Son who loves washers and dryers

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Enjoy the Journey, Debbie

Hi Debbie--

My name is Dan.

Although I'm not a regular contributor to the threads on this site, I do frequent it every day.

When I read your recent post, I couldn't help but to log on and chime in with a few accolades and suggestions.

First: GOOD FOR YOU for recognizing and accepting the fact that your son has an interest that completely captivates him. You are to be commended for allowing him to explore this fascination.

Do encourage his curiosity.

Don't try to stifle it, control it, or (God forbid) embarrass him with it.

It's cute when he's five; it's awkward when he's fourteen; it's bizarre when he's forty.

If you poll the membership of this group, most of us fell in love with washers and dryers at an early age and that connection never left us.

Honest to God, my mother rues the day when my grandmother took me into her basement to wash on her Whirlpool Imperial belt drive suds saver that drained into a Speed Queen wringer washer.

I was smitten at three years of age.

The first time I got to pull that timer knob out, turn it to the correct cycle, and push it in. . .I was hooked.

My folks didn't know what to do with this peculiar interest.

It was something we didn't talk about--like the one-eyed step mother that's locked in the attic, my "interest" wasn't encouraged; it was tolerated.

Do let him experiment and learn and interact with others who share this like.

Debbie, you don't know what's going on in his little mind.

What interests him so much? Try to find this out.

For me, it was the sounds of the machine; the rotating of the dials and of the wash tub; the water spilling out. . .

Looking back, I think I would've gone wild to see a machine pulled apart and put back together.

Is your son a nascent mechanic (?), a scientist (?), an engineer (?). . .or does he just like to wash clothes?

You don't know, Debbie--and perhaps your son isn't able to articulate what's driving this obsession. But one thing's for sure: something in his mind is engaged.

As for where to take your son to see a roomful of machines. . .that's easy.

Go to Robert's house--Unimatic--but check with him first.

I made the trek with my family, and a visit to the Twin Cities may be the perfect way to quench his curiosity.

Best of Luck.

Welcome to the group.
 
Hoo-boy! Did I need a Website like THIS ONE back in my day, let alone the invention of THE INTERNET!

The closest I had were cardboard boxes cut up to be appliances, but surely never painted, though I put in my own tinker toy knobs--and still never matched the real thing--that could go on & on with, too...

 

Welcome to The Forum--and may we get input from your li'l lad, here, too!

 

 

-- Dave
 
DEBBIE & EVAN.....

Both of you are Awesome! It's great Evan has a true
interest in Washer/Dryers. Like others said, some
people never find a passion for anything in their
whole life. Debbie you are a great Mom.

Since I was 2 I was fascinated by anything/everything
mechanical. I was able to operate my father's Radio
station transcription turntable, at that age, and my
parent's knew they "had a live one"....LOL. I love
all vintage appliances, small gas powered tools, cars,
audio equipment etc. I was fortunate in that my parents
never discouraged my interests. They still support me
in all my interests, and I love them for it. They would
go to estate sales, car shows, and antique fairs with
me.

You and Evan are doing what's important...Marching
to the beat of your own drums. Never compare yourself
to other mothers. From what it sounds like.....they
Can't hold a candle to you : )

Thanks for sharing and Good Luck. Tell Evan I'm rooting
for him / LOL.

Best washes,

Louis
 
Debbie and Evan

Yea! Good for you. When I was a kid in the 50's. we would go and visit friends and I would go to the basement to see what kind of washing equipment they had. We lived on a farm so we used a wringer washer. The water that we had was salt water and my dad would buy used machines because the water was very caustic. Mom had a Maytag, Speed Queen, Montgomery Wards and a Thor. When I was in 5th. grade, I was in charge of doing the family laundry. Mom worked outside of the home then so I would do the wash when she was cleaning the house. Have fun Evan and welcome. Gary
 
Hello and welcome to you both!

I spent a number of years teaching English and American Sign Language to Deaf and hard-of-hearing kids, PreK-5. In my book you've already demonstrated yourself more tuned into your son than most parents are to their kids. Please, no more of that 'unworthy as a parent' stuff!

