I like working with kids.  It’s not easy, i have to resist the urge to reach in and say “this is how it’s done”.  Safety first of course, but after that it should be fun.  
Neice & nephew came for a visit, and i got the older girl out in the shop.  Middle school … 12-13?    She had never picked up any tool … dad isn’t the handy type … and she told her mom she didn’t think she could do it.  So i locked mom out of the garage and off we went.  Built a very simple bookshelf.  

 

 

 

Ed, this is completely awesome! What a cool thing, and she did a bang up job for sure! Yep, sometimes ya gotta lock em out of the garage so you can get er done, and this young lady sure got it done, I am very proud of her!

please use your TS blade guard.

TS guards are optional, sometimes they can be more dangerous than not using one, and really, assuming a well aligned table saw, and she's using a push stick, I see no issues, keeping her hands away, I say keep on rocking!

11 minutes ago, DAB said:

please use your TS blade guard.

And lose those strings from the hoodie!

Hey gents, Ed's new here, lets give him a break eh?

She built a wonderful first project, we should be focusing on that? I'd hate to lose Ed on his first day from all the critiques I know that are coming here.

Well, I think she did a great job. Kudos to her!

Ed, looks like Pine? And do both plan on finishing it, painting it?

29 minutes ago, JimM said:

And lose those strings from the hoodie!

Ed has really thick skin.  And he will push back.  
Good call Jim, already picked up on that.  These are mostly Day 2 pictures … she has her hair pulled back. :}

3 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Ed, looks like Pine? And do both plan on finishing it, painting it?

It was home depot pine, carefully selected to be the best (least defective) in the rack.  

We ran out of time, she took it home (4 hrs away) unfinished.  That was actually a year ago.  She likes it unfinished.  Ok, whatever.  Don’t forget … mom & dad are totally unhandy, so there is no push to make any changes.  

A lovely first-time project, Ed1!  So tell us, is she planning to continue in the hobby?

Ok, page 2, as paul harvey would say.  

This is the little sister of the previous girl, she is 8.  I called her Ralph in the shop, she thought that was cool.  Big sis was last year, little sis was this month.  She is hyper, mom didn’t think she would be able to complete the work.  Again … go away mom, we got this.  She surprised everyone, really got into it.  I had to focus her attention when we did dull stuff like sanding, but overall she was great.  Her favorite tool was the miter saw … she was good at cutting to the mark and she handled it well.  
Knowing they were coming to visit, i asked mom if sis wanted her time in the shop.  Mom said yes, and said she had been asking about a desk.  We can do that!   1/2” galv pipe legs on one end, 3/4” ply top, simple bookshelf with fixed shelf.  Hers has been fully painted. 
 

 

21 minutes ago, Ed-H said:

Ed has really thick skin.

 

Thick ply!

ANOTHER great first project! Good on you, Ed, for getting them started!

Good to let them do a lil to learn a lil.

 

My daughter stayed out of the shop, but had became a real DIYer. Her and the husband  built their cabinets in the house they were selling. When they built their new house, she wanted nothing to do with it

2 hours ago, John Morris said:

Hey gents, Ed's new here, lets give him a break eh?

She built a wonderful first project, we should be focusing on that? I'd hate to lose Ed on his first day from all the critiques I know that are coming here.

You're right, of course, John.  Just want her first experience to be a good one.

24 minutes ago, JimM said:

You're right, of course, John.  Just want her first experience to be a good one.

Most certainly Jim!!!!

2 kids, under the age of 21, leaving the electronics away for a while, and actually scratching the surface of what they can, and can’t do? Well as that credit card commercial’s tag line put it, PRICELESS!

Ed, first kudos to you for taking the initiative to put this together, not once but twice. Second for the willingness to coach both through their respective projects. You have planted the seeds of woodworking and rather they ever build another project or not, I'm betting many years down the road they'll reminisce about the time Uncle Ed showed them what they could do.

 

Lastly, Thanks for the pictures and the back story. While I love the first pictures in set with the smiles of accomplishment, their faces of focus, determination and learning a new skill in the other pictures are priceless.

 

Well done sir...well done!!

well done, been trying to get my grandson interested, but with the attention span of a nat, its difficult, hes 8 and is quite smart, but wants to avert any rules of shop, which i can't allow, i've picked up way to many fingers and seen way too many eyes damaged, so.......no follow basic rules, no worky in shop, goes for adults also, i have to constantly remind some of safety, while i'm not a nut about it, glasses and mask when on certain tools. 

happy days, another future wood worker it looks like

rj in az