thanks for all the input. he is 8 and has a younger brother. his mother brought them to our meeting and we presented him with an "honary junior member" membership card, a jolly roger kit, glue (the testors black long spout which i use also) and an xacto knife, with his mom's permission. seems his teacher is also encouraging him and has another child in her class interested in ww2 ships. (i recall iwas interested in ships at that time too. still am and some days i feel i don't paint that much better). it's a private school.
i think i will pick up a copy of the kit as well. i have made 3 work boards out of free scrap wood from home depot that they even cut to size for free. i bordered them on the bottom and half way up each side with basswoos strips and sealed the inside "seam" with wood glue. this prevents me from sliding parts off inyo my lap, the concrete floor, or the rug. big enough for a small cutting board. think i will make one for him so any spills are contained on the board.
we hope to see him at our monthly workshop to start on it. is mom says he has soccer and lacrosse so it's a tight schedule. at the worksjhop he will be with his mom or dad or teacher and about a dozen club members who are snorting sawdust while i sniff glue. that way he has other things to look at when he gets bored, we'll have additionl tools we can "borrow". hell i may have to work on a ship model there instead of 1/35 armor.