Childhood Memories - Duct Tape, Daring and Dremel Tools

In every family there is usually one child that has that deep seated curiosity that sets him or her apart from the others. Sometimes it's as subtle as a lot of "why" questions, sometimes it's finding out your child asked for new stock components for the AR15 from Santa. But for you new parents (Brigid Jr., already has her own AR15 to play with) here are some helpful hints to recognize if your child is going down the path of saving the world, one evil mad scientist experiment at a time.

How to identify if your child is going to be the next engineer, scientist or handyman in the family.

All toys are first taken completely apart before playing with.

Hooks dogs leash to remote control car so he/she does not have to walk him.

Pumps up his or her Super Soaker with an industrial air compressor.


Spends allowance at "Pick a Part."

Jello + BB Gun. Does anyone have a mop?

Install Dad's stereo speakers in ductwork for true "surround sound".

Freezes siblings chair with liquid nitrogen when he's foolish enough to be temporarily absent.

Rolls his/her eyes when you call a Pipe Wrench a Monkey Wrench.

Comes home from Sears with permission slip to buy a nail gun.

Asks for a large sheet of plywood and a saw horse or two to go with the toboggan at Christmas to better make the ski jump.

Uses Dremel tool to convert striped Phillip head screws into slotted screws.


Opens the stuck jar of mayonnaise by puncturing the lid with a clean nail to break the vacuum.

Solves Rubic Cube by disassembling and reassembling in the correct order. (Mad Scientist bonus: Disassembles and reassembles leaving it one cube out of place and leaves it for unsuspecting siblings).

Can repair any toy out of existing garage inventory.

Takes apart 36 inch model of Cutty Sark with a hammer to build a workable raft.


When given permission to build a tree house, presents a bill of materials including the proper number of nails.

Launches G.I. Joe/Star Wars Project to melt enemy troops with magnifying glass.

Makes Bionic Barbie with scraps of wire and auto body filler to replace leg lost in potato gun launch.

When asked why he or she is borrowing the vice grips replies "I hear the tooth fairy pays good money."

Passes meatballs to little brother with trebuchet.

Trip to ocean involves buckets and M80's for building and destroying sand castles.

Takes apart TV set "because there's nothing to watch".

Instead of marbles, has a jar full of nuts and screws. (Got bored playing marbles when discovery made that you can always win using a steel ball bearing.)

Discussion at parent/teacher conference involves discussion of intentional launch of smaller children off of teeter totter to correlate weight and angle to trajectory.

Neighbor calls that your kid is in their back yard with a cat, duct tape, a two liter bottle of diet coke and Mentos.

While Mom makes cookies, mixes Borax, white glue, water, and food coloring to make homemade slime.

Borrow tools and does not return them.

Have a safe and happy Christmas Eve, and enjoy every memory your family builds.