Old Enough or Not???

[Stretch]

I have been teaching my oldest ( age 9) to drive a tractor... He has known how to start,stop, turn on and off the pto and lift and lower the hyd since he was just about 4-5. I work by myself most of the time and thought it would be good that he know how to do that stuff just in case of a problem. He has also been able to drive the 4wheeler for several yrs as well. Now he is wanting to learn to drive the tractor and so I am showing him how to drive a 3020 JD. He does very well and I won't let him by himself for a while but I guess I figure if he learns to help he will be more interested in helping and feel a bigger part of the operation as time goes on. I learned to operate stuff about the same age as he is so I guess I would like to think he is ready to try as well. The bad part it that he is tall for his age and so most people think he is several yrs older than he really is. Here is a shot of us trolling along...

 

[jigs]

I have a 9 year old myself....have him doing the same stuff if your boy is anything like mine, he will be calling the shots and YOU will be working for HIM in no time at all

quality time on a John Deere is the best time for a dad and a son

 

[IL Rancher]

I won't say old enough or not... Don't know.. I know we talk to folks around here about when kids are old enough to help out with this and that (My kids are way to young to be much help at all) and a lot talk about how their kids did stuff probably at a younger age than was wise but nothing came of it.. Ask them what that age was and they can't seem to recall so I guess you have to play some things by ear... The one thing I worry about my kids on is open station tractors like that however.. I don't have one but man.. I have heard a lot of tragic accidents involving those, especially the narrow front ones, that it makes me a bit nervous.. But I am a bit over cautious sometimes and I have a wife that is super cautious about the kids and equipment/cattle so I tend to be an error on the side of caution.. Lucky for me I have a few more years to figure out how we will handle this stuff since my daughter is only 4 and my son is just one recently..


the thought of most 9 year olds I know on one of my quads gives me the heebie jeebies, but most 9 year olds I know are townies, lol.

 

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

That's one of those things you just have to know when you feel comfortable teachin them. Our son didn't at that age, but our daughter did. (go figure) The son was closer to 12 or 13 when he learned.
As for four wheelers.....that was beyond my controll...LOL Mr Lilly bought one for our son when he was 4....was a small one....then Lil Lilly got hold of it.....she absolutely loves that kinda stuff....the more mud slingin the better!!! LOL

 

[Stretch]

IL Rancher

the thought of most 9 year olds I know on one of my quads gives me the heebie jeebies, but most 9 year olds I know are townies, lol.

I have to agree that quads are a real challenge. He has been on one with me most of his life and has learned well on how to operate one. The irony of the whole question is that I know people that are 20+ that can't drive a tractor or a quad worth a darn or nearly as good as he can so age is a little misleading in some cases. I have tried to use little projects like moving the 4whlr with a trailer behind it with fence supplies ahead for me or backing it out of a corner or slowing down the tractor motor and so on to show him what and why you need to do certain things. He is far from the age that I would just turn him loose and let him ride at his own free will but I hate to discourage him learning to do things. Like I said earlier he is a bit on the tall side for his age I took a minute and measured him and he is 58" tall and just turned 9 last sunday.... He has also been to the Farm safety for kids camps the last few yrs and can tell you a lot about safety. In fact the other day I was grinding feed and noticed the hyd hoses were rubbing on the pto and I reached to move them a bit as it was slowing down after it ws disengaged and he yelled "Dad don't !!!! It will grab ya and hurt you bad!!!!" I wasn't in a spot that would've likely bothered but he was right and so I just waited for it to stop and then moved the hoses.. I have always tried to teach him and his 5yr old sis that if they can't see my eyes that I can't see their eyes in an effort to make them think about running around when I am moving something outside like the tractor or the truck.. I try my best to be cautious but I also think that if you understand what you are around you are less likely to get hurt by it.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Sounds like your doing a good job with your kids. Mine are 25,23,21. All helped out and were with dad alot. We were moving some calves into process and my oldest was 3 or 4 walking beside me. We were telling G'ma about it at coffee time that Tiffany helped chase the bulls in the pen. Tiffany then said "Bulls, you didnt tell me they were bulls".
We still laugh about that when she is home to help. The kids used to steer the pellet truck as it creeped along with me in the back shoveling. They were usually sitting in the wheel looking back.