My story is similar to the others. My interest in appliances was just one of a long list of idiosyncrasies my parents tolerated. Lucky for me my maternal grandparents gave unconditional acceptance. Looking back, I suspect they were a bit amused by my interests but indulged them. I even had my own set of nesting boxes I stacked to stand on so I could get close enough to the washer or whatever else enthralled me. Trust me, your son WILL remember the support & encouragement you give him at this age:-)

He's old enough to start reading and there's no shortage of washer-related reading material in the Ephemera section of this website or on the internet in general. Old advertisements with plenty of illustrations abound.

Evan will probably start wanting to do your laundry soon. If you'd like him to do your dishes as well may I suggest you introduce him to the Thor automatic combination washer and dishwasher! These machines hold endless fascination for me and I could do laundry and wash dishes for hours if you give me one of these. I'm 52 and I bounce around (albeit more slowly) like a 5-year-old whenever I get near one.

Welcome again to the group!

Jim
 
HI Debby & Evan

Welcome to Applianceville! I was the guy who hosted the wash-in here in Boston. Did you see the CBS Sunday Morning segment or the CNN Great Big Story piece? Both were filmed at my house here in Boston.

 

I want to congratulate you on supporting your son. It is heartwarming for me to see new ones coming up with the same passion that we all have for appliances. I have no idea where it comes from. In my case when I was 3 my mom would be cooking on the stove dinner and she had the washer right beside the stove so to keep an eye on me she would set up a wood soap box and put me on it and start the machine and I would watch it while she cooked beside me. I think thats where it started for me. I also remember when we bought our first house that year and the washer was put downstairs in the basement I remember throwing a tantrum telling her it had to go beside the stove not in the basement!! She had to calm me down! But by 5 I was taking the laundry down on my own and doing it- well at 5 she insisted on starting the machine!!

 

I just hosted a young man 6 years old here in Boston who has the same passion- Justin. He had a blast here. If you are ever doing the Freedom Trail here in Boston for Evan's edification then you have an open invitation to come here and do laundry !! ( I Know that sounds crazy !! )

 

Cheers and happy washer hunting with Evan !!

 

jon  ( jetcone)

 

 

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Debby you deserve the Mom of the year award!

Debby you sound like an awesome mom!

I was in tears when I ready your post. I was fascinated with washers and dryers when I was a kid must have started around 2 or 3. I was hanging clothes on the with a chair I dragged outside at 3. Thanks for letting your kid be himself and not pushing him towards something else. I can relate with others posts of family not understanding making fun of me. But I pushed forward. My family finally have in and I got to a point I did not care about anyone said. I had lots of aunts and I always enjoyed seeing theirs and the neighbors different washers. I could tell you the brand and color features of them
All. My parents could leave me in the laundry room
And I was fine lol! I remember going to sears weekly in the 70-80s it was always a treat to see the washers and all the colors they had back then. have had a small collection washers in the past but now moved on. Time and space. Debby have fun with your son and thanks for sharing your story it's been uplifting part of my week reading your post!
 
Can't help it . . .

. . . I have to chime in here. I'm 72 and still am fascinated with washing machines (any appliance) and doing laundry. It started when I was about 4 or 5 -- a carbon copy of everyone else's story. I lived in a small town and would call neighbors to see if I could come over and do their laundry. My parents never tried to dissuade me.

Congratulations to you for letting nature take its course.

We've just had a "convention" in Beltsville, MD and it was fascinating. I wish you and your son could have been there. The guys that put this on and have created a warehouse of washers are great and very accommodating. In fact, some years ago there was a young boy whose mother would bring him to our "wash-ins" and in doing so, she got hooked on the machines.

I am in Winston-Salem, NC. I don't have much of a collection, but I love what I do have. (And came home from the Beltsville wash-in with a new Speed Queen front load and still spend time sitting in front of it watching it go.)

Keep up the good parenting work. You're a jewel.

