I agree with most of this; kids need to stay out of the pits and be supervised if they aren't mature enough to stay put. I have two kids, 7 and 9, and I take my 9 year old to the field all the time. There is one rule though; he stays seated in the spectators area when ever I'm doing something where I can't watch him. I know I'm going to get a few,"You should always watch your kid," remarks, but he actually does stay put when I tell him too. I spent a lot of time drilling it into his head that these planes aren't toys and will kill him if he doesn't do exactly what I say (plus I bribe him a little; he gets some stick time on the buddy box at the end of the day if he behaves . . . and trust me, he always behaves! In fact, I just sent off for his AMA card; he'll be ready to solo in another week or two. I think I'll keep in on the buddy box for another year though.).

As for the 7 year old, the only time she gets to come out to the field is when her mother is there to watch her. I don't trust her to stay put. I can see it now if their mother wasn't there; she and her brother get into a fight and she comes running through the pits toward me when she trips on the scale P-51 or runs through the blades of the helicopter or runs into me, knocking the TX out of my hands, causing my plane to spiral into the pits killing someone!

Kids need to be allowed at the field; it's the only way to keep this hobby going. But they need to be mature enough to follow the rules or supervised with an iron fist.