paranoid parents & paintball

[FeelTheRT]

could it be some sort of finacial issue that your parents don't want you knowing? I meen, paintball is very pricy.

[FooTemps]

I dunno about the g/f thing. My parents are against that too...
My parents aren't religious in any way. We don't have finantial problems. My parents raised me so I wouldn't vandalize, do drugs, or cause trouble.

[ThePatriot]

You could try the reverse psycology thing, be like i have given up totally on paintball, i now see that you are correct, dont talk about paintball for about 2-3 days but act all despressed and like sad...they will feel sorry for themselves and want to make u feel better...so they will let u play more/let u own ur own gun

[Failure]

that never works, television played that one out...darn olsen twins. Geez, can,t have a girlfriend either? Gimme your address, I'll send them a nice letter on your behalf. They are holding on too tight, a little rebelion is needed. I give you 2 years to fully rebel. Either that or a girl you sweat and they don't like....whichever comes first.

[FooTemps]

I did that for one whole summer. They're now allowing me to play only 4 times a year! HOW MANY MORE SUMMERS DO I HAVE TO DO THIS!?!?!?

[Failure]

until you are 18 summers old unfortunately, then they have the excuse to kick you out.

[FooTemps]

Well, when I'm that old I'd be moving outta the house...

[Bartleby]

maybe you have to show interest in other things in addition to paintball. i know that if i were a father and my child was thinking or doing one thing all the time i would try to get him/her to expand his/her horizons and see what else life has to offer. if you're paying too much attention to paintball alone, maybe you parents want you to just get involved other places. and if you were to do that, then they would be more leanient on what you can do in your spare time.

here's an example. my mom hated how i spent all my time playing computer games. i was never involved in sports or after school activities, and i was never very social. Thus, she constantly tried to get me away from the computer to do other things. when i joined the swim team, i practiced every afternoon untill 5:30 and then after that played computer games at my house again, but with one change, my mother did not care the slightest bit.

try this one out, see how it works for ya. just make sure that whatever it is that you get involved in is something you enjoy doing. that way you aren't really paying in time so that you can play paintball. good luck

[Russ]

It's too bad, really, that your folks won't let you play. It's something that could actually bring you together as a family. Maybe you big brother could help talk some open-mindedness, on your behalf, into your folks.

They do let you play 4 times a year, though. Do they pay for you to play these 4 times? Remember that paintball is a VERY expensive game, and at 14, it's tough to find any job, let alone one that could support a paintball habit. Stay cool, have a heck of a time when you do get to play, your folks will come around, because they love you.

My son and I enjoy playing together. It brings us closer, and we BOTH have a great time. Best of luck to you, FooTemps.

[FooTemps]

Well, I doubt my brother could help any more than he already has with almost everything and anything. He played paintball almost 8 years ago so I doubt he would remember very much about paintball.
I show lots of interests in many different things like snowboarding for instance, they're against that too but they're letting me snowboard this year.
I know paintball is expensive but I'm getting a job next year so I can cover that. I also have enough money right now to pay for myself for more than a year of paintball.

[Bartleby]

it sounds like you just have very over-protective parents. i'd say give them some time, as long as it takes, and work them in. eventually they'll understand that they can't keep you from loving the game.

[FooTemps]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm invited onto a startup team so I need to find a way to get my parents to break in. I know that they eventually will but it might be too late when they do. I'm still gonna buy a mag and keep it at my friends house so I can go to team practices and play in tournies. 3 tournies and 1 rec a year doesn't sound too bad does it?

[Failure]

tell them that you are good enough to be on a team and that paintball comes natural to you. You doing good in school? that is priority one, trust me, I messed around WAY too much in highschool and I now regret it. Plus if your grades are good they should be more relaxed.

[FooTemps]

Of course I go to school and school is priority one but my parents think there shouldn't be anything else but school. I've got pretty good grades. I mean, I'm not an A student but I'm almost there. Only a couple flaws, 3 A's, 2 B's and 1 unlucky C isn't that bad.

[raehl]

What is it with them baptists and paintball?

I played the first time going out with my friend's Baptist church. Can't figure out why paintball is so popular in that particular denomination.

Anyway, www.high-school-paintball.com, click on the "parent info" link. If you can't make them read it, print it out and leave it on the kitchen counter. Steer them to the parent discussion forum. If you want, I'll write them a letter or call them. And make sure you can find some other way to get to the field and back that doesn't depend on your parents. I'm honestly not sure if they're over protective or you're just in your teenage rebellion years and they'll be damned if they're going to expend any effort driving you anyway.

You can also go over to www.collegelist.college-paintball.com and point to all of the college clubs and teams in existence (there's the high school equivalent at www.hslist.high-school-paintball.com) - for some reason, if kids in college do it (well, and it doesn't involve bars or parties ) it's ok.

Do *NOT* show them a paintball video - at least, not one of tournaments. I doubt endless bunker shots will do much to assuage their fears.

3 tournies and 1 rec a year isn't going to cut it - if you're going to be on a tourny team, you're going to have to practice. A lot. Your team will rapidly outgrow you if they practice and you don't.

And lastly, you could start a paintball club at your school, and then just say you're going to a school function. We'll be happy to help you do that as well.

- Chris