Kids on Tractors

turnkey4099 · May 9, 2006

( I have a 2 year old. He always wants on the tractor. It really scared me on my open top branson as it was so easy for him to fall off and get crushed. Now with my JD with a cab he rides around with me all the time. )

Even that, as unlikely as it is, isn't safe. The incident I posted happened on a large JD farm tractor with fully enclosed cab. The child went through the door (must not have been latched).

Yes kids will beg and plead but that doesn't mean they get what they want.

Harry K

Billy_S · May 9, 2006

Wow. Some interesting points in this thread. Let me relate one.

This VERY last weekend, I sold my old AC 190XT. The kid that bought it has a tree service. I had a tree that needed to come down. Needless to say, he worked off some of the purchase price by felling the tree. He agreed, as an added service, to use the tractor to haul the bigger portions of the tree back to my burn pile, before he took it home.

He was hauling, no kidding now, the very first limb back to the burn pile. He had his 2 year old daughter on the seat with him. He was rounding the burn pile, trying to get the limb in a better position on the burn pile, when a tie rod end broke. He lost control of the tractor and ran partially up on another limb, that was on the burn pile, from a tree that had been cut down last year. This incident ended happily. No one was hurt, the tractor was repaired and is now in her new home.

When I was a kid, I spent many an hour riding on the fender of a tractor while my grand dad or uncle farmed. When I was about 12, I remember my grand dad putting me on the road, alone, on a tractor, pulling a bush hog from his house to his land, about 6 miles away. Grandma thought he was nuts. She followed me all the way, in her car, with her flashers going.

Things are different now. I won't say we have gotten smarter because, speaking just for myself, there would be a lot to be argued with if I were to make a statement like that. I guess maybe I am just more cautious. I don't know, exactly.

When my 3 year old grand daughter visits, this summer, from Colorado, I may saddle up a horse for her and lead her around the pasture. I might let her go wading in the pond. I might put her in the wagon and pull her around on the tractor, but she will not be riding on the tractor with me.

I know we can't keep our kids safe from everything. Who would want to? What kind of life would that be? My own boys were driving cars and pickups down country roads LONG before they were legally able to do so. But I am not taking chances with my grand daughter.

BigEddy · May 9, 2006

I guess my take on it is I try to ensure they learn what is safe and what is not, allow them to take age-appropriate levels of risk, expect them to take the same safety precautions as I do, and try not to expose them to situations any more dangerous than I would expose myself to. My older kids I have taught how to operate the tractors. What is safe, what is dangerous. The dangers of overturning and why they wear the seatbelt. About pinch points and PTO shafts and the dangers of them, why shields are there. My eldest has been taught how to use a chainsaw, including what safety equipment MUST be worn. And we always discuss "what could happen" before we start a job.

Is everything we do safe? Nope - won't ever be. But with knowledge and experience and proper training, we try to avoid those risks we can, and minimize those we can't. My youngest (5) does get to ride on the tractor, on my knee, belted in - when I'm going to do some easy work. Conscious choice, based on my assessment that he is as safe as I am, and frankly a lot safer than he would be running around the yard or even alone in the house while I'm working. But I'd never take him while I was bush-hogging, using the hoe, or skidding trees. Avoidable and unnecessary. And he knows why and does not ask any more.

I believe we need to teach our children what is safe and what is not, and to provide them with the ability to make those same decisions for themselves as they mature. Life will never be risk free and accidents will happen. Unfortunately, Murphy is always lurking, and even obviously safe activities still have a measure of risk attached to them, as you have clearly pointed out in your situation. I'm just glad you both came out of it with just a scratch, and I thank you for sharing with us. Just goes to show how unpredictable things really are.

AlanB · May 9, 2006

My wife is German, and we were back visiting this past Christmas, I do not think they sold tractors without additional seats on the fenders. Fendts, Mcormicks, Deutz, Deere's and others. All the tractors I saw had at least one ride along seat. Scared the crud out of me from my perspective here, but they did it all the time. In the 60's and 70's many of the families only had the tractor as transportation, and that was how you got to the field.

I must say, I was somewhat nervous about it, but my kids spent many hours riding in the jump seats of the various uncles and aunts tractors.

I look at it as a calculated risk, will I feel terrible if something goes wrong, yep, but my kids are old enough to understand most things (10 and 15) and feel they are old enough (maybe mature enough) to handle a certain amount of what could be a dangerous situation if they did not pay attention.

My son is going back next month for a month, I am sure an awful lot of time will be spent riding around on tractors and other farm equipment, I can hope that he understands the safety lessons that I have passed on at this point.

