Show this thing to the kids out there....for Pete's sake!!!

[beachguy777]

I know what you're thinkin', Oh God, what's that darn "beach guy" up to now. Well you're right, I put that title that way to honestly try to get you're attention. Well now that I've got it, I hope I don't lose it.
About a half hour ago I was out in my front yard looking around for some coins and stuff with the detector and the little kid from next door came by and came up to me and asked: "What are you doin, mister" or something like that. I said, I'm looking for burried treasure, you know, coins and stuff, if I had more time we could dig some up but the ground is to hard and I need to soak it down. He said, yea and walked away.
Well I kept thinkin' about that and the more I thought about it the more it dawned on me. These kids have to be curious about this darn detector stuff. If we as grown men, go in to hock up to our eyeballs "sometimes" and will go to a forum after we've just had a hard work day "instead of turing on the tube" and chat with a bunch of guys even in other countries, why in the heck wouldn't a 5 year old be bouncing out of his baseball cap with curiosity about something like that. Well the answer is, of course they would and a lot of them are.
What I'm leading up to here is, at least in my case, and I'll bet a lot of you can relate, a lot of times I don't want to take the time to show some kid at the beach, how the darn thing works, or even take the time to let them "dig a few", just for fun, but, when I stop and think about the kind of positve influence and true treasure hunting curiosity we could instill in one of those kids, it almost scares me. What if we're the only person that ever showed that kid a thing or two about a metal detector, or how much fun it can be to dig up some old coins and stuff. I hope your getting my gist here, because I"m wiping back a few tears in my eyes right now just writing this. I know some of you may look at that as a weakness, but I've never had a son and I guess it definitly gets to me every now and then, especially when that happens. I know I'm getting pretty gushy here, but honestly, fellas, think about what I'm saying. Some of these boys and even the girls, may not ever have that chance to "look for some burried treasure" so, just give it some thought the next time you're too busy to show some curious kid a little time with the old detector. Believe me, I am just as guilty as the next guy, but I'm just saying, for all of us, we may be the catalist that prompts that boy or girl to venture on into the same exciting hobby that we all enjoy here.
I'll leave you with this, Turn to the dedication page in Andy Sabisch's book and look at his two kids and read the paragraph above the picture. I also know that in this brave new world were living in we don't want kids parents to think that we're some kind of pervert, but I honestly think, and have had success so far, that if you keep it straight and just be upright and moral, you at least have a fighting chance that some father won't come over and give you a bunch of crap. I know it's some what of a risk these days, but holy smokes, if a bunch of kids come running over to you at the beach and start asking a bunch of questions, what are you gonna say: "No, sorry kids, I cant't talk to you, your dad may think I'm a pervert" Well you could say that, but I've decide to "take the chance, so to speak" and just be straight foreward and tell em about the detector. I hope I'm not too weird saying all this, but I mean to be sencere.



"

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

Well I certainly agree with you. And I have taken the time with many a kid, when the time and place was right and the attitude and genuine inquisitiveness was there. Oftentimes at the beach, a father with a kid or kids will ask me nicely what kind of stuff I find and I have spent quite a bit of time talking, answering questions, even demo-ing the machine and letting them have a listen, swing it a little, etc.

What gets DEEP under my skin is smartass remarks/attitude, and the feeling like somebody thinks I'm there for their entertainment. In that case I can be a bit of a porcupine and "show my needles" a little. It goes both ways.

In your case, I wonder if the right kid came along, what do you think might be the chance that you could be a mentor of sorts and possibly get them into the hobby and have that "son" you never had at the same time? I mean, you can't just walk around soliciting kids and being mistaken for "Chester The Molester"...but you could maybe hook up with a neighborhood kid who's family was known to you or even some kind of volunteer "Big Brother" thing. Like if you got a 2nd machine, which could double as a backup machine for you as well as a buddy/little brother machine. And then you could take the little guy detecting, be a positive influence in his life, etc. Maybe this is something you might be interested in, maybe not. I say "Big Brother" but there may be other avenues...a local church group or other organization which might know of a fatherless child that could use a friend and a positive male role model to hang out with on a Saturday or Sunday, do some hiking in the woods (and metal detecting) and take a trip to the beach (and metal detect it)...that kind of thing. It may sound a little weird to some but you sound passionate about it and it sounds like it could be a mutually beneficial thing to both parties, so look into it. Or just go out there and be the ambassador of good will in the field, if nothing else.

I will say that I have 3 metal detectors and a wife and daughter that have ZERO interest in detecting, other than to take all the stuff they like that I bring home. It would be nice to have a son the share that with and I think those that do are very lucky.

