apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Our brother, Spencer, wouldn't be the man he is today without the open mind of our mother and her encouragement of his interests. He had buckets of parts, gears and appliances lining his shelves just waiting to be put back together later, in some bizarre combination. He made micro-toasting-irons and can-opening-alarm clocks and sometimes, but not often, they even worked!

This isn't to say that it was all peaches and sunshine, as it's truly amazing how many screws and gears can "accidentally" get glued to a carpet; but without the hands on experience of how things worked early on, he wouldn't have the same great foundation for all of his current mechanical endeavors. He's the kind of person who builds DVR's out of things he finds in the dumpster and is the family go to guy for having something fixed that would otherwise cost hundreds of dollars.

We're pretty sure Mom appreciated not having her Cuisinart or her blenders dismantled, but knowing she provided her son with a hands on education in the world of all things mechanical is a great way to fall asleep at night.

How do you encourage your child's interests? Leave us a comment below!

(Image via Brand X Pictures, Stockxpert, Comstock)