There’s a new trend around the Bacchiocchi household, and that trend is all things Nerf. With two boys, there are some things your place is likely to have: Legos, Spongebob, Mario and Nerf. We have full on Nerf wars, sneak attacks, and ideas for an epic summer movie that’s being planned, rewritten, and blocked out as we speak. But Max also has a new Nerf passion: Modifying. Simply, taking his Nerf guns apart and changing things around to make them look cooler or shoot farther.
For weeks he asked me if he could modify some of his Nerf guns. A couple of his friends had already done it, and he was dying to get a screwdriver in his hand and crack one open. He has always loved to figure out how things work, and like his dad, always wants to know how to make things work _better_.
I, on the other hand, was skeptical. I told him that when he was taking it apart, something might get broken and then it wouldn’t work. At all. He assured me that he understood, so I handed over the screwdriver, and stood back.
After several successful modifications, he was working on one last night and a piece snapped. I expected him to be upset, but to my surprise, he was fine. He knew that might happen, but took the chance anyway. Today he told me he was saving up to buy the same Nerf gun so that he could try it again. Because he knew what he did wrong. I have to say that I can’t help but to be impressed by this attitude as it’s not one that comes naturally to me. Wait, you’re going to take a chance at doing something even though you know you might fail? And then when you fail, you’re going to learn from what went wrong and try it again?
I’m so glad I have these modifiers in my life to remind me to try new things and take some risks!
I’m excited that John and I are going to the CTPPA Annual Convention in March to see the amazing Jasmine Star and Justin and Mary Marantz speak. I’m sure they will be pushing me beyond my comfort zone!