Teaching my son to run the Cub

[micman32]

I think I am going to teach my 10 year old son to mow with the Cub. I never got to use the rider until I was 13 so I am not quite sure if he is too young.
I do let him drive it around the yard and he handles it really well.
I have an area of my yard that is flat and nothing to mow around so I think he would do okay.
What do ya all think?

Michael

 

[Fordlords]

I think I was 8 or 9 when I started mowing with a Deere 112 at the mink farm and can say with all honesty I was old enough to know what I was doing, so I say go for it. Just keep an eye on him for a bit. I know a lot of people have kids who are just plain idiots, but if you have one of the rare ones who is responsible, you have no need to worry

-Fordlords-

 

[boogerman2000]

My boy has been riding a polaris Hawkeye 300 since he was 8yrs old. I also let him cut with push mower, however I always walk beside him and correct him if he gets a little overzealous which rarely occurs. I will let him use the rider but I usually walk nearby to make sure he doesn't mow any rocks or take it on too steep of a grade. Good Luck and Be Safe

 

[mdpatsr]

I think the manuals say that no one under the age of 14 should be using these tractors. I wonder with all the safety switches on them, but I have seen hospital statistics that are very high on kids getting hurt on them. My kids have been very unhappy with me that I made them wait until they were at least 14 to mow. I did let one of my sons pull a trailer around some when he was turning 14 so he could get used to it. No mowing though.
I had a boss who taught driver safety to BFI drivers who always said there are no accidents, only people dropping the ball. I never wanted to see my kids in the emergency room, and mower accidents are not pretty. My sister-in-law had her foot nearly cut off by one when she was about the same age as your son.
If you think I am a prude, I had my oldest sons splitting logs with a Monster Maul when they were 12. But I taught them the right way to "throw" a maul so that if it slipped or they missed it couldn't come back at them, and made sure they knew if they were tired to quit.
These things are not toys, they are fun, but can be dangerous. I won't even mow if there is no one home.
One of my 23yo daughter's friends was helping his Dad cut wood when he was 13. His Dad cut his son's hand in half. They found all but one finger so he is missing a finger now. 2 weeks later the Dad picked up the saw and the finger fell out. It only takes a second to change a life forever.
Since you asked, it makes me wonder if you are really comfortable with this, or if some instinct is steering you away from it. I would really suggest that you wait. There is a BIG leap in maturity between 10 and 14. There will be plenty of time for him to mow when he's old enough to think things through. His physical strength and reflexes will be better developed then, as well. Good luck.

 

[Egon]

Me thinks it all depends on the boy's ability and how confident his dad is in his capability.

 

[Blagadan]

My boy is 9 and even though he can drive my kubota tractor, I would not be comfortable having him mow the lawn on the mower just yet. He is a sensible kid, generally over cautious most times, but I personally dont think he is ready.
All it takes is a lapse in concentration for a second and he could wind up running into his moms flower bed or worse. I know it takes 1.5 hours to mow my lawn, that is a long time for a kid to keep focussed on the task in hand.
Maybe your kid is more mature?
I'd recommend you give him his "corner" of the lawn. A patch that is super safe and takes no more than 10 mins to mow. As you gain confidence in him, you can extend his area of responsibility. You gotta start sometime, right?

Good luck and be safe.

 

[davitk]

Lots of good advice here, both pro and con, but let me add this to the mix: at 10 your kid is eager to work. Take full advantage of that, as the get older (can you say "teenager"?) the impulse to "work" dissolves quickly. Keep the kettle on the fire.

 

[mdpatsr]

LOL, Amen to that.

 

[Altair 4]

Well, if it were my 10 yr old, I'd wait. I'll always error on the side of safety.

 

[Dave01]

Mdpatsr wrote:

I won't even mow if there is no one home.

If I didn't mow when nobody was home, I'd never get any mowing done. I mow at home mostly when nobody is home, I mow my folks place mostly when nobody is home. I can't imagine not starting up a piece of power equipment just because I was alone, I'd never get anything done. No offense, the statement just surprised me.

I'd wait a bit. My son is 10, and while he has a good head on his shoulders his mind and attention wander because he is always thinking. I let the kids drive the tractor at that age but not with the blades engaged, and I keep them in sight all the time. The right age varies from kid to kid, I'd say my daughter at age 11 probably would have been fine mowing the lawn, not my son, so I'll wait until 12 or 13 with him. If you have any doubt at all, wait another year. Good luck!