Kids and tractors is a fine line....
How do you teach a kid to run a tractor? Just show them the controls and hand them the keys? At some point that is all you are left with and it is how I was shown how to use a tractor at 16. But it is not the best way to do it.
Our oldest wanted to ride the tractor. At the time she was small enough so that she could sorta kinda fit on the seat with me and the seat belt would go around us both. This allowed her to steer the tractor and raise the FEL and box blade. It taught her a few things and most importantly allowed her to try it out.
Many kids get into trouble when they want to try something and the parents will not let them try. The parents miss the opportunity to teach in a controlled manner the kids something that can be dangerous. I am talking not only tractors but using a knife, hammer, cooking, or shooting a gun. The parents say no to the kids request but eventually the kid goes and does it by them self and unsupervised.
It is better if you can teach the kid how to operate the tractor while sitting in your lap but at some point the kid is not going to fit with both of you on the tractor. At least the tractors likely to be owned by TBNers. I do not think any/many of us have an 8000/9000 series JD with a jump seat.
I want one but I do have one. :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:
But then there are the idiots like the lady I saw mowing her yard on a riding mower, steering with one hand and holding a baby in the other......
The kids have gotten several lectures about being around the tractor. If they have friends over when I am using the tractor they all get a new lecture.
One of the things I showed the kids is what the tractor and rotary cutter will do to wood and rocks. Handing a kid a chunk of rock or a thick hunk of wood that has been hit with the rotary cutter is a good lesson that is easily understood.
The lecture I got on how to run a tractor must have stuck with me, certainly operating a tractor with a mower did. After first learning to run a tractor on one job I had another job putting up tobacco.
Worst job I have ever had and I have had some bad ones. :laughing: At lunch time we were heading over to the house for lunch. The guy who owned the farm was a High School teacher who would hire kids to work on the farm. He told a couple of us to climb up on the tractor and ride the fenders back to the house. Some did. I thought he was nuts.
He was a great teacher by the way but there was no way I was riding the fenders on a tractor.
I knew better at 16/17. He said to hop on the 3PH arms. I said I would walk.
The arms would have been somewhat save but I figured I would walk.
Needed to clear my lungs from that tobacco.
Later,
Dan
