reflected onto the opposite position could create some real flame wars. If you'd like to take it in that direction, I'd be happy to take this off list or perhaps discuss over a beer :)</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>- Adam</div><div><a href="http://adambachman.org" target="_blank">http://adambachman.org</a></div><div><a href="http://baltimorenode.org" target="_blank">http://baltimorenode.org</a></div>
<div><div></div><div class="h5"><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Sun, Jan 24, 2010 at 3:50 PM, Rose White <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:rose@yarnivore.com" target="_blank">rose@yarnivore.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Hi! I'm so happy to hear about experiences with kids at different hackerspaces. I can offer that Matt exclaimed with laughter because, for a few weeks, it seemed like the subject of "kids at NYC Resistor" was going to pull our wonderful hackerspace completely apart in arguments. <br>
<br>Some hackerspaces don't allow anyone under 18, but in San Francisco, the Crucible (<a href="http://thecrucible.org/" target="_blank">http://thecrucible.org/</a>) which teaches *welding* and other dangerous things (like firebreathing! squee!), has classes for kids as young as 12. <br>
<br>Love the stories from syn2cat! Yay kiddos! <br><br>And in the North Bay (near Santa Rosa and Sebastopol), a few of us are trying to set up a small hackerspace that is primarily meant *for* kids/teens. We want to help the kids involved figure out how to self-organize the space, after we give them some guidance to start. <br>
<br>Peace, love, and dreams of the future -- <br><br>-- Rose/yarnivore<div><div></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Jan 24, 2010 at 12:30 PM, Steve Clement <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:steve@localhost.lu" target="_blank">steve@localhost.lu</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----<br>
Hash: SHA1<br>
<div><br>
webmind wrote:<br>
> In reaction to:<br>
> "A topic which I would love to raise at some point in the near future - -<br>
> 'children in hackerspaces'."<br>
<br>
</div>We here at syn2cat do a lot with Kids in and around our HackerSpace.<br>
<br>
The last thing we did was a Soldering workshop with 10-12 year olds and<br>
it was a full success. And guess what, they did burn their fingers and<br>
did not spontaneously combust! FTW!<br>
<br>
We were 3 "supervisors" for 12 Kids. Mostly for convenience so they can<br>
ask us questions and we can properly help.<br>
<br>
The only important thing we had to do is explain the ground rules and<br>
that in case they burn themselves they need to tell us and we'll fix em' up.<br>
<br>
As this was a School Class the "School" Paid for everything which<br>
covered our investments into the Kits etc.<br>
<br>
I guess working with Kids needs a lot of common sense. It comes without<br>
saying that we will NOT let them "fire the Lazor!!" or hand everyone a<br>
chainsaw for the fun of it.<br>
<br>
And yes the younger they are the more they like to draw stuff.<br>
<br>
<br>
I gave one entry-level IT Security course for Kids. And I was overwelmed<br>
by the Fact that there were 20 of them and I wasn't ready yet and they<br>
were impatient so I handed them paper and colors. Then told them to draw<br>
me a Computer Virus and a Computer Worm.<br>
<br>
It was pretty impressive how they interprete these terms ;)<br>
<br>
Anyway, we at syn2cat are available for any help or questions you might<br>
have related to Kids and Hacking.<br>
<br>
Our next bigger project (starting in 3 weeks) is an Electronics workshop<br>
for 12-15 year old girls.<br>
<br>
If anyone has more experience working with Girls (and what they actually<br>
like and enjoy) we would be more than happy to hear more about that on<br>
another Thread.<br>
<br>
cheers,<br>
<br>
Steve<br>
<br>
- --<br>
The Hackerspace in Luxembourg!<br>
syn2cat Hackerspace.lu A.S.B.L.<br>
11, am Hueflach | L-8018 Strassen<br>
<a href="http://www.hackerspace.lu" target="_blank">http://www.hackerspace.lu</a><br>
<a href="mailto:xmpp%3ASteveClement@jabber.hackerspaces.org" target="_blank">xmpp:SteveClement@jabber.hackerspaces.org</a><br>
mailto:<a href="mailto:steve@hackerspace.lu" target="_blank">steve@hackerspace.lu</a><br>
.lu: +352 20 333 55 65<br>
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----<br>
Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux)<br>
Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - <a href="http://enigmail.mozdev.org" target="_blank">http://enigmail.mozdev.org</a><br>
<br>
iEYEARECAAYFAktcrc8ACgkQPSE8bmHRmNWCEwCeKBdvvRkTFIK1TBZu7f6teJTO<br>
pgUAniToyPBcJlx3Zzjch8OpdyB+nqGR<br>
=2hKz<br>
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----<br>
<div><div></div><div>_______________________________________________<br>
Discuss mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org" target="_blank">Discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org</a><br>
<a href="http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss" target="_blank">http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss</a><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br>
</div></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>
Discuss mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org" target="_blank">Discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org</a><br>
<a href="http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss" target="_blank">http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss</a><br>
<br></blockquote></div><br></div>
</div></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>
Discuss mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org">Discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org</a><br>
<a href="http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss" target="_blank">http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss</a><br>
<br></blockquote></div><br>