No one under 16 on this site allowed? Curious why.

[Mr. Ingram's Computer Repair & Shoppe]

I was reading through the Terms of Service and Rules and saw the section:

Minimum Age of 16
Technibble is a community of professionals. We require our members to be at least 16 years of age.

Curious if there is a legal reason behind this or if it is to simply enforce professionalism?

I was homeschooled through grade-school here in the USA. And I had a parent reach out and ask if I could let her 15 year old son shadow me and learn more about computers, and in return, I get free labor.

We quickly came to an agreement, and a year later he even runs the shoppe for me on Wednesday evenings while I go to church.

I look at him as a valuable business partner, even discussing pricing and new services or ideas we have. He has even fixed a couple computers I had given up on, and I left for him to put his eyes on.

Curious if there are allowed exceptions to this rule and I may see about getting my shadows to create accounts here?

Also, does anyone else do this sort of thing? Do you let "kids" come in and learn the business and "adult life"?


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Before you even say it.

He did not start first day with customer computers. We started on the trash shelf, and learning to part out trash and refurb/used parts. Then moving to computers the business owned, loading them with viruses, then cleaning it up. replacing parts. and general computer repair things. Simply getting him comfortable.

Now he works on customer computers and can confidently run the shoppe on a day-to-day bassis.

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And for the mods. Youtube link in signature, are you okay with it? By now, I'm sure most people on here know I am doing livestreaming stuff and starting to push it as I become "professional" at it.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

There was an issue where one of the members' kids joined and I want to say she was 12 and the language can be harsh or "adult" oriented. Plus the site is for techs/business owners.

 

[NYJimbo]

" ask if I could let her 15 year old son shadow me and learn more about computers, and in return, I get free labor. We quickly came to an agreement" - LOL, yeah, I would "hire" him too.

 

[Mr. Ingram's Computer Repair & Shoppe]

" LOL, yeah, I would "hire" him too.

He is really a good worker, and looks at problems a different way than I do. We make a pretty good duo now!

Plus the site is for techs/business owners.

Tech, yes.
Business owner, no.

 

[mraikes]

Overall people that young simply don't have the training and more importantly, the experience to contribute in a meaningful way. TN is unique in that it's primarily a gathering of peers that provide support one another. Yeah, we have newbies of all ages that are generously handheld by some here, but overall we get to share our knowledge, experience, frustrations and laughs between equals.

That's not intended as an insult to your assistant. Clearly - based on my trust of your opinion - he's an exceptional young man and probably already surpasses many of the older people that join up here.

But that's just it, exceptional isn't normal and a line has to be drawn somewhere. I don't think drawing that line at kids 15 yrs and younger is unnecessarily harsh. I hope this won't dissuade him from joining us when he meets that modest requirement.

However, none of this precludes any youngster from browsing (most of) the forums, learning from the threads and preparing for their bright future careers in desktop computer repair.

 

[Mr. Ingram's Computer Repair & Shoppe]

Overall people that young simply don't have the training and more importantly, the experience to contribute in a meaningful way.

I'll agree to this! a lot of people don't have the experience that most small business owners have. And he most likely will "sponge" more than he "spills" on the forum.

based on my trust of your opinion

Why thank you.

exceptional isn't normal and a line has to be drawn somewhere.

Also agree here. We do have to catagorize something that is impossible to categorize in todays technology standard.

I don't think drawing that line at kids 15 yrs and younger is unnecessarily harsh.

Also agree here, and I was surprised it was not 21 and older. as most "professional" techs and business owners are of adult age.

their bright future careers in desktop computer repair.

I sure hope he goes further than "desktop repairs" He is already interested in writing custom code in Linux and a bunch of stuff I don't understand. (he is working on specializing in something complicated that isn't business/consumer repair.)


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Thank you all for answering the age question, I was just making sure there was not some odd legal reason people under legal adult age were not allowed on the forums.

Looks to be more of an "maturity age" level rather than a "legal age" reason.

Still curious if anyone else takes on "shadows" or people who want to learn?