Teaching Mowing

[Iplayfarmer]

My 8-year-old daughter who has shown a lot of responsibility asked if I'd teach her to mow the grass. Seeing the potential for free labor and extra time in the future, I agreed and together we mowed the back yard.

It took work to keep a straight face, but I succeeded. In the picture below, you can see my demonstration swaths on the the right as I showed her how to keep the long grass under the mower and make a straight line. The artistic curves on the left are her accomplishment as her line gradually got more and more crooked.

In the end the entire lawn got mowed, but she put twice as many miles on the mower as I usually do. She was a good sport about it. She knew that she has some learning to do, but she was happy to have had a shot at it.

 

[teg]

She was just trying to get MORE seat time!!! You have taught her well :thumbsup:

 

[Runner]

So, did she enjoy it and want to do it again?

I know I started about that age and was hooked. I think it's a good thing to do this, kids have some fun and develop a work ethic at the same time.

 

[TripleR]

As I have gotten older, I find I am less picky when it comes to how my yard is mowed especially by free labor; close enough for me:thumbsup:

 

[Johndeere3720]

I learned at that age and now have my own.

 

[dieselscout80]

Once not long after daughter (about 10 yrs old) started mowing I looked over there and she was singing and and going all over the place. :laughing: I took me more time to cut the missed spots then it took to cut the yard normally, but I smile every time I think of it she was so cute doing it. :thumbsup: I wish I had a video of it.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

My daughter is 14 now and driving the John Deere rider to take care of my Dad's place. She likes it so far. At our house when she was young I would mow in smiley faces in the yard or other designs she could see from her upstairs bedroom. I wasn't happy to mow straight lines.

 

[gauthier]

I was pushing a push mower when I was 7-8,[we was too poor hillbillys to have anything you ride],but my daughter who is 12 is too young in my opinion to cut grass with anything that can cut her foot in half,just me,maybe too guarded.

Sure she could,and it would probably work out all right with her keeping her feet and all,but if she did happen to put her foot down in wrong spot and cut it in half,I couldn't live with it.

I remember not to many year ago,when I was on a slope,and lawnmower tilting that I put my foot down[used to riding motorcycles],luckly for me nothing got chopped off,but after it happened,hair stood up,[you know the feeling,maybe],about how lucky I was,and upset first before doing that.

When will she be old enough in my guarded opinion?,,maybe about the time she can pass my drivers test for a car.

 

[lakngulf]

The artistic curves on the left are her accomplishment as her line gradually got more and more crooked.

That is a new pattern of mowing, based on the same principle they use now in laying carpert. Cut ziz zag so the seams will not show. This way the tracks will be offset so no one will see where the tires went.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

So, did she enjoy it and want to do it again?

I know I started about that age and was hooked. I think it's a good thing to do this, kids have some fun and develop a work ethic at the same time.

She knew that she had not done the job she expected of herself, but I think she's determined enough to try it again. She's a smart little critter. She learns things well.

When will she be old enough in my guarded opinion?,,maybe about the time she can pass my drivers test for a car.

That's why I have her driving the mowers and small garden tractors now... so it will be less of a learning curve for her when she starts driving the car.

That is a new pattern of mowing, based on the same principle they use now in laying carpert. Cut ziz zag so the seams will not show. This way the tracks will be offset so no one will see where the tires went.

I have played with fun patterns in my yard at times. Circles is my favorite... especially when I'm in a hurry. I'll pick some tree or bush in the middle of the yard and mow in a spiral around it 'till I'm done. I never have to turn around.

 

[gauthier]

I have mine driving the kawasaki mule ,can't cut her foot off with that.

 

[rekees4300]

I always did all the mowing when my kids were growing up. Mowers are just too dangerous for kids in my opinion.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I think it will be a while before I let her mow when I'm not right there with her.

 

[Runner]

Checking the old photo album, I guess I started a little earlier than that...

 

[TripleR]

I didn't have a riding mower while teaching my kids to mow and at 8 or so they were mowing, I was driving a tractor by that time pulling a corn or cotton trailer. With my grand kids, I have started them off on a Mule or by driving the mower around without engaging the blade until they could operate it safely.

Kids vary in mental and physical maturity and this is more important in judging readiness than chronological age.

 

[955er]

My daughter started mowing about 1.5 acres when she was 12. Did a good job the first time. The following week I went to check the oil and the hood came off in my hand. She hit something. 2 piece hood kit and decals for JD 275: $500.

I never told her. It's worth way more to me to not mow around the house!!

 

[om21braz]

With my grand kids, I have started them off on a Mule or by driving the mower around without engaging the blade until they could operate it safely.

Kids vary in mental and physical maturity and this is more important in judging readiness than chronological age.

+1 Some don't have the aptitude or focus to be mowing at 18, others do at 8.

 

[zzvyb6]

I wouldn't worry about the lawn condition so much as the dangers of falling off, rolling it over, hands caught under the deck, fueling it, friends riding along with he, or a fire. If she is taught how to think and react to these issues, it will pay off latter when its time to drive a car.

Show her what happens when a shirt or jacket gets caught in the mower blades. It will be eye opening.

This reminds me of an old Farside cartoon showing an angry man standing on his porch with a newspaper in his hand, scolding his pet dog about the dog's completed lawn mowing operation. It's got quite a few missed spots, "You call that mowing the lawn? Bad dog"!

Hope I don't have to splane that to anyone. If I do, I'll reply with a joke about the worst dog argument between 2 friends....

 

[wedge40]

With all of todays safety features how to you keep the blades running and put your hands under the mower? Well unless you have bypassed them.

My nephew came over and wanted to mow the yard. I still have the safety swtich in the seat and he was just barley heavy enough to keep it closed. Problem was every time he hit a bump the blades would turn off. We eventually tought him to pay attention and how to re-engage the blades. Wasn't the best job in the world but he had fun.

I think I was about 10 when I started. This was big deal because it meant an increase in my allowence. At first I was only allowed to mow with the rider and my bother had to trim around the trees with the push mower. This was before string trimmers. The first couple of years it was ok, but when I got older it was work. After I was 16 I had friends who could get beer every now and then. Every time I wanted to "sleep in" dad always insisted that the yard be mowed at 08:00 that morning. Sixteen, hung-over and a riding mower is not a good combo, but a great lesson in life.

Wedge

 

[clemsonfor]

With all of todays safety features how to you keep the blades running and put your hands under the mower? Well unless you have bypassed them.

My nephew came over and wanted to mow the yard. I still have the safety swtich in the seat and he was just barley heavy enough to keep it closed. Problem was every time he hit a bump the blades would turn off. We eventually tought him to pay attention and how to re-engage the blades. Wasn't the best job in the world but he had fun.

I think I was about 10 when I started. This was big deal because it meant an increase in my allowence. At first I was only allowed to mow with the rider and my bother had to trim around the trees with the push mower. This was before string trimmers. The first couple of years it was ok, but when I got older it was work. After I was 16 I had friends who could get beer every now and then. Every time I wanted to "sleep in" dad always insisted that the yard be mowed at 08:00 that morning. Sixteen, hung-over and a riding mower is not a good combo, but a great lesson in life.

Wedge

I dont have kids yet but the two mowers i have dont have safty switches one is from the 80s and dosent have one, the other in from the 90's and all the electronics are disconected b/c it was free and the original owner started tearing it off because it had a short in it. He did not know much about mechanics so i got it free to use on the farm 3-5 times a year when i go to cut grass, carb was clogged with cystalized fuel and i just disconected the switch and cut the wires for the lights off and jumed it and it runs and cuts like a dream, although the carb needs to be soaked but once running and blades engaged its perfect.