How to get lazy kids off buts fishing(or anything else)

[Heinz CA.]

Had a beautiful day here in N. Cal., rain season here/coming, I had to about throw out 12 yr old stepson w/ my 4 yr old to go fishing!(9yr old hung w mama and went to friends) They are so into **** video games, tv it makes me wanna puke! I told em last pm no more video games on MY tv downstairs,they can go up to theirs. Obviously wife is no help, no discipline, doing her stuff, nothing here has any consequence, no punishment(whatever happened to restriction???) etc for doing wrong thing , Im tired of whole **** thing, cant wait to travel at times so I don't hear whining , espec. how "mean" I am, when I try to get THEM out in good weather. I swear, we met a kid today(approx 12) who used his own inflatable little boat to get around we were shore fishing, at resevoir, and his mom drops him off ALL DAY to fish(I wouldn't these days) and he knew as much as I did! I'm sure he would love a dad who would take him! What am I doing wrong??? I take snacks, tel em to bring toys, books etc. I leave when they all want to usually, they actually did have good time even no fish, but God the effort!!!! I would have loved to at their age!(lost my dad at 6).I even doublechecked reports to see where best fishing for them(kids need to catch fish)! Sorry for venting, Heinz

 

[Ross J]

Re: How to get lazy kids off buts fishing(or anything else)

You're doing the right thing mate! The trouble is today too many of the kids have been spoilt. They don't know what earning a good day out means. Their idea of going out is no walking, lots of electronic thingys, MacDonalds around the corner and mummy waiting to pick them up.<br />You keep offering them a good basic day out, they'll thank you for it eventually.<br />Ross

 

[roscoe]

Re: How to get lazy kids off buts fishing(or anything else)

Get rid of all the tv's and video games.<br />Then start fishing with the kid that has the boat.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: How to get lazy kids off buts fishing(or anything else)

Awhile back when my kids were young like yours I had the same problem as well as others.<br /><br />I would leave them home so I wouldn't hear the whinning when I would go out. One day while my bud and I were out cutting down some brush for a senior in his yard, two young boys about the same age as my son came up to us. They asked if they could help. They volunteered and were excellent helpers. Bill and I gave them each 5 bucks for helping. Their mom made them bring it back to us, but we insisted that they take the money since the worked for it. From that Bill and I got to know the two boys and built up a relationship.<br /><br />My son come home from school and asked me if I knew Joe and his brother Ryan. I said yes that they were a couple of good boys that help Bill and I on some jobs. My son said they can't stop talking about you guys. So to make the story short, my son got jealous of Joe and Ryan and from then on my son made it a point to go with us.<br /><br />Split families is a hard situation for the step-parent. To many relationships are ruined from the children prying apart a relationship that their bio parent has with another person. The kids look at it as competition for the companionship of their bio parent. For the outsider, this competition is more in the kids court because they will be the ones winning.<br /><br />Maybe check out on becoming a big brother to a child that is seeking the attention of a father figure. It could change the thinking of the kids in the house. If anything you would be rewarded by the happiness of a child that you made happy.<br /><br />Just getting rid of the TV and games will not work. That will just put a wall up between you and them and make it worse. You just need to scratch your head and think of alternative method of diverting their attention. A membership at the "Y", youth clubs like scouts, or 4-H can help. It worked for my son and daughter. <br /><br />Good Luck, hope things work out. If need be, keep posting and rant some. I know the friends here at iboats are good supporters....<br /><br />SS

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: How to get lazy kids off buts fishing(or anything else)

I think the key to fishing with kids is constant action. A freshly stocked trout pond or even a farm pond loaded with bluegills, anything as long as they are catching fish. If they don't catch anything they'll lose interest quickly and won't want to be "bored" by fishing anymore. My kids (6 and 5) have been fishing for a couple years now, and they are hooked. They are not into the bluegills anymore, they are in search of the big fish now. They are pretty patient and if we don't catch anything, we talk about all the cool things we saw during our time on the water. You are doing everything else correctly Heinz, snacks and leaving when they want to, but try putting them on the fish...you'll have fishing buddies for life.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: How to get lazy kids off buts fishing(or anything else)

Put rules on the video games/TV. My stepson cant watch TV after school. I had the same rule when I was a kid, and I hated it, but it was good for me. He doesnt mind too much cause he is an outdoors kid anyway. He doesnt spend hardly any time on the video games.<br /><br />Unfortunately being a parent requires you to be a hardass and put up with a lot of complaining. Get in their face, put your foot down, and explain why you are doing it. Try to avoid the "because I said so" line.<br /><br />Get them involved in a sport or boy scouts, or something else besides TV/video games.<br /><br />Ken

 

[POINTER94]

Re: How to get lazy kids off buts fishing(or anything else)

Heinz,<br /><br />I hear you buddy.. My dad used to make me go fishing when I was small on lake michigan. 22 foot cabin cruiser. Then I figured out that he needed us to legally get more poles into the water but he did lots of cool things to make the time go by. He would throw a milk jug with 50ft of line out and we would shoot pellet guns at it. We were kite fishing before they had a name for it. VHF radios, depth finders, waxing, teak work, all done while fishing. We learned knots, he would quiz us out of chapmans, Go down to the boat the night before and change the oil, time it, set the dwell, points, plugs, condencer, etc. All repairs were a family discussion, and involved participation by the kids, and by the time we were 16 all of us were pretty good sailors. And we understood that these things were not free and what it took to meet the costs. Hell I turned my hobbie into a job for a couple of years.<br /><br />Learned to drink coffee cuz thats all we ever had prior to 12noon. Getting up at 4.30 to be fishing by 5.30-6.00am, but meeting all the old timers at the bakery was always an experience. As we got older we never got grounded, we got work details, washing, waxing, mowing, roofing, etc. Sleeping on the boat the night before. I would always sleep outside on the bow. Kids like engines. There are enough electronics on my current boat to keep a kid busy for at least a couple of weekends. GPS, Depth finder, vhf, stereo, and discussing radar and loran are a couple of hours if you can hold their attention. Far be it from me to hand out advise but I will say that a kid with a routine is easier to motivate. As long as the routine isn't tv and video games.<br /><br />I feel for you. If you get a chance - I can't remember the reservoir's name, but it is just north and east of grass valley. Exit 80 in Auburn, 30 miles west of Sacramento, Good fishing, and camping, very little traffic, and have boat rentals that didn't seem outragous. <br /><br />Good Luck