You just got to love your older children

[rrowan]

Just a little rant (Sorry)

My two older boys (22, 18 yrs old) are complaining about my light show. They give me comments like " well I didn't get blinded this time" or as we get near the house "I feel a migraine coming on". Nice huh? btw they did nothing to help put the display up it was me 100%

rant over

Continue on nothing to see here 

Rick R.

[mmulvenna]

But the older they get the "smarter you get"......................

[rimist]

They want to help when they are too young, and the older and more capable they become the less willing and more sarcastic they are.
It's sad.

My first outside Christmas lights I had as a kid were given to me by a family friend when I was thirteen. I guess that began my addiction. A few strands of C9 bulbs, that have led to the thousands I have today.
Back then I would have loved to get my parents to help.

Now, my wife and I tell the kids no decorating, no Santa.

-Rimist

[inzeos]

Explain to them the show needs to expand next year.  So you will be charging them both rent, which may be discountable by forced labor

[chrisatpsu]

my daughter is going to be 2 in january. it's mid december, and she already wants to help with tear down   

[sirloinofbeef001]

 <la..

my daughter is going to be 2 in january. it's mid december, and she already wants to help with tear down   

now that's what I call a great way to get the family involved.lmho

[rimist]

My daughter just turned five. She has told her teacher what she wanted written in her letter to Santa, and the teacher was both impressed because she not only listed things for herself, but also her brothers and my wife and I, but also a little confused, because she said "Daddy needs more lights"

-Rimist

if I built everything I had parts for, that'd say 396 channels

[kgustafson]

I am not into the age dilemma yet.  My 13 year old daughter soldered one of the controllers.  She helped sequence one of the sequences.  She helped hang lights.  The 10 and 7 year old boys just enjoyed watching us work! LOL.  Next year I will get my 10 year old to help solder and hang and wrap.  The whole family gets involved.

Kurt

[sirloinofbeef001]

I am not into the age dilemma yet.  My 13 year old daughter soldered one of the controllers.  She helped sequence one of the sequences.  She helped hang lights.  The 10 and 7 year old boys just enjoyed watching us work! LOL.  Next year I will get my 10 year old to help solder and hang and wrap.  The whole family gets involved.

Kurt

My DAUGHTERS are both into boys all of a sudden so I put 95% of the display up alone. And they are my biggest critics.. Go figure

[pk]

I am fortunate.  My son is mms here and we worked together setting up the displays at each of our houses.  At my house I also had the help of a 13 year old neighbor who is fascinated by all of this technology. 

[sirloinofbeef001]

They even started doing sequences, but the odds of them finishing them are the same as them eating all their dinner..NOT

[budude]

Well - - look at this way - at least they show *some* interest in your show (albeit negative) - in my case they (all college age) couldn't care less about the show!

[mms]

Well, my g/f started giving me grief about not having input into the show.  That is until I made her come outside to look at everything, then have Eeryore (her favorite Disney character) inflate.  Granted, little did we know Eeyore needed to be modified the way he did (the need for more lights and a "skeleton" to support the added weight), but now that there is something she likes in the display, I have more support!

I did utilize my g/f's help zip-tying lights to PVC window frames and I included her and her 15 year-old daughter's voices in the radio broadcast.  (There are some things that sound so much better coming from a teenager.)  And I already have offers to help me dismantle... although I think that has to do with the arch being around the front door since October!

Now that the 15 year old is on Christmas break, I may need to see if I can get more sequences added! 

[MrChristmas2000]

Things change when their friends on Facebook start telling them that  your lights are 'cool'.

When they have their own kids things change again.

[sirloinofbeef001]

Things change when their friends on Facebook start telling them that  your lights are 'cool'.

When they have their own kids things change again.

my oldest daughter posted it on her facebook account and some school teachers stopped by and asked if they could also. That's probably why it stays so busy here. So I guess I need to thank my girls.