This is full of great information! To be honest, I flat out bought a 115mW 532nm CNI Pen without telling my parents. I have my own debit card through my bank and my own funds from working. I eased them into it, and showed them that there are many legitimate fields that use laser technology. Slowly they have learned to completely accept and think some of the stuff is cool, my dad even complimented me last night because I finished modifying my old computer power supply for other uses. I have built myself a small spyrograph before and they thought that was amazing. You can see now that I have three lasers in my possession and one is being fixed. Don't just beg them to let you get a laser though, maybe try showing them some colleges that even have the programs. Personally I plan to go to Indian River Community College to get my Associates in the Photonics field and then proceed to get my Masters at the University of Central Florida. Florida Institute of Technology also has a whole photonics and optics department. Maybe show them this website too. http://www.op-tec.org/ I have not looked at the website that much but I have read else where about them, it is a group effort of multiple photonics institutes and companies working together. I really think that showing them the professionalism that can be involved will help your cause. Good luck.