Lots of guys just like me have trouble with their parents, and the community as a whole, as they seek to have fun with their adolescence. We are too reckless, too lazy, too misguided, or too wayward – unless we are some form of school nerd that is. Heck even being a pc geek is not acceptable anymore.
Parents used to be happy that they had a kid who wouldn’t leave the bedroom, glued to the pc all day and night when not in school. It used to be viewed as a very intelligent hobby to be addicted to. Even those days are distant memories, now if a guy sits at his computer longer then 15 minutes prescribed to answer email he is either a pervert, or is looking up the latest bomb construction information posted. Parents just don’t understand!

I started noticing how all the guys I knew between the ages of 13 and 18 really didn’t have anything they could do for fun that was deemed acceptable by their parents.  Skateboarding led to drugs, hanging out in the mall would lead to arrests for shoplifting,  too much pc time – we already discussed how that would be viewed,  hangin out at school after classes finished would lead to fights and/or teenage pregnancies, oh the list of possible traumatic outcomes was endless.

I decided I would try out an idea – and construct a place where the guys could do all of the above under one roof, and have that place open to parents to come through as they saw fit. Open door policy.

I found a great location, advertised for some investors after carefully drafting a great business proposal, secured investors who insisted on overseeing the project until the doors were open for business. This actually was welcomed by me and their expertise would be much better then mine when it came to contractors, building/fire codes, and they had already good repoire with many people who would give them good prices on certain work needed.

The building was fitted with a skateboard area, a rock climbing area, a dirt bike track with hills and valley’s out back, inside there were video games, a whole room full of pc’s that are locked for mature content, meaning even if you tried you couldn’t see a swear word, naked picture, or surf sites known to be frequented by dangerous predators etc. We have a big screen room with both the latest TV digital cable channels and DVDs. And we have people come every week with special offers that are prescreen by our staff – for example special rates on prepaid cell phones for students, bank accounts at major banks with financial advice for first time employees, half price discounts at trendy clothing, shoe stores on certain days of the month for the teens who are registered with us.  The list is endless.

So now – we have a one stop shop for all your adolescent needs, and parents in the area aren’t so worried about where their kids are or what they are doing. We even have a library and study area, as there are still some in that age range who actually WANT to excel academically! We have tutors available and personal trainers three times a week for consultation. We have a weight training room along with a boxing ring and coach who is available 5 days a week. We even have job fairs twice a month where we offer booth/table space to prospective employers to come and recruit our kids, or any other kids, if they are in need of work and have little or no experience.

We do everything we can to link these kids to whatever it is they need, or like, in as safe an environment as possible. There are membership fees of course, but since the launch of the SuperDome, the majority of the membership fees have been paid by parents for their teens to be a part of something they don’t have to worry about. They might be home to look over their young mans shoulder when he is on the pc – but we can look out for him when he is at our place.

It was the best idea I ever came up with, it has kept many kids out of trouble, I make a modest income from it, and I have a lot of fun in the meantime.

I’m really glad I am doing something I enjoy – and in the process, helping many others do what they enjoy, safely.