Precious Non-Seat Time

[Tractors4u]

I think I was 12 or 13 the first time I drove a C Farmall. It was with the supervision of my Dad. I think todays kids would be far better off if more of them got to drive a tractor, shoot a rifle, or build something in the wood shop with Dad. I think it is a good idea to involve the kids in grown up activities to get them interested and to prevent curiousity when the parents aren't around.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

murph,

I may be wrong, but it doesn't look like your daughter is wearing her seatbelt. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[thcri]

Bill,

She is wearing her seat belt. You can kind of see the belt going up. The belts on my New Holland fall down to the side if not in use. In fact, a bit earlier we were on a side hill and I remember asking her if she had it on. She did.

And besides, I can't get by without my seatbelt in the car without her telling me to put it on.


murph

 

[BB_TX]

Murph-I, for one, say hurrah for you. My daughter is 29 now and long since moved out. But when she was growing up, she would follow me everywhere and want to help. I let her and taught her how to do things safely. She can handle a gun, repair about anything that goes wrong around her house, and she can even do a brake job on her own car. Even as a teenager, I would trust her to do some things more than some adults I know. Treasure those good times. They are gone all too quickly. Although you do get to start all over on the grandkids. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[GaryM]

Time spent with Dad is indeed precious. I spent many hours with mine learning to do electrical repairs and such. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[Alan L.]

I think teaching your 13 year old to operate the tractor under your supervision is good. I would however worry about the 4-wheeler.

One of my best friends lost his 12-year old daughter about 7 years ago when she drove the 4-wheeler to a friend's house. She was only going a half a mile or so on a country road in the middle of nowhere, went through a "T" intersection and was hit by a car being driven way to fast. She had been given permission for the trip on the country road "just this once" and had promised to be careful.

Just be sure any public roads, even in the middle of nowhere are OFF LIMITS.

 

[thcri]

Alan,

The roads are pretty much off limits unless I am riding on the back. She can get to all of our neighbors pretty much from the trails. If I catch her driving fast, she is grounded from the ATV and she knows "Daddy" means business.

murph

 

[DUMBDOG]

Do not know what kind of ATV you have, but all that I have seen have only seating for one. A few years ago there was a major problem with ATV accidents, as a result of this there was a major mandated education program for ATV purchasers, among these were not riding on roads, except to cross over, no passengers and very restricted size restrictions for those under sixteen years of age. Between the mowing and ATV riding we can only hope that your daughter does not become one of these statistics.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Quick story about time spent with Dad - when my daughter went to college, she spent some time with the stage crew. Once when I called her, she said she had just soldered some speaker wires. "Where the heck did you learn to solder?" I asked. "From you," She said. I replied, "I never taught you to solder." I'll remember the answer always, "I guess I just learned from spending time with you and watching."

We're building on the acreage next door to her; now I get to do it all over again with my granddaughters (2-1/2 and 1 year old).

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Don,

I know that very feeling. I remember a call from my son at college who told me of a friend's car problem on one run to town. Five of them in the car, he told me, and he was the only one who had a clue how to get them going again. He was initially surprised at that, he said. Of course, he followed it up with "I guess I paid attention to at least some of the stuff you told me." /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif