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Yesterday, I posted a suggestion in the forum for DefCon 17 regarding other attendees who are also parents. Next year, I plan to have my son with me in Las Vegas during DefCon and am interested in connecting with other attendees who plan to have their children there, too. Apparently, someone by the name of Chris thinks it's a bad idea and because of that, we are no longer allowed to talk about children at DefCon in the forums. Some guy named Thorn said that bringing children to Las Vegas (or DefCon) is just STUPID.
Though Thorn made some valid points, I still plan to bring my kid and am still interested in chatting up other parents who plan to bring their kid(s) along. I have a few ideas I'd like to bounce around...like a babysitting exchange (I watch your kid while you go out to do adult stuff, you watch my kid the next night.), sharing the expense of a locally licensed and bonded sitter and perhaps a Junior Hardware Hacking Village (Paint's idea) in a rented suite.
None of this has to be sanctioned by the Con itself...just a social networking opportunity for Hackers that are parents, too.
I still think your idea has merit. Details need to be worked out. Concerns need to be addressed. However, Chris said that the DefCon Forums are not the place to discuss these issues.
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For the record, I stopped doing BBS chats and discussion boards in 1985. I stopped doing IRC in 1994. I didn't even look at trying to do any type of forums or discussion boards on the internet. Seems like technology changes, but the people always remain the same.
For the record, before I get sent to Fucktard File, I don't poke bears and I don't fuck sheep. Seems like I actually get that 50% of the population are at or below average intelligence. Screwing them over and bragging about it just don't get me any thrills.
I understand Chris’s and Thorn’s concerns about this discussion taking place on the forum, and the kind of liability issues that could come up if such arrangements are seen as being even remotely connected to Defcon. But as you say, it doesn’t have to be officially connected to Defcon. It’s simply a matter of parents who happen to attend Defcon networking in order to coordinate sharing their child-care costs and responsibilities while in Las Vegas. People coordinate room-sharing or ride-sharing this way, and as far as I know, no one is up in arms about those discussions.
My husband and I might be some of those people who bring our spawn (or our back-up units, as Kingpin so wittily stated in his badge talk – he’s so f-ing awesome) to Defcon and/or other cons when the time comes. If I have kids, I want to raise them with an awareness and respect for this culture, and taking them to events like Defcon would be part of that. We wouldn’t have them go everywhere with us, of course, but just to events that we think could be appropriate and interesting for them. I’m just sad that I won’t also be able to take them to the Star Trek Experience while we’re there (rest in peace, Quark’s Bar).
I think it’s a paradigm shift that’s inevitable, that more and more attendees will start bringing their kids with them, as so many already have. I have certainly noticed an increase in the number of mini-humans tagging along with their parents over my seven years of Defcon attendance. Hackers are growing up and spawning, and I think it's cause to celebrate. Its inevitable that parents like yourself will start seeking solutions like this.
So I look forward to seeing how exploring this territory works out for you, Hurricane. You have my support. Best of luck to you.