Daughter on tractor = trust test

[Thomas]

Giving up some seat time can be good cause,and that's a great cause right there. :thumbsup:

 

[Ed of all trades]

I started driving the Jubilee when I was 5 or 6 and was cutting, raking, bailing hay, bush hogging, ect by the time I was 10. Today I guess people would say my dad was wrong to do that but 50 years ago things were different. On the farm it was expected. Ed

 

[meos1]

My youngest is the one I can count on she is 12. I keep her off the hills, and I will stand on the lift arms behind her to provide instruction on new tasks. Here is a snap of her running the MMM. She gets a good bit done with the machine. Its definitely a skill you learn with time.

 

[GreenYellow]

Thanks for all the positive comments guys.

There's something very gratifying about watching her operate it with skill and enthusiasm. Plus, she mowed about an acre for me, so that's a plus.

 

[mecan]

Mine might be a little young....on the other hand she's enthusiastic about tractors

 

[Soundguy]

Would you trust your 12 year old daughter on your rig? I do.
Everybody loves a country girl who can drive a tractor. We have to chase all the boys off...

times have of course changed.. and what used to be normal, now is criminal with respect to kids and safety.

But I recall me and my cousins piling up on the old farm tractor and driving the dirt road to a convienience store for candy.. kids on running boards. one or 2 in the seat one on each fender, and usually one or 2 standing on rear axles holding onto seat.

we couldn't even touch pedals, so whoever was on the running board got pedal duty.

 

[Dalmatian90]

Always got a chuckle -- friend's oldest daughter started was using their riding mower by the time she was 10.

She was sort of miffed because her younger brother wasn't mature enough to take over that chore until he was 13

 

[fordmantpw]

My oldest one at 12. My youngest one, still not comfortable at 17. Funny how two kids from the same parents can be so different. I don't mean opposites, I just mean different.

I agree with you 100%!

I would trust my 12 year old daughter, though she's likely not heavy enough to keep the safety switch on the seat engaged.

However, my 10 year old son likely won't be touching my tractor even when he is 16! My oldest daughter has amazing responsibility, follows rules, and is very trustworthy. My son lives in the moment, doesn't care what he has been told, and thinks rules are meant to be broken. I dread the day he starts driving...

 

[PHPaul]

Older grandson was driving while I was picking rocks when he was 7. Low gear, low range and just off idle, so he was getting passed up by snails and turtles , but he was paying attention and doing a great job. That was a LOT of years ago, he's a married Marine Corporal with 2 kids of his own now.

His "little" brother (6-2, 200#) just isn't interested. He didn't even get his driver's license until he was nearly 18.

 

[gsganzer]

My 11 YO operates our BX2200 to pull a drag harrow around the pasture as "poop patrol". I also have her driving the L3800 when we pick rocks and work on fencing. I don't have her using any of the rotary attachments yet (MMM or brush hog).

When operating either tractor, she's under my direct supervision and within eyesight. I'm probably going to let her run the MMM next year.

 

[dusty3030]

Yeah back when where I grew up by the time you were 12 or 13 you were definitely plowing cotton and beans on a full size row crop tractor.
I was good in math so I got put on a spray machine early and that mostly all I did. By 13 or 14 I was mixing poison (insecticide) spraying cotton all summer.

 

[ultrarunner]

The first time I knew I was really helping was on my Grandparents farm with much of the work was still done by hand...

I drove the tractor at idle up and down the wind rows as the hay wagon was loaded... best time of my childhood was summers on my Grandparents Dairy farm... I was 5 and it got me hooked.

 

[TerryR]

First time I drove a tractor was when my Dad was spraying roadside weeds, using a hand wand hooked up with a hose to our 300 gal. spray rig, behind a Farmall H. Every time he walked the length of the hose he had to get on the tractor and move it. I walked up and he told me to get on the tractor and move it for him. No coaching or standing on the drawbar to help, just do it. I did. I don't remember how old I was, but it was way under 12 - probably under 10. We were just expected to be able to do it at a young age.

