KIds DO NOT belong on lawn mowing equipment

[buickanddeere]

I was cutting grass from between the rows of trees with the rotary cutter. My flock of free range turkeys of about 20lbs were grazing 30-40 yards away. Heard a thunk and seen a golf ball sized rock zing forward out from under the mower towards my prize birds , figured about what was going to happen . Beaned one of best and killed it on the spot.
The youngest kid would escape the house and insist on watching the grass being cut and looking up the discharge chute if he could and try jump onto the moving tractor for a ride. Beat his stupid @ss several times and gave his Mother Supreme Chit many times for not watching the kid even when she promised, promised and promised not to let him out of her sight. Finally had to lock him in his room and told her not to let him out no matter how much he screamed. Required her to listen to some some horror stories from her Fire Chief Father and some ghastly accident images found on the internet for her to clue in.

 

[moriboy]

I chose to raise my kids, on a farm, where there are plenty of opportunities to get hurt. I am fortunate in that it didn't happen.

I also let my kids play sports in school. They've had a number of injuries, none of them life altering, but we've made our fair share of trips to the ER over the years.

It's funny to me that sports injuries seem to be "just part of the game" and are generally acceptable, but any talk of a kid riding on a lawn mower or a tractor with his dad/grandad/whatever is met with fierce criticism and people start to panic. Why to double standard?

I was a medic and fireman in my younger days. You want to keep your kids safe? Don't let them ride in a car.....

 

[Industrial Toys]

We used to lie in the back window!

Double standard? I don't think a sprained ankle is the same as a severed foot. Not too many sports injuries involve prostetics (sp?).

 

[4570Man]

I rode on a lawnmower and tractor as a child and survived. I operated both on my own at a young age and still survived. I try to reserve the kid riding for the Kawasaki mule. Much safer, quieter, and more fun. Sure, there have been a few mower fatalities, and it's a unnecessary risk, but the chances of getting hurt are pretty low.

 

[moriboy]

We used to lie in the back window!

Double standard? I don't think a sprained ankle is the same as a severed foot. Not too many sports injuries involve prostetics (sp?).

Probably true, but traumatic brain/spinal injuries do happen. There is a double standard in my view.

 

[oldpilgrim]

My 9 yo granddaughter drives my 3016 Mahindra to take my trash barrels out the the street and picks them up the next day. I taught my oldest granddaughter to use the bh when she was 5.

 

[fxdb96]

A few summer ago i ended up at the eye doctors twice with a chip of steel in my eye. Both times i was wearing safety glassss. Luckily there was never any damage and he dug the steel out with the end of a hypodermic needle each time. I remember he did mention that 90% of the eye injuries he sees are from mowing the lawn.... He had no idea whether they were mostly riding mowers or push mowers, but i would guess push mowers since his office is in the city.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I chose to raise my kids, on a farm, where there are plenty of opportunities to get hurt. I am fortunate in that it didn't happen.

I also let my kids play sports in school. They've had a number of injuries, none of them life altering, but we've made our fair share of trips to the ER over the years.

It's funny to me that sports injuries seem to be "just part of the game" and are generally acceptable, but any talk of a kid riding on a lawn mower or a tractor with his dad/grandad/whatever is met with fierce criticism and people start to panic. Why to double standard?

I was a medic and fireman in my younger days. You want to keep your kids safe? Don't let them ride in a car.....

X2!! Very well said.

Our 2 and 4yr olds take rides with me on the tractor's SPECIFICALLY because we think they are safer for it. Every ride begins and ends with a safety lesson. The fact that they enjoy it motivates them to listen and follow the rules or loose the privilege.

Even my insane 2yr old won't come up to a running tractor without my express permission. It's actually kinda remarkable if you knew his personality. If we never let him near them, they would become irresistible forbidden fruit.

That being said I don't tempt fait. No work gets done with one of them on the tractor. And we keep them otherwise occupied when I'm working. However, as a recent post pointed out; they can still slip away. When that happens, they will watch but neither child will come within 50yds of the tractor.

People who see the world as 'black or white' / 'right OR wrong' have always frustrated me.

 

[MF283]

Life was better before internet:shocked:

 

[CCWKen]

I wouldn't say anything to the neighbor. Let natural selection take it's course. All you can do is hope your children don't have to support his children for the rest of their life if they are injured.

The Darwin theory lives on but stupid seems to be polluting the gene pool.