Summer Skool Wiv Dad #5

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Monday 25 August, 2014 by Uncle Spike

Many of you will know of young Cousin Spike Jnr‘s exploits in the mathematics department and his love for all things mechanical, or in any way related to space (e.g. Star Wars Lego).

Well, we finally did the honourable thing as parents and kitted out the aforementioned small person’s bedroom. He’s 6 and has, up until now, had no wardrobe or set of drawers etc. and suffice it to say, the boxes of clothes under the bed were less than ideal.

Anyway, on a recent trip up north, we happened upon an Ikea store (groan). Yes I know they are pretty dire, but believe me, for the money and our pocket, you really cannot buy better here in Turkey. Most in-country manufacturing costs are linked to the Euro, which for us means prices have risen by 40% in the past 5 years just in terms of exchange rates, and that is over and above our 9% annual inflation.

So last week saw our young apprentice guide me through the assembly of an Ikea self-assembly wardrobe, set of drawers, a bookcase and a desk – so finally something to add to the lonesome ‘bed’ that used to constitute his room. 

Of course he loved their instructions booklets.

Now, I have assembled, I don’t know, probably 35 pieces of Ikea furniture over the years, so I’m quite au fait with their style and never have a problem (after the obligatory initial disasters many years back).

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However, said 6 year old nerd loved them, and was happily telling me which holes to use, and was a dab-hand at gently banging in some 90 wooden dowels, and then correctly placing and screw-tightening all the bolt holders.

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The theory is that he’ll better appreciate his room, now that he has spent a few hours working to build it.

We’ll see…. never worked much with me I’m afraid, I was still a destructive urchin!

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