handy
Member
OK, so this is a lighthearted opposite of Sparrowhawke's important and in-depth look at fathers...
Our kid's are taking part in the school Science Fair next Tuesday. All projects need to be completed for set-up by then. My daughter's is almost done, she is doing a research paper on dominant paws in cats (you know how people are right-handed or left, cats have the same kind of dominance in paws...who knew?)
My son's project is a project after the heart of any 10 year old boy...build a table-top trebuchet and learn how to control the trajectory of it by altering the weight of the counterweight. He is planning on lobbing a little rubber ball at some dinosaurs, adjusting the weight of the counterweight each time, observing how it changes the trajectory and seeing what type of counterweight works best, rocks or water...what boy could resist?
Not my 45 year old boy, that's for sure. It says quite clearly on the instructions for the Science Fair that parents should only just assist, but make sure that the child does the work of the project himself.
Yeah...Steve and Thomas were supposed to finish the trebuchet last weekend, but it didn't get done. I wasn't home, and I was a bit surprised that it didn't get finished because according to the design Thomas had, it should have taken just a couple of hours to build the thing.
But, that was not taking Steve into account...I see that now.
Last night, Steve and Thomas worked on the thing and now I understand why it still isn't finished...they are both so caught up in redesigning the thing, making sure it is perfect in every way, and now I guess that this table top design is just going to be a prototype for a full scale model to be made during the spring...
. Somehow I think pumpkin-chuckin is in our future.
Long after Thomas went to bed last night and I (good little helpmeet that I am) was getting sawdust blown in my face as I helped hold 1x2's in place for sawing and drilling, I reminded Steve that the trebuchet itself isn't the Science Fair Project and could we possibly just get the thing done so that Thomas can start experimenting with the counterweight...I got a rather blank stare...
Steve's just having waaayyyy too much fun with Thomas' project. I'm hoping the thing will be done in time for Thomas to actually work with it before Tuesday...if Daddy will let him play with it, of course.
Our kid's are taking part in the school Science Fair next Tuesday. All projects need to be completed for set-up by then. My daughter's is almost done, she is doing a research paper on dominant paws in cats (you know how people are right-handed or left, cats have the same kind of dominance in paws...who knew?)
My son's project is a project after the heart of any 10 year old boy...build a table-top trebuchet and learn how to control the trajectory of it by altering the weight of the counterweight. He is planning on lobbing a little rubber ball at some dinosaurs, adjusting the weight of the counterweight each time, observing how it changes the trajectory and seeing what type of counterweight works best, rocks or water...what boy could resist?
Not my 45 year old boy, that's for sure. It says quite clearly on the instructions for the Science Fair that parents should only just assist, but make sure that the child does the work of the project himself.
Yeah...Steve and Thomas were supposed to finish the trebuchet last weekend, but it didn't get done. I wasn't home, and I was a bit surprised that it didn't get finished because according to the design Thomas had, it should have taken just a couple of hours to build the thing.
But, that was not taking Steve into account...I see that now.
Last night, Steve and Thomas worked on the thing and now I understand why it still isn't finished...they are both so caught up in redesigning the thing, making sure it is perfect in every way, and now I guess that this table top design is just going to be a prototype for a full scale model to be made during the spring...
. Somehow I think pumpkin-chuckin is in our future.Long after Thomas went to bed last night and I (good little helpmeet that I am) was getting sawdust blown in my face as I helped hold 1x2's in place for sawing and drilling, I reminded Steve that the trebuchet itself isn't the Science Fair Project and could we possibly just get the thing done so that Thomas can start experimenting with the counterweight...I got a rather blank stare...
Steve's just having waaayyyy too much fun with Thomas' project. I'm hoping the thing will be done in time for Thomas to actually work with it before Tuesday...if Daddy will let him play with it, of course.
