Help! I bit off more than I can chew! Body work

hmmmmm not trying to throw salt on your wound....but er ahh.... There is no way a rattle can will give you the results you seek. Also the many products to use to fill, to seal and to layer epoxy or acid etch type primer is not something you want to do with a child anywhere in the picture and it may require that. additionally the many different fillers available may and often are used in conjunction with each other to produce the desired result...example starting off with a heavy metalic type filler and layering up using progressivly finer more refined materials is how I have seen it done many many times....unfortunately for the home enthusiast, these products can get expensive when you require 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 to acheive the desired result a smooth even level surface....over the years I have learned that lasting body, finely finished work requires years of experience and technique AND a gaggle of products most of us have never even heard of.....I made a list just to see if I could keep up and at last count there are probably 30 different kinds of primers with as many different specific uses and all of them can be altered by adding more or less reducer/thinner. SPray cans are about 70 - 80% propellent and only 20- 30 % product.....additionally non catylized paints are highly susceptable to moisture and the elements......you cannot learn all that while in progress and most of the chemicals are NOT something a kid should be around....they are harsh and often contain carcinogens....... unfortunatley about the only thing left for the avg consumer to do is "touch up" of minor scratches......body work that is going to be something to show off is better left to professionals who have mastered the art of mixing, use of the chemicals and application of same under whatever circumstances the situation calls for....all of this stuff is affected by heat, humidity, etc etc....I know they make it look easy....but going thru a class or 10 first is really the best way to learn the craft with todays products..... I wish you luck it is a nobel trade to teach your kid but it does come with a whole lot of learning about the products and chemicals that are used and how they apply and come into use
good luck but I think your title is accurate.....