Precious Non-Seat Time

[Anonymous Poster]

I've started my 10 year old daughter on my DX33. I'm right there watching her. I left her a little piece of lawn to mow the other day, the look of concentration on her face while she tried to mow a straight line was priceless. Daddy's little helper... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I remember helping my grandfather on the farm. Felt so proud when he had me drive the tractor, I don't know how old I was but I could barely reach the clutch. Still remember that.

 

[weedsportpete]

If you don't listen to country music, check out this song.. "When Daddy Let Me Drive" by Alan Jackson. worth a listen.

 

[bmac]

Murph,
Seems like everyone has an opinion about your daughter's activities. You are lucky that she has an interest in spending time with you and that she is physically capable of doing operating this equipment. My son just turned 12. He has for a long time wanted to help out with the mowing. Unfortunately, he is very small for his age and his legs are not long enough to depress the clutch on my Craftsman garden tractor. Last summer, we bought a Snapper riding mower that fits him perfectly so now we share the mowing duties - he does the front and I do the back. Trying to teach him respect for all things motorized and responsibility of ownership. When I am satisfied that he can do an acceptable job on his own, he can take the next step and earn some money mowing for others.

Now, with the addition of the TC29D, we are back to square one. He really wants to operate it and I would love to teach him how, but he just can't quite get the clutch or the brakes fully depressed. This is delaying some quality time for us.

As far as the ATV goes, this is another interest I have but have not yet acted on it. I have no where to store 2 or more of these things (the "or more" is because I would love to make this a family activity). Just like the year I spent on TBN researching and learning about tractors before making a purchase, I have also logged many hours on a popular ATV forum (ATVNation.com). The issue of riding 2-up is always a hot topic and each side of the arguement seems to hold fast to their position. Personally, I'm inclined to favor the arguement of one rider per machine. On the other hand, for short rides on flat terrain, it kind of hard to believe anything bad would happen.

I don't subscribe to age guidlines that have been mandated. Some 12 year oldds are much to big for a 90 cc machine. Probable more dangerous for them than a larger bike. Certainly need to match the ATV with the rider's size and abilities, but not necessarily their age.

One thing I would question is the lack of a helmet in the picture. Certainly its hard to show off your pride and joy if she is wearing a helmet for the photo. However, I hope she (and you) always wear one while riding. Don't want to leave her brains on the trail.

You are a great dad. Many of us can learn from the example you are setting.

 

[thcri]

This is probably a post I should have emailed to "itsmecindi" first. She has a pretty good knack for writing and I tend to mess things up pretty good. But I will give it my best shot.

Some people here on TBN don't agree or think that it is safe for a 13 year old to be around equipment. Yes there is dangers that go with it but there is also dangers that go with keeping your children away from you. This particular daughter is 5"6" and very athletic. She just seems to be able to do a lot of things I don't see even 18 year old kids being able to do. Her thing is she wants to be by her daddy. Her email starts out "daddyzgirl@******.net". Now I could ignore that and allow her to take other interests and allow friends to influence her. With the options out there I will keep her at home even if it means putting her on a tractor.

Rules on the tractor include seat belt at all times. She does not ever start it or run it without me being there. She only mow with it. Now the picture did show her using the bucket. But I was right there and I did most of the digging into the pile. I did teach her some on how to dig into the pile to get a load. It was just easy for me to put dirt around the trees by having her drive the tractor.

The 4 wheeler. She does not have a helmet on. That is only allowed when she is on our property and only on the trail that is on our property. At most she would only be driving 5 or 10 miles per hour on level ground. Not distance but speed. If she would ever go out on a major trail she would have to wear a helmet. The only time two people are allowed on the 4 wheeler is when we are on our own property and usually I am one of the two. I taught her to drive the wheeler as I sat behind her. When I am on the trails I absolutely don't allow a passenger. In fact when I go there is a box on the back of my wheeler that does not allow room for any one.

Now is it unsafe to have her be around this equipment? Yes it is, but it is also unsafe for her to take up other interests that involve alcohol, drugs and whatever else is out there now days. My girl is home and away from all the pressure kids get nowdays.

