Really useful hobbies - what's out there? - Page 2

[Tigerle]

Originally Posted by MamaMunchkin 

How about geocaching?

Another way to have a "point" to the outdoors. We're muggles, but my DH is somewhat involved with the local "scene" because his and their hobbies interesect in various ways. All very cool people, and lots of families, but somehow it really isn't our thing. We just can't work up a proper interest in it. It sounds like something that DS at least might discover one day for his own, though.

[Tigerle]

Originally Posted by onlyzombiecat 

Birdwatching

Magic tricks

Guitar- I think learning guitar can be useful for a casual fun setting

Harmonica- very portable

Chess or other games

Growing things- this can be done in containers if you do not have land

ha! Guitar is a good suggestion! I have always regretted that I didn't bother to learn enough guitar for a campfire singalong, and being a violinist, it should have been easy. I feel too old now for campfires, but maybe I should start it up again to go camping with the kids, and then inspire them to get good at it.

I kill everything I grow. Well the cherry tree and the grass in the backyard are doing fine, and so is the redcurrant bush, but the strawberries..oh my, really not looking good. Stuff that you don't just put and let it fend for itself - it's dead. I kill all indoor plants. even those of neighbours i am asked to look after. I refuse these days. Categorically.
 

[Tigerle]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

The question you really need to ask yourself is "Would this skill help my son survive a zombie apocalypse?". If it would, it's a worthy hobby.

Um. to be honest. It is not a question i have ever asked myself.  And i am not sure what skills exactly would be required. So what is YOUR list for this? Besides cooking, of course?

[Tigerle]

Originally Posted by LynnS6 

I'd be careful not to overload too many things. My quirky introvert can handle one outside activity (usually a sport). Even my less quirky more extroverted child balks at more than 2 (and she's currently enrolled in 3: swim, piano and children's choir).

I'd focus on things you can do as a family right now and see where his interests take him. You'd be amazed at how you can find an community that likes different things in many places. Dh joined a juggling club in Germany. If he's interested in legos, there might be some really cool lego robotics classes for him to take. And yes, that can be a lifetime hobby

Yeah, we have to watch out for overload already - entering into what I am beginning to think of as our "fall overload phase" that starts with his birthday and will last (did so last  year, at least) until quite a while after Christmas.

Problem is, the K pullout offerings at preschool are both in the afternoon - I am so mad about that but I alone won't change things there. So with swim class and violin lesson it's like 4 outside activities weekly! Swim class will soon be finished though (as soon as he consents to put his head under water to dive for the ring he can take his test - he is actually swimming very well already!) and we will take a break on that one until after Christmas. However, of you do want them to learn music and they should have at least one athletic activity, for health reasons if none other -  how do you ever do *less* than two activities a week? It's not like you can easily take long breaks in one or the other, it'd take all the point out of the activity if you don't ever make adequate progress but keep sliding back...
 

[Smokering]

Um. to be honest. It is not a question i have ever asked myself.  And i am not sure what skills exactly would be required. So what is YOUR list for this? Besides cooking, of course?

Well, parkour, obviously; motorbiking, artillery training, possibly some swordplay for close work. Orienteering. Basic boy scout skills like pitching a tent and tying knots; first aid; salvage (maybe a dumpster diving group would be good for that?); and ultimately, of course, how to operate a zeppelin.

[MamaMunchkin]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

Well, parkour, obviously; motorbiking, artillery training, possibly some swordplay for close work. Orienteering. Basic boy scout skills like pitching a tent and tying knots; first aid; salvage (maybe a dumpster diving group would be good for that?); and ultimately, of course, how to operate a zeppelin.

- love it.  Hey, how about archery?

[Smokering]

Archery's dubious. The accepted lore is that you have to pretty much destroy or decapitate a zombie's whole head, or a very significant percentage of his body, to stop/kill it. So simply piercing its brain with an arrow wouldn't do it. A blast from a sawn-off shotgun that would pretty much blow the head off would probably work, which is why I included artillery training; but a single bullet from a pistol, again, wouldn't be very effective.

In theory you could use a bow and arrow to pin a zombie against a wall, which - depending on the rate of its decomposition - might hold it for a while, if you skewered a bone or something. But it'd be a temporary fix at best, given that they don't feel pain. Maybe flaming or exploding arrows would work? I hesitate to nix it, because archery's awesome; but realistically you'd probably be better off learning to wield a chainsaw. Still, if you took to the woods you could kill deer to survive, I guess. So yeah, sure, put archery on the list.

[MamaMunchkin]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

Archery's dubious. The accepted lore is that you have to pretty much destroy or decapitate a zombie's whole head, or a very significant percentage of his body, to stop/kill it. So simply piercing its brain with an arrow wouldn't do it. A blast from a sawn-off shotgun that would pretty much blow the head off would probably work, which is why I included artillery training; but a single bullet from a pistol, again, wouldn't be very effective.

