Hold that baby!!

[tjkadar]

In my experience, when things go bad, they go bad fast. Too fast to react quick enough to do much of anything. Mowing while holding a kid on one knee... not too bright. Operating your FEL while holding a kid in one hand, trying to steer and work the FEL with another, while going uphill on a dirt pile... not too bright.

I knew a girl that lost her leg below the knee because of a mowing situation exactly like in this video.

Riding a child around on a tractor is one thing. Trying to accomplish some work while precariously balancing a child on a knee is another.

I've been operating tractors for 30 years. Our rules are: Never, ever, ever step over a rotating PTO shaft. Never ever mess with a rotary mower while the PTO is engaged, preferably only when the motor is off. Never ever rely on hydraulics to keep any equipment from falling and squishing you. Don't ride two up if your tractor has any implement on it (we would sometime ride with on person standing on bar that connect the lower two points of a three point hitch).

It is simply too easy for bad things to happen while performing the actions shown in the video. To me, it is tempting fate. YMMV and that is completely within your rights. I wont tell you what you can and cannot do with your child, but, if asked, I'll give you my opinion.

 

[unreconstructed]

I was operating a tractor by my lonesome at age 9 in 1959. Driving to town at 12. Shooting at 10. That's the way it was. All the farms boys the same way. I think it was too young looking back, but I think the difference with that and the stories I read here is that we were doing the actual operating, not riding along for fun. Our Dad's were in the middle of our do-do. Mine did not tolerate a screw up. Was serious stuff and not fun and games.

One of my wife's friends who comes from a part of the U.S. where guns are persona non grata, commented upon seeing a pic of our youngest in Afghanistan holding a SAW:"dont you just hate it that your son is carrying a GUN?" My wife said no, he was raised with guns and knows how to use it and knows where to point it. Maybe that's the difference--no ladie dadie (SP) attitude with the kids--its all work, here's how you do it, and don't be messing around. If you want to clown around go rent a Micky Mouse movie.

Saw a guy cruising down the interstate on his road bike, no helmet, with his small kid ( 7 or 8) on the back with an oversized helmet on. Guy needs his @#$ kicked. My Dad would have never pulled a stunt like that. That's the difference in my mind.

However, no matter how careful you are, Murphy shows up sometime and whacks you up side the head. that's the way it is. You just gotta try and keep stupid out of it and don't sue someone when stupid shows up.

 

[tjkadar]

If you're gonna be stupid, ya gotta be tough.