Sorry for the double post. Craig I thank you for sharing your story and your warm confirmation about membership. That is the kind of kinship we should all strive for.
Sent from my iPhone > On Apr 11, 2014, at 10:56 PM, Craig Bergdorf <[email protected]> wrote: > > (Happy to hear the argument about age having little to do with anything. I > think I can get away with saying 29 when anyone asks for the foreseeable > future, and before that it was 23, 16, 13, etc. I won't pretend I don't > still have a bit of a complex on judgement based on age, being the awkward > but tall kid dragged to mensa meetings their whole childhood that some > drunkens would occasionally "mistake for a peer", then came the question that > still cuts to the bone "how old are you?") > > A member is a member. > > Since the seven year old member is my son, I will add my opinions to the > discussion. > > First and foremost I want to express my sad displeasure in reading this. > Perhaps this being paraphrased ideas of a discussion many things are getting > lost in translation. However the things I have issue with are listed as > "problems" > > My seven year old lives 46 minutes driving distance from the space and does > not currently drive himself places. If he was of driving age and as a parent > I decided he was mature enough to go places by himself, or use shop tools, or > as you put it "nice things" then I would let him go do those things. Perhaps > sometimes I would go with him at times to check on how safe he is still > being. Perhaps also I would put two gps tracking devices on his car so when > he finds the first one I have redundancy. Also guaranteed I, or a close and > not easily recognizable friend would tail him at times. The point I am trying > to make here, is my son that is a member of syn/hak, is not autonomous yet, > and when the time comes that he is, we will still parent him. > > The way "nice things" is worded I am taken back to my own childhood when my > evil aunt had us over and I was confined to the kitchen, because she had a > house full of collectable garbage (much like syn/hak,) and I was too much of > "an animal" to go into the rest of the rooms in the house. If there are > concerns about your members not being able to handle tool, machines, > supplies, or members projects (again, I'm fuzzy on what is nice,) perhaps > those concerns could be brought up to that member or the members guardian. My > wife was at the meeting with our seven year old. Nothing was said. > > Robert W in in fact seven and is more responsible than myself at times. If > you tell him a rule, good luck trying to change it after that, because it has > already been programmed. He is excited to be part of this community. A > community he and believe in and he absolutely belongs in. He is also excited > to gain full 24/7 access to the space because of my unusual schedule. If > entrusted with something and told how important it is he will follow through > every time. Go shooting with him sometime and he will give you a lesson in > gun safety and have better muzzle control than you do. My younger child is > more haphazard as a matter of personality and he will not be going to the > space for the foreseeable future because I can not trust him. > > I recognize this is a matter of policy and not an attack on my child. I > struggle with it, but I recognize it. Perhaps it would have been more > excellent to just say minor, then call out your only seven year old member. > It makes us feel like he is unwanted or not trusted. Again things that should > have been brought up at the meeting. He applied for membership at the > suggestion of Torrie. He was vouched for by Torrie and Becca. His full > membership was consented on by the members at this weeks meeting. He was not > made an associate member, an honorary member, or a previsionary member. He > was accepted by what appeared to be open arms. > > I realize syn/hak is not a daycare. Torrie expressed this concern to me the > night Robert W turned in his application. I thought I made it clear then that > he would never be at the space without myself or a close family member there. > That said I agree that a mature person should be watching unknown or immature > people. I have a problem with an age being just set at a magical number of > 18. Poof your 18 now, you can handle all the nice things, go play and have > fun. > > Here is my counter proposal if you will. If anyone has a problem with minors > or in this case seven year olds don't make them members. Or perhaps since > maturity is not a function of age it would be more appropriate to bring up > concerns during the interview process, and then decide that some kids can or > cannot be members because they and their guardians are not a good fit. > If there are concerns with a member, or if the member is a minor, that minor > and their guardians, then don't issue a key; keep age out of it. Age has > nothing to do with anything in my opinion and it is more a matter of > character. Perhaps their will come a day there is a teen or two that really > need syn/hak in their life because the sports teams and the kids that play on > them don't understand said teen. These decisions need to be made on a case by > case basis as I was under the impression they already are. Making a policy > against minors is foolish and not excellent. > > In closing, I am hurt. However, in a sick way I feel closer to syn/hak now. > As if I went through a right-of-passage. Robert W and I got called out on > discuss like I see others do to each other on a weekly basis. I am not the > kind of personality to be nice to your face then get high and mighty behind > the safety of a keyboard. I am not introverted and I prefer personal conflict > resolution. If you have a problem with me or my family as a matter of > excellence it will be addressed directly to me or my family before it gets > thrown up on discuss. > > Thank you all for your time > Robert S Rybicki > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Apr 11, 2014, at 7:18 PM, Torrie Fischer <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > > Hi, all. > > > > We had a very good discussion at the space tonight about membership dues and > > such. > > > > Here's a draft: > > > > https://synhak.org/wiki/Membership/Sandbox > > > > The notable things: > > > > * There is still a 10% discount for buying 3+ months in advance, but it > > covers > > the whole payment regardless of how many people you're paying for. > > * Base membership is still $35/mo > > * It is $15 per adult in a family instead of $35 > > * Each minor under 18 years old is $5/mo in a family > > * Keys may not be issued to those who are under 18 earth years of age > > * Minors must have an adult supervising them at all times and the permission > > of their legal parent/guardian > > > > This solves the following problems: > > > > * Many of us feel uncomfortable with letting a 7 year old have a key to our > > Nice Things, which is a very big responsibility > > * Families often aren't all using the space at the same time > > * Many of us feel uncomfortable with letting a 7 year old roam around > > without > > someone responsible watching them > > > > I'll be adding this to the agenda for next Tuesday for discussion. > > > > Feedback is welcome as always :) > > _______________________________________________ > > Discuss mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
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