As for me, I started mowing lawn at a very young age. Dad had a self propelled lawn mower that I walked behind. Had a clucth that I could barely reach on the handle bars. I was six years old. All the neighbors told my dad he was stupid to let me mow. It was a 20" mower with a cast iron deck and a Briggs motor. Man was it heavy and I could not start the thing the first year. Dad had to start it for me. But it all started one day watching my dad mow and I just had to help and he let me. We walked together and eventually it was just me walking. With time I was able to start it also. At that age my dad was a mechanic on yes Ford Tractors. I may be exaggerating a bit but my dad could take them Fords apart and put them back together blind folded. But every so often a tractor would end up in our garage and yes I would just have to play on them. And I learned on my own that when you pushed the starter on the floor that the tractor would move if in gear. It didn't start but it would move and you didn't need the key on to do that. ( I think I crapped my pants) When I was nine years old my dad had changed jobs and was the manager of an agriculture place. I use to ride in his old GMC pickup in the fields as he took soil samples. One day day told me that I would drive the pickup he could ride and do his job much faster. So I learned how to drive the old GMC pickup with a 4 speed and a starter that was on the floor. I learned how to start the pickup on hills with clutch and get going without rolling backwards. By the time I was twelve I was driving on the back roads with my dad at my side.

What I am trying to say is I learned a lot from my dad and even today I do things that I sometimes wonder where I learned how to do and it goes back to dad. Example. One of my employees was making 50 pieces of a pattern out of sheet metal and he made the first piece and then made the second out of the first piece. Good so far, but then he used the second piece to make the third piece. I told him he should always use the first one because you know that one is right. If you make a mistake on the second one then the rest are wrong also. My employee bashing me some said, "Good idea but where in the heck did you learn that?" I had to think some where I actually did learn it. It finally hit me, dad taught me that when I was around ten years old. Making a bench for in our basement. We were cutting all the legs for the bench with a table saw. I started to make the same mistake as one of my employees and dad stopped me and taught me right.

I don't believe in the age system. I believe when one is ready you don't hold them back. My time with all of my children are different in each way but my goal is to spend time with each one. My oldest son works for me. My next child a daughter has other interests in music and I love sitting on the couch and listening to her play the piano. I could listen for hours. But my youngest loves the things that I have an interest in. That doesn't make her any more special than the other two it is just her interest.

So now I have rambeled some but that is ok.


murph

 

[BB_TX]

murph - Once again I say hurrah for you. If more parents took an interest in their kids as you certainly do, there would be a lot fewer kids with major problems.

 

[Bird]

I'm with you, Murph, those kids (just like us adults) are individuals; some are ready to do certain things at an earlier age than others. And there are many times we worry that they might get hurt, and sometimes we decide they aren't old enough yet to teach to do certain things, and then by the time we think they're old enough, it's too late; the opportunity has passed. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I've decided it's never too early to start, so long as they have the best supervision we can provide and we have to realize that there will always be some risk at any age.

 

[Tractors4u]

I don't think we give our kids enough credit sometimes in the "smarts department"! My daughter is 6 years old and it never ceases to amaze me at the things she picks up and understands. I am not saying my daughter is smarter than anybody elses. I give her the oppurtunity to learn or do something and if she isn't ready, that's OK, we will try again later. I won't hold her back from doing things because of her age though. I just hope nobody else saw her driving my dozer /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I was on it with, she was just pulling the handles to steer /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[bmac]

Naw, Murph, you don't need any help with your writing. Good post. Good stories. Lots of love in your family.

 

[warren]

Murph,

I understand your viewpoint. I re-read my post, and, in retrospect, it seems to imply that I was 'reprimanding' you
personally, too harshly.

In reality, I was probably sub-consciously reprimanding myself for even thinking of allowing my kids to operate my tractor. They are nowhere near old/mature enough to drive a tractor right now. I guess I was picturing them in your daughter's 'shoes'.

That said, I still don't know if I agree with a 13 year old on a
'CUT', but you know your child better than I do, obviously.
Perhaps, we can agree to disagree on this matter.

No offense was intended,
Warren

 

[thcri]

Warren,

I guess I didn't look at it that you were repromanding me. In fact I didn't think of it until you said it.

There is no harm done.


murph