Terry

 

[Paul Thornton]

Grandson is interested(pictured above) until it starts, doesn't like the noise. His mother was driving the NAA at 12,

 

[Gcorron]

I agree with the replies that things were greatly different in the ancient history days! We had an old 8N, and a big old McCormick Farmall, I think it was a 1947, or maybe 49, and I think it was an 'A' model? Anyway, it was the big tractor. I used these things way younger than you would be allowed today, someone would accuse you of child abuse now! I was stopped by being small, I would have to stand up to operate the pedals until after I got out of High School.

My brother was a good bit taller than me, and he always ran the tractor. About 1967, he was bush hogging in our upper field, I had just popped in to get a drink of water and saw the tractor swerve like he had gone crazy, JUST before he ran through the fence! Dad saw me running and took off behind me figuring something was wrong. BTW, he would have been about 17 at the time.

We got there, he had enough sense to stop the tractor and saw the basic problem. A fairly sizable black snake had gotten caught up in the PTO and when it was launched, wrapped around his neck! Nearly strangled him in addition to scaring several years growth out of him! Snake was DOA!

Got it unwrapped, and that is, of course, when little brother hits the ground laughing at him! That only lasted for a hot second until Dad told me to go get some lumber and fix the fence......NOW!

Anytime I was having some fun, it seemed to come back and bite me!!

I think it's a great idea that your teaching your children to run the equipment, responsibility never permanently crippled any of us!

George

 

[fordmantpw]

Sadly, tragedies do happen to young'uns on tractors. Just a couple recent ones in my area.

11 Year Old Morgan County Boy Dies in Tractor Accident -- This one was a week ago
Tractor Accident Kills Missouri Teen -- This one was from July

 

[GreenYellow]

Sadly, tragedies do happen to young'uns on tractors. Just a couple recent ones in my area. 11 Year Old Morgan County Boy Dies in Tractor Accident -- This one was a week ago Tractor Accident Kills Missouri Teen -- This one was from July

Sad stuff.
Along the same lines, I heard many stories of men who have been operating tractors for half a century get run over by their own tractor. They can certainly be dangerous.

In our case, the first thing she does is put on her seatbelt. MOST tractor injuries can be avoided by a seatbelt and ROPS.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[fordmantpw]

Sad stuff.
Along the same lines, I heard many stories of men who have been operating tractors for half a century get run over by their own tractor. They can certainly be dangerous.

In our case, the first thing she does is put on her seatbelt. MOST tractor injuries can be avoided by a seatbelt and ROPS.

Yep, just like nearly anything else, if used incorrectly, serious consequences can result. It's just as important to teach them safety in order for them to see that even dangerous things can be fun when used correctly. I take similar approaches when teaching my kids how to shoot guns. Even my 6 year old likes to shoot my .22 rifle. She's not ready for the tractor yet though.

 

[ultrarunner]

A very good friend of mine that spent a lifetime as a mechanic bought a small Sonoma vineyard with grapes... he is 85 now... Had a very bad accident that nearly killed him and left him disfigured... he just says he is lucky to be alive.

Using his 1950 Farmall Cub with a rototiller and somehow got caught up in the tiller as it went over his face... the tine broke his jaw and shattered one side of his head... took his ear off.

All happened in a few seconds... was able to crawl to the barn where he had a phone... called 911 and passed out.. luck for him 911 drove out to check the address just as his wife was coming home and they found him...

Another friend was not so lucky... he also had acres of grapes... also a very old 1940's Ford tractor... somehow it ran over his chest and kept going until it got hung up in the irrigation ditch... he too crawled to help and was airlifted... 34 days in intensive care and he died... his widow has over a million dollars in uncovered medical bills.

Be careful out there and it helps not to do everything by yourself...

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I have 5 kids. My oldest, is a daughter. She is smart and capable but is a terrible driver. She was rough on equipment in high school and tore up some cars. No way I would have put her on a tractor. My 19 year old son would have been fine, and he was driving the lawn tractor at 10. I have two 16 year old boys who are as different from each other as night and day.. One can't drive alone. The other seems just fine. BUT I would not put either of them on a tractor for different reasons. I think someone else said it. Each kid ages individually some are good early some are not good ever. And the youngest kid, a girl I would put on flat ground to mow right now, but nothing else.