In theory you could use a bow and arrow to pin a zombie against a wall, which - depending on the rate of its decomposition - might hold it for a while, if you skewered a bone or something. But it'd be a temporary fix at best, given that they don't feel pain. Maybe flaming or exploding arrows would work? I hesitate to nix it, because archery's awesome; but realistically you'd probably be better off learning to wield a chainsaw. Still, if you took to the woods you could kill deer to survive, I guess. So yeah, sure, put archery on the list.

... please stop ... I'm going to choke from laughing so hard ...

[FarmerBeth]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

Archery's dubious. The accepted lore is that you have to pretty much destroy or decapitate a zombie's whole head, or a very significant percentage of his body, to stop/kill it. So simply piercing its brain with an arrow wouldn't do it. A blast from a sawn-off shotgun that would pretty much blow the head off would probably work, which is why I included artillery training; but a single bullet from a pistol, again, wouldn't be very effective.

In theory you could use a bow and arrow to pin a zombie against a wall, which - depending on the rate of its decomposition - might hold it for a while, if you skewered a bone or something. But it'd be a temporary fix at best, given that they don't feel pain. Maybe flaming or exploding arrows would work? I hesitate to nix it, because archery's awesome; but realistically you'd probably be better off learning to wield a chainsaw. Still, if you took to the woods you could kill deer to survive, I guess. So yeah, sure, put archery on the list.

My DH, who has given serious thought to preparation for a zombie apocalypse, says you should be careful using fire with zombies.  If it is just burning, but not incapacitated, it could get up close to you and the fire would mostly endanger you.  I guess I'll take his advice.  I haven't sufficiently studied zombies.

[IzzyTheTerrible]

I didn't get to read through all this, so I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it but why not the Scouts?  They'll get a taste for all kinds of hobbies, all of them useful... especially for the impending Zombie apocalypse.

[IzzyTheTerrible]

I also seriously suggest forms of Karate.  Every kid that I knew growing up that was involved with a form of martial arts had a higher self esteem.  Its an outlet for natural aggression while teaching self respect, self control, and respect. 

Also, if they can break a board with their hand, I'm sure knocking a Zombie's head off wouldn't be much of a stretch.

[Monkey Keeper]

A couple individual sports that can be played throughout life are golf and tennis. I wish I'd learned both when I was young, particularly tennis. They're also great ways to meet people.  What about some sort of fishing since he likes the water? Fly fishing is supposed to be very meditative, and you get the added hobby of tying your own flies.

[crunchy_mommy]

I think you might be over-thinking this... What about something like scouts or day camp, that would expose him to lots of different activities, so he can start to get a feel for what he is interested in? I think focusing in on specific activities at an early age can be overly narrow, & make it harder to try other activities because there just isn't time for it. I also think some kids will rebel against whatever their parents pushed on them, I know I was like that as a kid (even though I was very agreeable and well-behaved and all...) I'd try to approach this in more of a "Renaissance Man" way -- learn just a little about a wide variety of things, and then when he is a bit older he will know what he's most drawn to, and will also have some wide exposure to fall back on should his first choices in hobbies fail for whatever reason (not transportable, broken bones, etc.)

[Tigerle]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy 

I think you might be over-thinking this...
 

That's the point! Why have a thread on MDC if I weren't into overthinking my parenting?

Seriously, my child is extremely sensitive, conservative and cautious of any novelty. He will do stuff that is introduced early, and done consistently, and done for a long time. "Hey, try this out, it's fun!"? No way. He'll just hang back and say no, and I do not expect this to change. I am getting quite good at finding out what he is going to eventually love (right now he really loves swim class and and violin, the former I insist on, the latter he's been wanting to learn for years) but it will not happen without my prodding and enabling and occasionally, enforcing. Same for, uh, outdoor exercise, any transition throughout the day, right down to eating and sleeping...I am not kidding. There is a reason I spend a lot of my mental energy on what I need to make him do, day in and day out, for him to be healthy and happy. So far, he is not very good at finding this out for himself.

Edited to add that I think the Scouting suggestion is interesting and useful, though maybe at a later age.

[Tigerle]

Originally Posted by PinkBunch 

A couple individual sports that can be played throughout life are golf and tennis. I wish I'd learned both when I was young, particularly tennis. They're also great ways to meet people.  What about some sort of fishing since he likes the water? Fly fishing is supposed to be very meditative, and you get the added hobby of tying your own flies.

All very true, but do any of these pass the zombie apocalypse test?

[Smokering]

I imagine a good golf swing could come in handy. "If I may, young sir, for the undead gentleman on the green, might I recommend a mashie-niblick?"

[Monkey Keeper]

Originally Posted by Tigerle 

All very true, but do any of these pass the zombie apocalypse test?

Well, no...but really, does much that is purely for leisure contribute to said apocalypse survival?  I'd rather be blissfully ignorant of zombie carnage, somewhere peaceful--either teeing off on the 11th hole of a gorgeous golf course or lulled into relaxation by the babbling of the river.  And anyway, a 9 iron or a filet knife could make decent zombie defense weaponry...