How to convince parents

I want to get a DX 200 mW red laser but I need help on convincing my parents to allow me to get me one. (I'm 14 btw)

Here's the problem, my parents are very overprotective when it comes to lasers. Like last October I had to beg them to let me buy an Infiniti 95 with my own money and they said no of course because it's too dangerous, "why do you need one", and all that stuff. To my surprise I got a 75+goggles, balloons, techlasers tshirt, and cap set for Christmas and to my dissapointment my dad wouldn't let me use it without supervision and said not to look at the dot even with goggles on (even when I'm just pointing at objects, I really don't know why). So he hid it in the closet and I found it and I conduct my own experiments with it when my parents aren't around.

Interestingly enough, my dad is one of those dads that would get you a BB gun and the biggest and baddest knife/blade but not a laser pointer, I don't really understand that. He wouldn't even let me have the cheap red ones when I was younger (about 10-11). My mom though is a different story, the only excuse she has for not letting me buy one is "why do you need 2" and "you don't even use the one you have" (well no crap I can't if I'm not allowed to). If my mom can have 2 cars, my dad can have 2 cars, my mom can have 300 longaberger baskets, if my parents let me have 300 video games and 3 knives, then I don't see why having 2 laser pointers (or anything for that matter) should be such a big deal.

If anyone was wondering the main reason I want the DX is because it's dirt cheap compared to the overpriced pulsar, is a different color than green, burns better than the 75, and I can stargaze with a fainter beam instead of a distracting bright green beam that can be seen miles away. So, how do I convince my parents that I should be able to buy one? And also, how good is the DX? Is it better than the P125?

Firstly, I do not work at nor am I affiliated with DealExtreme. They are a reputable company but I do not benefit from you purchasing their 200mW red laser.

1. Parents are afraid of technology they don't understand. This is why you can have a knife but not a laser. Let them understand that you know your stuff about lasers. Read up on divergance, wavelength, phosphorence, optical density etc.

2. They're just concerned about your safety, and if you blinded yourself they'd have to live with the shame of being 'bad parents.' Promise you'll lock it away in a box or something if you have curious pets or siblings, promise you'll use it by yourself and responsibly and away from the sky or people's property.

3. You can tell them to speak with someone responsible on the forum. The person has to be impartial and not out to get money. They also have to be over 20 and have a good knowledge of lasers. Tell them this.

4. You're 14. You are starting to make your own life choices for yourself. You are paying with money that you earned, not handed to you as pocket money (I'm assuming), and you're paying for something interesting and a lot more relevant to modern society than a gun or a weapon. A large quantity of physics experiments involve lasers, and they are used in industry and to fix people's eyesight. It's a fascinating technology. You will obviously buy a set of goggles as well, yes? I know, I'm only about a year older than you. I've put in an order for the same laser plus CR2 batteries and charger, and will be ordering goggles when I get the cash together.

Don't skimp out on the goggles. You do only have one pair of eyes, but they are in good hands if you have the right equipment. Your mother probably collects or is interested in something that has no practical value as well (jewellery perhaps? It's not like she's looking to hook another man ) Swiss army knives are often bought for show, and sit on a shelf somewhere until they rust so much you can't open the blades. Same goes for many things, laser pointers are not the only 'useless' hobby.

You can show your parents this post if you like... I did put a little thought into it, hehe. Good luck, perhaps with time and age your parents' mind will change. Mine are as stubborn as a brick wall... but what're you gonna do.

VillageIdiot summed it up pretty well, but to answer your last question, yes, the DX200 red is MUCH better than the P125. It's brighter, it's focusable, it is a MUCH better burner, and it is 20% of the price of a P125!

Dont get too mad at your parents. TRUST ME! One of my cousins mother is the worst in the world! His dad is very good though. He gets all these high tech presents from his dad eg. limited edition PSP metalic blue, guess what his mum does? She takes the PSP before he opens the box and gives it to another kid. How angry would you be? I know i would be super angry! He's gotten tonnes of stuff but his mum has taken all of it away and his dad doesnt know because he is in China working his butt off while she gambles day and night. On the other hand, his little brother gets spoilt and gets ANYTHING he wants! Just letting you know that your a lot better off than some people

To solve why do you need one question say that you want to test out the properties of light, why you can see a green beam and not so well a red one, maybe if you have more money you could say that your getting an optics set with that so you can test out stuff.


