When I was a kid I could never get my home made kite to fly!! Could you?

No.  Not a store bought one either.  it was just to complicated. 

First, I had to hold the kite and the string a few inches (??) below where it was attached to the kite and hold both of the handles in the ball of string (do I look like I have 5 hands???). 

Next I had run with the wind (not willy nilly) while holding the kite and holding onto both of the handles in the ball of string.

Then, after letting go of the kite at some unknown "exact" moment, I had to let out just the right amount of string and at just the right time (some strange mathematical ratio), while running with the wind and holding onto both handles in the ball of string.

On top of all that, I also had to watch where I was going, as I was running with the wind, while letting out some unknown amount of kite string and holding onto both handles in the ball of sting.

Let's just say I got a lot of kite-string burn as I ran in what to me seemed to be calm wind, avoiding fences and small trees, as my kite bounced merrily along the ground behind me and the ball of string wound itself into knots (the handles lost)... all while people screamed at me repeatedly - "don't let it touch the ground!  Don't let it touch the ground!").