Jerry Gay
 
Salesman vs. Engineer

Debby,
As a fun YouTube video to watch, I have several current and retired engineers who enjoy this video. I especially enjoy it because my curiosity of all things mechanical and electrical predates my memory. I constantly look at things and wonder how it works, what makes it work, how can I get inside to figure out how it works, and what I can do to fix it if it does not work.
I really laughed when Dilbert make a ham radio. I licensed as an Amateur Extra ham operator.
Henry Ford reportedly had the "knack".
Do you get a sense that he will be selling appliances or designing them?
Hope you enjoy the video.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx6HojLBsnw
 
same here

So I have to add my 2 cents. I was the same as everyone else. Obsessed with appliances but especially the washer since I was old enough to see into it. My mom would put a stool in front of the washer so I could watch it before I was old enough to stand up and see into it. Everyone in the family tried to save their wash until I was around (grandparents, etc)to help them. Like you, my family was supportive and celebrated it rather than thought it odd. They often kidded me about opening a laundry when I was old enough to (I didn't but still enjoy doing my own laundry). I was happy to find an article some years later that said interest in appliances and how they work was sometimes an early sign of a high IQ in kids (at least that's the explanation I liked!)

Your boy looks very happy and enthused. I'm sure whatever he does when he grows up, he'll excel at it!
 
Debby: I hope you're still checking the thread and you see this. You didn't mention whether Evan looks at YouTube. There are hundreds of videos of all kinds of machines from vintage to new on the market. Some videos show a clothes washer going through a complete cycle. It's "the next best thing to being there."

And, naturally, there is the "See it Wash" section of this here website.
 
Hello from Leeds - UK

I also started out at a very young age as far back as I can remember being interested in how things work. I would purposely put things such as tissues or coins in the washing machine just so it would clog up and stop working so I could see my dad strip it down and fix it. I did the same with vacuum cleaners also and would purposely block it so I could see the inner workings when it was taken apart. Much to the annoyance of my parents particularly my dad. I would always blame my brother who had no interest lol. I got my first toy washer which was great but it didn't beat mums machine in the kitchen. My mum thinks I was born with the obsession as she used to put me in front of the washer when I was a baby and I would be soothed by the cycle and watching the drum turn and the clothes move around inside. Even up to about 9 years old I would sit in front of the washing machine at my Mums or my Nans and watch it going round. She would save washing up for my visit so that I could watch it go round and round.

I am interested in them both but I think washing machines take over slightly as well. I tend to find I dip in and out of this interest and usually come back to them when I am feeling unsettled in my life as it takes me back to my inner child and carefree days. I find the forum here wonderful and I love the "Super" forum just as good especially in winter times when people post recipes and pictures of the snow and their homes etc.

I own two washing machines and haven't really built a collection, if your son wants to look at lots and lots of inner working pictures of my washing machine when it was lovingly restored by some fabulous members on here then I would recommend he have a look at these posts... heavily loaded with pictures of internals of my washing machine. Its in 2 parts due to the amount of pictures.

Part 1: http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?51645_86
part 2: http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?51660_89

What a fabulous mum you are encouraging his passion as that then means you become interested in life and its good to know how things work. I really do think its wonderful and if you can get him a portable washer like several have posted on here then even better as something simple that he can play on. There's nothing better than play.

In the UK there was even a documentary TV series called "secret lift of machines" here I have also linked for you one called "secret life of washing machines" I think your son will find it funny as there's funny cartoons in it also and it is easy to follow too. I watched it from a very young age as things are explained easily... hopefully you can watch it in the USA.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Best Wishes
Richard
 
Hobbies...

Hi Debby, a warm welcome and glad to here you are giving your son the support he needs in enjoying his hobby, again with others as a kid I was always fascinated by whatever was on the end of a plug, be it radio, vac, tv washer or other...my first real memory was with visiting my aunt and uncle around 7yrs of age and while sat at the kitchen table he plonked and old Morphy Richards iron on the table with a worn out cord and a screwdriver and let me take it apart...

Fast forward many years having sold electrical appliances, collected many and with the help of friends here putting together a showroom for us to enjoy I find it heartening that a number of young UK members are actively supported by their parents in what some may think of a bizarre hobby - Its been a joy to see and we must continue support that wholeheartedly...

