DiyLightAnimation

Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: rrowan on December 15, 2011,

Title: You just got to love your older children
Post by: rrowan on December 15, 2011,
Just a little rant (Sorry)

My two older boys (22, 18 yrs old) are complaining about my light show. They give me comments like " well I didn't get blinded this time" or as we get near the house "I feel a migraine coming on". Nice huh? btw they did nothing to help put the display up it was me 100%

rant over

Continue on nothing to see here  ;)

Rick R.
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: mmulvenna on December 15, 2011,
But the older they get the "smarter you get"......................
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: rimist on December 15, 2011,
They want to help when they are too young, and the older and more capable they become the less willing and more sarcastic they are.
It's sad.

My first outside Christmas lights I had as a kid were given to me by a family friend when I was thirteen. I guess that began my addiction. A few strands of C9 bulbs, that have led to the thousands I have today.
Back then I would have loved to get my parents to help.

Now, my wife and I tell the kids no decorating, no Santa.

-Rimist
(http://www.vixenlights.com/sig/sig_h.php/20/20.gif)
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: inzeos on December 15, 2011,
Explain to them the show needs to expand next year.  So you will be charging them both rent, which may be discountable by forced labor ;)
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: chrisatpsu on December 15, 2011,
my daughter is going to be 2 in january. it's mid december, and she already wants to help with tear down    :-\
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on December 15, 2011,
 <la..
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my daughter is going to be 2 in january. it's mid december, and she already wants to help with tear down    :-\
now that's what I call a great way to get the family involved.lmho
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: rimist on December 15, 2011,
My daughter just turned five. She has told her teacher what she wanted written in her letter to Santa, and the teacher was both impressed because she not only listed things for herself, but also her brothers and my wife and I, but also a little confused, because she said "Daddy needs more lights" :D

-Rimist
(http://www.vixenlights.com/sig/sig_h.php/20/20.gif)
if I built everything I had parts for, that'd say 396 channels
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: kgustafson on December 15, 2011,
I am not into the age dilemma yet.  My 13 year old daughter soldered one of the controllers.  She helped sequence one of the sequences.  She helped hang lights.  The 10 and 7 year old boys just enjoyed watching us work! LOL.  Next year I will get my 10 year old to help solder and hang and wrap.  The whole family gets involved.

Kurt
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on December 15, 2011,
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I am not into the age dilemma yet.  My 13 year old daughter soldered one of the controllers.  She helped sequence one of the sequences.  She helped hang lights.  The 10 and 7 year old boys just enjoyed watching us work! LOL.  Next year I will get my 10 year old to help solder and hang and wrap.  The whole family gets involved.

Kurt
My DAUGHTERS are both into boys all of a sudden so I put 95% of the display up alone. And they are my biggest critics.. Go figure :o
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: pk on December 15, 2011,
I am fortunate.  My son is mms here and we worked together setting up the displays at each of our houses.  At my house I also had the help of a 13 year old neighbor who is fascinated by all of this technology. 

Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on December 15, 2011,
They even started doing sequences, but the odds of them finishing them are the same as them eating all their dinner..NOT
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: budude on December 16, 2011,
Well - - look at this way - at least they show *some* interest in your show (albeit negative) - in my case they (all college age) couldn't care less about the show!
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: mms on December 16, 2011,
Well, my g/f started giving me grief about not having input into the show.  That is until I made her come outside to look at everything, then have Eeryore (her favorite Disney character) inflate.  Granted, little did we know Eeyore needed to be modified the way he did (the need for more lights and a "skeleton" to support the added weight), but now that there is something she likes in the display, I have more support!

I did utilize my g/f's help zip-tying lights to PVC window frames and I included her and her 15 year-old daughter's voices in the radio broadcast.  (There are some things that sound so much better coming from a teenager.)  And I already have offers to help me dismantle... although I think that has to do with the arch being around the front door since October!

Now that the 15 year old is on Christmas break, I may need to see if I can get more sequences added!  ;D
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: MrChristmas2000 on December 16, 2011,
Things change when their friends on Facebook start telling them that  your lights are 'cool'.

When they have their own kids things change again.
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on December 16, 2011,
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Things change when their friends on Facebook start telling them that  your lights are 'cool'.

When they have their own kids things change again.
my oldest daughter posted it on her facebook account and some school teachers stopped by and asked if they could also. That's probably why it stays so busy here. So I guess I need to thank my girls.
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: jnealand on December 16, 2011,
My kids (all 40+) want to know what to do with all this "stuff" when I am gone and since next year that first digit changes to a 7 sometimes I wonder about that also.
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on December 16, 2011,
We can only do what we enjoy, not our kids. If we did that then ( I would be watching mtv) it would be boring to me. Its my hobby and I have fun doing it. So if you are 46 like me or 69 enjoy. Im a kid in a candy store when I fire the lights up.  >.d9
Title: Re: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: rimist on December 16, 2011,
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My kids (all 40+) want to know what to do with all this "stuff" when I am gone and since next year that first digit changes to a 7 sometimes I wonder about that also.
Do you have any grandchildren that have potential, um, light obsession?
This all started for me when I was a teen. Just a thought.

-Rimist
(http://www.vixenlights.com/sig/sig_h.php/20/20.gif)
if I built everything I had parts for, that'd say 396 channels
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: kgustafson on December 16, 2011,
I am sure you will have plenty of volunteers here to carry on the legend if you kids or grandkids don't want to.  What a morbid subject.

LOL
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: OkieJay on December 16, 2011,
My oldest son (22) has never really been into my Christmas lights or BBQ hobbies, but my youngest (17) has always been involved.  He has been a big help over the years, especially since he hit the 6' tall mark (now 6' 3").  I will sure miss his help for the next four years while he is away at college.  I will have to redo my 16 foot tall "mega-tree" since I currently raise it Iwo Jima style with the help of my son and one of his friends.  I guess I better start working out and get in better shape.       

As far as being a fan of the light show, I don't think he really believes the show is worth all the work.  My biggest fans are the elderly ladies of the town.

Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: chrisatpsu on December 16, 2011,
you guys are all old    hehe
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: kgustafson on December 16, 2011,
Yeah Chris we are.  But not as old as Joe Pa!
Title: Re: You just got to love your older children
Post by: jnealand on December 16, 2011,
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I will have to redo my 16 foot tall "mega-tree" since I currently raise it Iwo Jima style with the help of my son and one of his friends.  I guess I better start working out and get in better shape. 

I finally built a Monkman JUMP pole, http://www.magicchristmasnews.org/magic_christmas_news_002.htm (http://www.magicchristmasnews.org/magic_christmas_news_002.htm)  Best thing I have ever done.  Took a little work, but solid as a rock and no guy wires to the top.