 

[beachguy777]

Mike, I knew you had a good heart, I can tell just by the things your saying here and, again, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for understanding my feelings here. Man you are certainly challenging me in a good way here, and in fact, as an amendment to my original message, I want to say, that "I need to practice what I preach here". Don't get me wrong, I was abel to share the detector once with some kids in a local park here and once at the beach. It really did make me feel good, but as you say too: They can run you into the ground as well. You do have to be a little savy as to how far to go with anyone, its the old, "gime em an inch and they take a mile" sometimes. But it does my heart so good to hear your story about the kids and your detector. Hey, after all, I think even the "big kids" wouldn't mind swingin' around an Explorer II, I know I would. Just a little levity there, but truly, Mike, thankyou for the very positive response. The one other thing I wanted to kind of amend about the original message was, when I talked about the "dad comin over and maybe givin me some crap". Boy I sure didn't say that one right. Even if he did come over in a huff, I could certainly understand where any fater could be suspicious of their son talking to some stranger with a metal detector. I would absolutuly try and handle any cituation with kidd gloves and would hope the father would see there's no wrongdoing going on and maybe even be inquisitive. I'm gonn try and find that kid next door again, since I know his parents, and see if they wouldn't like me to show him the detector, hopefully them too. Thanks again, Mike. Sincerely, Marc Trainor

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

Marc, good luck with that. And the neighbor kid is probably a good start. And he certainly has friends, so you never know.

Unfortunately, there are some real sick puppies in this world today and with even big name celebs like Michael Jackson trying to prey on kids, some nut trying to lure kids with promises of buried treasure could quite probably make the wrong impression with some folks.

 

[Dan in mich]

I see you're passionate about this topic, so i won't make any Michael Jackson jokes...I'm fortunate to have my hunting partner be my son at the moment..he's 9 right now and just got the bug. I bought him his first detector a few weeks ago and have been trying to get him out as much as possible. It's like fishing with kids, you have to set your rod down and help them, so you don't get to fish as much, but you get to see their joy when they find their first few good targets. I had him out this evening, he found three lincolns in one spot and is just ecstatic about it, asking me if i ever found three coins like that before. I would have liked to tell him yes with my new machine, but admitted i had in the past. Sometimes we have to put down our own machines and show the younger INTERESTED ones what it is we are doing and how it is done. We should always take some time (I think) to show younger ones whats happening in their world and educate them. They may not grow up to be the opposition to the ones that grow up to want to hunt if they know what it is they're talking about. Okay, I'll stop now. I hope you find your squire to mentor in our fascinating hobby. I've been lucky so far with my son, he likes dirt fishing and hunting with me, I hope to foster that into his adulthood (for my selfish reasons, but i never make him do anything he doesn't have the interest in anymore). Dan.

 

[Sanddigger]

n/t

 

[beachguy777]

Thankyou finn, and I also realize that I too need to take more time with these kids, especially the one I blew off the other day because I was too busy. I have a chance to meet him again, though, because he only lives next door. I'll let you know if I get a chance to meet him again. Beach guy.

 

[beachguy777]

Bless your heart Dan!!!. I'm gettin a little choked up again here just reading your post. I guess that's a real soft spot with me, but honestly, one of the brighter memories from my childhood was a fishing trip with a close boyhood friend of mine. His mom was divorced and had a boyfriend that asked her son if he wanted to go fishing and then her son (my friend) asked me. You know, back then, we didn't seem to worry about the pervert thing and I said heck yes. Well, we jumped in his old station wagon and took a fishing trip to the back country. I realize now that anything could have happened, but thank God, everything went fine, no funny stuff. We didn't catch any fish, but we sure tried, and to this day, that stands out as a very memorable day in my life, the fact that he took the time to take a couple of young boys out fishing. You are so right that it takes some time and effort, like putting down your own detector, especially if your on a roll on a hot spot, but bless you for doing that, and I'll just bet your son never forgets those times you did that. I also understand how hard it is when they're NOT INTERESTED. Boy it can be a let down, but I think your right not to push them too much. Heck, we all know what it's like to be shoved into something we don't like to do. Keep up the good stuff there and thankyou very much for the wonderful response. P.S. Now that I'm off my SOAP BOX, let's see if I can't find the kid next door that I blew off the other day and see if he wants to check out the detector, hopefully with his parents there so they don't think I'm pulling a "Michael Jackson". Shame on me for saying that, I guess Michael was aquitted, but you get my gist. Sincerely, Marc Trainor.

 

[beachguy777]

Yea, you're right Mike. I'll be very careful with all that. I think with the kid next door, maybe I better contact his parents first. Anything can happen these days.!!

 

[beachguy777]

Hey, Mike, as long as I take the rhinestone glove off my detector hand first, I should be Ok.(I know God will get me for saying that) I'm not sure I'd be acquitted like our boy Michael.