Calling all fathers!!! I need advice!!!

[DRAGON]

Originally Posted by Sandman_Bravo

^I'd rather be a responsible father and wait until they are ready to play.

This, a safer more responsible fatherly type alternative -

[Critical]

I guess I'm way outvoted. Read Ender's Game too many times.

[DFSniper]

lol, critical.

as fun and amusing as it sounds, i have to agree with vike, tim, and sandman on this one.

[STRIKEFIRST]

Yeah Dragon for all I know at this point that would be what they use.

My 6 year old is home school'd very bright, respectful, follows rules to a "T".

Believe it or not she has a JT youth mask that fits great...BUT she's 6. My wife being all for it really messed up my head.

As bad as I want her to Play...and even with Mom's approval...Nope.

9 years old at earliest.

Now if it was some goofy thing like Dragon pointed out...I may change my mind...But my kid is a string bean...and I don't want to risk her getting hurt.

I'll let you all know if it's different, like dragons thing.

[STRIKEFIRST]

Originally Posted by Critical

Make her play pump.

That's funny...did I mention the kid walks a trigger...the joys of father hood. (Before I get a lecture...she know she has to have ALL her safety gear on BEFORE touching a gun even w/o a tank)

[DRAGON]

Originally Posted by STRIKEFIRST

Yeah Dragon for all I know at this point that would be what they use.

My 6 year old is home school'd very bright, respectful, follows rules to a "T".

Believe it or not she has a JT youth mask that fits great...BUT she's 6. My wife being all for it really messed up my head.

As bad as I want her to Play...and even with Mom's approval...Nope.

9 years old at earliest.

Now if it was some goofy thing like Dragon pointed out...I may change my mind...But my kid is a string bean...and I don't want to risk her getting hurt.

I'll let you all know if it's different, like dragons thing.

My 18 year old(youngest) and I played ball twice last week. Let him use my tricked VS and he loved it. He may very well end up having it for his own soon since he went on and on about it. You'll really like taking them when they're older cuz you need not worry about them so much getting hurt in the process -

[bigred76]

Drago's idea? Eh? Drago only quoted someone and agreed with them... Unless... you meant "BigRed's ingenious take on the situation?" Yeah, I already broke my arm patting myself on the back yesterday, don't bother trying to stop me.

Good to hear you're ingraining the proper safety guidelines early. I hate going to the field and having idiots tell me I'm too proper about safety... in the end, it'll be their eye that the hospital's trying to fix, not mine!

[Sandman_Bravo]

Originally Posted by DRAGON

This, a safer more responsible fatherly type alternative -

Thanx for the vote of confidence. Here he is at 9:



Since that pic was taken, he has grown a size larger in clothes and put some more meat on his bones. And, I think, he's matured a great deal personality-wise to follow instructions better. 1 year makes a big difference IMHO. BTW, note the upped Spyder Pilot!

[bamf-hacker]

I have two kids and my oldest 4 and half has great interest in my Paintball addiction. Would I let him play, nope. For a few reasons.

1- Minimum age allowed by Insurance company regulations is 10
2- If he did get hit for some reason the marker FPS fluctuated and it hurt him hey may be turned off to paintball all together.
3- Trying to convince other parents to let their very young kids play could prove to be impossible. I have a hard enough time convincing adults it is fun.
4- Markers and equipment are not really made for someone so small, goggles mostly. I know some of you said you have ones that fit, but fit well and fit are different. If my son lost an eye I would never forgive myself
5- I don't care how mature a child acts, they are still a child and they may not 100% adhere to the rules. Many of you are young enough to attest to that.
6- Unlike your case I have a wife that would kill me if I took my son out to play now, or even before he turns 10. (don't get me wrong, when he is close I will let him shoot a few hoppers at a poor defenseless tree, when she is not home )

So should she play? Well in the big picture that is up to you, but those are my opinions and I am sticking to them

[Schecter1277]

Originally Posted by Sandman_Bravo

The primary reason (I was told) that 10 years old is the minimum age is that:
1- masks don't fit correctly and snugly on smaller heads
2-prior to 10 there isn't enough developed musculature and/or fat to sustane a paintball hit without undue trauma.
But beyond that, I wouldn't trust too young of a child to fully grasp the reprecussions of not following safety procedures.
BTW, my oldest boy played a few games at 9 but starts his first real year of paintball this year at 10 1/2.

On your first mark you sort of have a point, on a general masks, however there are masks that will fit a kids head.
On point #2, don't try and talk biology and development, because take it from a bio major, you have NO idea what you are talking about.

In florida, the waver must be signed by a parent or guardian of at least 21 years old, or 18 to sign your own.