--- Kimberly Terrill <kiter5@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I don;t want a room full og 6-9 yr old without
> parents. I don;t mind that age
> WITH parents there though.
>
> --Kimberly
Reminds me of one Flatcon, years ago. My first one
actually. I had decided to run a Heroclix event, and
I made up a custom scenario and a few game rules for
them. I ended up, in the end, with a table full of 5
and 6 year olds who had never played the game.
I had to scrap my delicately created scenarios and run
a dumbed down version of the game for the kids, to
teach them to play.
It was a great time. I won't lie, I dislike children
in general, and to an extent I dislike their makers
about as much. Reason for this being that people are
very lax about raising their children. I don't mean
physical punishment, I've never believed too much in
that. I mean actually treating them as little people
and teaching them about the world and, *overly
dramatic gasp*, about having respect for those around
them.
These children were well behaved and not a figure did
they break. They were quiet and interested and waited
their turn pleasantly, and showed genuine interest in
the turns of their fello wplayers instead of looking
away disinterestedly or just goofing off while waiting
for their turns.
I treated them as I treat all children, mainly as
peers and fellow humans, but with a somewhat softer
voice and lack of a critical view of them beyond a
point. I didn't dumb down my speech and I am sure
there were several words they did not understand.
They inquired as to the meaning of a few and I
explained, and they were genuinely interested in
furthering their knowledge of language, in their own
way.
These children were obviously treated well at home and
were encouraged to be inquisitive and polite. Of
course there were some disruptions ("What if this
figure had a jet pack?") but they were the imaginative
interruptions that are healthy and should be expected
of young children, not the ill mannered screaming and
breaking of items that so many of the ill mannered
urchins I run into find so amusing.
To sum up, it was a wonderful time with children who
personified what I wish all children were, and what I
think the true essence of childhood is: curious, well
meaning and fun.
Also, I am fairly sure they were from mars.