Building a better mousetrap

Last week, my son and his friend decided they were going to tackle a little problem we have around the outside of the house -- mice. My son has tried chasing them with a broom which has an immediate payoff of getting them back over to the neighbor's yard and taking his adrenalin level up a notch, but it doesn't do much to solve the problem.

Looking for a more permanent answer, these two 12 year olds decided they would build a mousetrap. If you know any kids with ADHD, you can appreciate the difficulty of the task they were undertaking. Both have short attention spans and run at the same speed -- fast and constant. Other summer projects for them have included building and sleeping in condos made from cardboard boxes and attempting to catch fish by any means available at the neighborhood pond. However, most of their activities involve taking things apart rather than putting them together.

It was with great interest that I watched them gather up the tools they would need for their mousetrap -- wood, nails, a hammer and some sliced cheese. They came up with a plan to build a wooden box without a top and an opening at one end presumably for the little critter to enter. A loose piece of board sits on top of the box and a nail sticks into the box in the back. The nail is to hold the cheese.

They explained to me that the mouse would crawl in to get the cheese and the top would fall on him either trapping him, or killing him. 

So far, I've only witnessed ants inside the trap eating the cheese but I am very impressed with the boys ability to a) come up with a somewhat logical plan and  b) execute it without any injuries. They worked together and completed their project with no adult help whatsoever. They even remembered to bring the tools back inside! 

I don't know if all of their creative projects add to their educational experience in any way but I know that they're having fun and staying focused on one project long enough to see it through to completion. That alone is a big deal in my son's world.

I think the fish and the mice in this neighborhood don't have much to worry about, at least not from these two but you never know! They seem determined in their efforts and determination and perseverance often pay off. 

Personally, I hope they don't succeed because I am not equipped to handle the deceased critters!