Heres a link to washers from across the pond to share with your son....Enjoy !!

http://https//www.youtube.com/user/chestermikeuk
chestermikeuk++10-2-2016-06-11-14.jpg
 
Welcome to AW. He's so lucky to have a mom like you. I started at about age 3-4 taking things apart. My parents had a wedding album that had a small built in windup music box. Well I found a screw driver and took that album apart to find it. Took it apart but of course at that age I couldn't put it back together.

Later at age 6 I wondered how the washer worked. I was caught a few times trying to take the front cover off the Maytag. At age 7 my father caught me taking the lens off the front blinker on his Galaxie 500. I wanted to see what the bulb looked like. I can go on and on. I still enjoy mechanical things. I have a small collection of dehumidifiers, window a/c's, three washers and two dryers.
 
Thank you again for all of you that have replied and shared your stories, links, or info. Sorry it took me forever to get back on here. Evan and his sister keep me quite busy. I just wanted to reply to a few things.

maytagwringer: Loved the Dilbert video! Definitely think we might have an engineer on our hands. My cousin is an engineer and she keeps telling us he seems to have a mind that works that way!

Jon(jetcone)
My mother in law shared the one that was on CBS sunday morning show. My son loved the washer that sprayed everywhere and the one that spun really fast I believe the comment that was made on the show was "it sounds like it is about to take off" Evan kept repeating it! haha. He also loves the spin cycle so you both have that in common! Thanks so much for sharing Justin's pictures. He looks just like I envision Evan would look if he was able to come to your place. We will definitely contact you if we are ever in Boston. Thanks for the open invite.

Richard: thanks so much for the links and videos. I will have to show Evan, I am sure he will love them!

Chestermike:
Thanks so much for the photo and link to all the youtube videos. Evan is going to have a field day with them!

Steve (streakers) Thank you so much for the invite. So excited to hear someone is somewhat close by. From the pictures you sent, I am sure Evan would love to see them. I will contact you sometime soon.
 
You Guys are Too Humble...

...forgetting to plug your own YouTube Channels. If it is not possible at the current for Evan to get a tour, the next best thing are videos, right?

Some members' channels I know about that will keep him occupied for hours.

www.youtube.com/user/swestoyz
www.youtube.com/user/redcarpetdrew
www.youtube.com/user/jetcone
www.youtube.com/user/eddy1210
www.youtube.com/user/automaticwasher
www.youtube.com/user/revvinkev

Also dont forget to look at the "See it Wash" page here on AW, although you will have to have Windows Media Player or equivalent.
(www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/see_it_wash.cgi)

***To other members, if I didn't list your channel, please list it; I'm sure he would find them interesting.***

-Richard
 
Reading this has done my heart good. I WISH my mother had been as supportive as you Debbie. Sadly mine saw it as something that would bring embarrassment on the family and did everything she could to stop me engaging in the hobby.

Over the years she has softened towards it but still won't allow me to engage in any lengthy laundry related discussions. As I write this I am about to walk out the door and head to my friend eliots house to do some laundry with some machines that may self and he have collected over the years. I have visited England to my homeland and visited many of the UK members of this site and engaged with their collections. Always wonderful fun.

Thank you Debbie, for your understanding and your supportive attitude.

Evan is now part of a greater family that spans across the globe and will I'm sure be welcomed into any members home to view and 'play' with their washers and collections.

All the best to you and Evan :-)

Heres a link to my YouTube site :-)

Regards from Australia,

Matt

https://www.youtube.com/user/mattie17
 
Amazing Story

I love that you are embracing Evan in his hobby. I started with vacuums which my family did the best to discourage and throw away as fast as they could. Now I am an adult with 70 vacuums and 9 sets of washers and dryers, and 5 dishwashers. My boyfriend said he will kill me if one more washer or vacuum arrives. Little does he know there are 2 vacuums on the way. LOL The toy washer in the upper right hand corner of Evans set looks just like my Miele W1986. I hope someone in Ohio is able to show him their machines.
 

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