Dear Paul:

I think your desire to build a kayak with your son is wonderful. I encourage you to pick a plan and proceed. I would offer this observation: If your goal is to make a boat, then do your research on the building options and paddling characteristics and choose accordingly. This bbs is a mother lode of information on that score.

If your goal is to spend time with your son on a project, the tangible, physical product of which is a kayak, then the parameters of the first choice become much more flexible. You already have the tools and the plans and the materials for that invaluable project: you, your son, and your time.

There is little more I could add and nothing I could improve regarding the previous responses to your post. Be patient, make yourself a note (or a few) that his attention span is waaay shorter than yours and don't be discouraged when he flits off to another interesting activity.

Be encouraging. I don't mean for you to turn him into a praise junkie, but communicate your feelings about how well he is doing. We all perform better when we're encouraged. And speaking of performance, I understand your concerns about a six year old's boatbuilding skills. But I have found I get the best results when I focus my comments on the things my son does that he has control over, namely his effort and his attitude, and not on the finished product. If he's trying his best and keeping at it in spite of being fearful of doing it wrong; or trying and failing and learning and trying again, that is what needs to be acknowledged.

Listen. Communicate in both directions. Ask for his input, his ideas for a decision. Perhaps offer him two choices that you know would solve a problem and have him pick one and tell you why. Let him see you make mistakes and see you recover from them.

Six years old is not too young for many tasks, especially with handtools scaled to fit him. Give him something he *can* do. You'll both love it.

By the way, I have two sons, one twelve who's help I appreciate when I can get it, and a four year old who has to be shooed from underfoot sometimes. I don't have a picture of my oldest in the shop with me, but there are a few shots of the younger one on my website.

Well, I don't know what I had to add to the discussion, but it seems I sure had a lot to say. You're both gonna do great. Keep us posted.

Ed Valley