And maybe the most important, don't talk about burning and turning off street lights with it. Keep theme to the scientific stuff and you go out and do the fun stuff but remember always get safety goggles, I know that many people are so agar to get a laser and barley make it in money and they cheep out on theme, saying that they will use common sense, don't matter thats what I thought at first and then when I got a close call I got some, but thats only with my 50mW greenie, with 200mW comes 200x more responsibility and theirs no room for error, one hit in the eye are your gone, get safety glasses if you want to buy one.

Think about this logically though, your dad's perceptions aren't all that wrong.  With a knife, you can have an accident, cut your self and yeah you maybe bleeding a little, but your wounds will heal.  With a 200mW laser, you can have an accident, get it shone in your eye and yea, it might only be a laser, but your eye isn't getting better, it will most likely get worse.  As much as you might think it's unfair, you are only 14 and while they may look harmless, they can be more damaging to you.  Look at me, I'm 24 and I got close exposure to my eye of a scattered beam (40mW 473nm) a few days ago, it's still a little funny today.  My vision's still good, but my eye was clearly unhappy about it.  Had that been my H150 or hell even a 200mW red which is worse for your eye anyway, it could have resulted to serious injury.

They're not toys, the more responsible you can be in showing that is the only thing that will, imo convince them to let you have one. If they think you're too immature, then that's the first thing that will sway their decision, also if you are immature then you probably shouldn't own one anyway.

Tell them its scientifically educational. I mean it is for like physics.

styropyro said:

VillageIdiot summed it up pretty well

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You think I exceeded my limit of 1% substance as per my custom text? :-/

BB guns and knifes are fun though

It is a bit ridiculous what they're doing theres very little chance you could get hurt when you have the glasses

If I was in your position I would just do a bit a research and show your parents how dangerous theses lasers really are

Peoples_Elmo said:

BB guns and knifes are fun though  

It is a bit ridiculous what they're doing theres very little chance you could get hurt when you have the glasses

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If a kid shoots someone, he's a nut job and shouldn't own a gun. If a kid shines a laser at someone, he's somone who isn't responsable but it doesn't make him a bad person, it just makes him a kid. Guns are blatantly obvious weapons which are designed to penetrate and damage a target. It's a lot easier for a person or teenager to understand their damaging power because they see it all around them, the also see it every time they use the weapon. A high power laser isn't a weapon, it's a tool, or gadget. It isn't designed to damage it's targets and it isn't capable of killing, so it's easier for kids to associate it with a toy, or a harmful thing. This makes it potentially more dangerous as where they think it's okay, it really can do damage and in the end, they wont even see it to know it.

Personally i think his parents are spot on with their judgement and while it might be a bitch, it's a very sensible aproach. It doesn't however say you can't prove to them your not responsible enough to own one. But that's what it's down to imo, responsability...

I think anyone responsible enough to own a BB gun is capable of understanding the risks of a high powered
laser
I guess you cant tell unless you know the person though :-/

It can be a problem of knowledge rather than responsibility though. A BB gun owner might not understand the risks of a laser.

OMG ! Finally , I found someone in the same situation as me !!! I had the same problems with my parents , and im 14 too
Hope your parent accept , just tell them that you will be careful and you know what to do

Best Regards ,
Awf

VillageIdiot said:

It can be a problem of knowledge rather than responsibility though. A BB gun owner might not understand the risks of a laser.

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I get what you mean. There was one time where I let a kid "see" my burning
red. He pointed it at his friend and I freaked out. I know it was stupid but I had told him that it WOULD blind him if he pointed it in his eye. I later explained to him why i freaked out. It's amazing how stupid people can be when it comes to these things.

In fact I am more careful with my laser then my parents are.

awirq said:

OMG ! Finally , I found someone in the same situation as me !!! I had the same problems with my parents , and im 14 too
Hope your parent accept , just tell them that you will be careful and you know what to do

Best Regards ,
Awf

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Common problem with parents these days is that even though you may tell them your careful and know whats going on with lasers they nod like its ok but inside their heads they are rapidly dismissing it...and think you are a mere idiot and are going to hurt someone...im sure you have come across this before with your olds (parents)

Well even tho you say you understand the dangers, that doesn't mean you are going to protect yourself. You can understand that reflections are bad for your eyes, but ignore protecting your eyes from them. I can still see why a parent wouldn't want there kid to have a laser. If I didn't have a debit card of my own, I still probably wouldn't own a laser... not even my little Hello Kitty keychain laser =[
lol