Scrounger · May 10, 2006

Real little kids, no way, but my 7 and 9 yr old can almost trun the tracgtors I have access to solo. I was running a skid steer at a 12 yr old cleaning out barns as a summer job. It really depends on what you are doing to. I have a pancake yard and I mow with my 7 yrs on one the tractor at lot. If I was using the FEL or BH, the kids wouldn't be around at all. These are all SUB CUTS to however.

I have no issues with my sons on the equipment a buddy runs which are huge. All enclosed cabs with a jump seat and A/C. They boys love it and the memories are priceless for them.

Farmwithjunk · May 10, 2006

(

Nowadays.. I guess that would be illegal and unsafe /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif..

Soundguy )

My favorite memories of growing up were riding with dad while he was plowing. I'd stand next to him, leaning backwards against the fender. Seemed safe at the time. I learned to drive a tractor as soon as I could see over the dash and reach the pedals. Seemed safe at the time. By age 10, I was plowing on my own, while dad was doing other things. Again, seemed safe at the time.

And how many things do you remember as "common" back when we were kids that'd get you arrested for child endangerment today? And are the kids any better off because of it?

By the way, my kids learned to drive tractors the same way I did. I HOPE they get to teach THEIR kids before some obscure law prohibits such.

Soundguy · May 10, 2006

( My favorite memories of growing up were riding with dad while he was plowing. I'd stand next to him, leaning backwards against the fender )

I can remember riding with my grandfather on a blue ford ( cant remember #.. but it was a thousand series.. diesel.. ).. and i stood onthe running board, and leaned against the fender and we drove it down a few old country roads to his pasture. I then got off and played with rocks and sticks while he disc'ed the pasture.

( And how many things do you remember as "common" back when we were kids that'd get you arrested for child endangerment today )

I do remember riding in the back of the pickup truck with me and my friends.. or realitives.. In fact.. i think i rode in the bed of the truck more often than the cab! This would have been back inthe 70's I guess..

Soundguy

5030 · May 10, 2006

I've been purposely just lurking and not posting after my earlier post.

That's the difference between farm folks and surburban people.

My son too, learned to run the tractor as soon as he could reach the pedals and I wish I'd have had more, a little herd, to remove some of the burden of the farm chores.

Interestingly, country kids seem to have a different set of priorities even today. Kids here ride their bicycles to friends homes, participate in FFA and 4H. The big event is the county fair and the awards for all their hard work. I'd rather be a country kid than a surburban kid any day.

One thing for sure, when my son visits Amy and I and brings the grandkids, the first thing they want to do besides get in my tools, is, if we are tractoring, go with us. I hope the memories that my son has, my grandkids will enjoy too. and as long as I am able to give them those memories, I will.

ejtaylor822 · May 11, 2006

This is good thread. I am hesitant and cautious about taking my little girl, 20 months, on tractor rides. Saw some pictures of a child that was ran over by a tractor. I shudder and say a little prayer every time she gets on the tractor with me. But, she loves the "go-go". I will NOT do any type of work, hauling, moving, etc. nothing that will divert my attention from holding on to her with all that I have. We drive around, to the pond to see the ducks and visit neighbors.

I can remember my "Uncle" - really a cousin but called him Uncle because he was older than me by about 50 years - taking my brother and I tractorin' and loggin' when we lived with my Grandfather on his farm. He grew tobacco and logged and I loved the spring cause I got to plow with "uncle JC". Those are good memories. It was on an old blue Ford, a 4000 (??) maybe - even then, I loved the smell of diesel in the morning.

We don't live on a "real working farm". My little girl, like most children nowadays, probably will not get the opportunities that I had being on a farm, but, I want her to know, understand and appreciate what farming and farmers are all about.

5030 · May 11, 2006

Though I'd imagine that 95% of the posters here don't know it, but, Combines can all be ordered with a jump seat and it's a common accessory.

We don't have one as we do hay, but my neighbor has a 2 year old JD and the jump seat is air ride as well as the operator seat.

I agree that tiny children don't belong on farm tractors or CUT's for that matter but at what age is it okay.......I leave that up to the individual and their children.

Now days, if you have a child in your car and the child isn't in an "approved" car seat and securely fastened in you can get a ticket. It's funny that my generation and previous generations did just fine without car seats or seat belts for that matter. I still remember "graduating" to the front seat of my dad's 56 Merc to sit between my parents and no seatbelts...they weren't even available for cars then.

I'll probably get flak for this, but I never wear a seatbelt when operating my farm tractors even though they are all equipped with them. If the ground I am traversing is that rough, I'd better slow down. I do wear a seatbelt in my car, but only because it's the law and now days, police are looking in your vehicle to see if you are in compliance. If not, a ticket for sure.

In recent times, I feel that compliance for safety has been changed from "safety" to revenue.

I prefer being the "Capitan of my own ship". I tend to get irritated with outside navigation.