You just have to let them learn and not rush them or let them get tired.

 

[Jigger Boss]

I was behind the wheel of a tractor with discs/harrows ect. probably before the age of 9. I didn't do the plowing till a few years later.
Rode on the top of the huge hay wagons down the highway stacked high with square bales of hay. Rode the hay elevator up to the mow of the barn quite often. Rode and played in grain filled hopper wagons. Never did get a chance to operate the combine though :? . We did a lot of things on the farm that in today's world would horrify practically everyone. We never gave it a second thought back then, and we had a blast. Life was much simpler back then. :nod:

 

[IL Rancher]

Stretch, Just makig sure , but I felt the need to say, I am not critticizing what you are doing in the least with your boy.. I don't know the situations at all and me not growing up on a farm I probably get a little wary but we were driving riding mowers and stuff like that at 10 or 11 and that is just a step away from some of the other stuff so who knows.. I am litterly so torn on this subject it isn't even funny... I know you can't shield them completly from trouble on the farm and I know you are best served teaching them to be safe when they are young I just struggle with the how young, too young situation.. And my little girl is a peanut of a thing so her and equipment are a long ways off (That being said she loves riding in the tractor).

I'm sure I will figure it out eventually, probably when I am 75 or 80 and than I will forget what I was trying to figure out

 

[Jinglebob]

The summer I was 6 or 7 I had been pleading with Dad to let me drive the old Ford tractor. So one fine day he took me out and made sure I could step on the clutch and the brake at the same time and get it in and out of gear by myself.

When he was satisfied that I could do all that, he stepped off and went to stacking hay while my older brother swept it up to him. I dodged and chased them around with that old 8N Ford, all morning. I was one happy kid when we went in to dinner.

After dinner, he hooked the Ford up to a side delivery rake and showed me how to rake two windrows together. Then he stepped off and told me to get to work.

And that my friends, was the end of my boyhood fun! I ran the rake tractor and then the bucker and when I was 10 I was doing most of the swathing. Sad. What a hell of a thing to do to a poor little inocent kid! :wink:

I think that may be one of the reasons I hate farming to this day!

'Course, come to think of it, he did about the same thing with horses, only a few years younger, and I still like to ride my horses. :???:

Go figure. :?

As to the age of a child when they are allowed to go to work, I think it depends on the child. My nephew who we raised and my sons all started out pretty young. And they all made pretty fair hands at about anything I set them out to do.

Only advice I can give about teaching a child, is that when I taught my boys to fix and build wire fence, I tore my hair out, watching them. So finally, I just showed them how I would do it and then told them to go do it themselves. Then whren they were done, I checked it and if it wasn't good enough, they had to do it over, until they got it right. They soon learned to do it to my approval the FIRST time. I wish I had been taught that way. Maybe then I would'nt always be havin' to go back and re-fix what I didn't do right, the first time! :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[jigs]

Jinglebob, your post makes me think of my kids and snow....they will go out and play in that stuff for hours and never complain, but ask them to go out and do chores, which for them is about 20 minutes, it suddenly turns into a horrible blizzard unfit for man or beast !

 

[katrina]

There is nothing wrong with teaching your son to drive the tractor and how it operates... Remember safety first... Both my kids drive and operate tractors. Youngest is nine and can drive shift gears, stop, back up and run the loader to get bales....

Each one of our kid's personality is differant and that has to be considered. Some like our youngest is alittle more adventerous than our oldest... So more vigil is done....

Oldest was running a combine at nine....... We had head sets so him and his dad could talk..... Oldest took the tractor safety coarse offered through the extension office at nine, we wanted to see how he compared to the sixteen year old city kids and maybe they could teach him more or something we had forgotten.... He did as well as the best there that day... Even though they wouldn't give him his certificate because he was too young, it was a great experiance and one I would reccommend...

Working and helping around the farm or ranch gives a kid respect and self worth.... An ability to think and use good judgement.... You won't regret it........
When my kids complain about working, I always tell them to get an education so they don't have to come back....If the boys do come back, they will know just exactly what it takes and there is no sugar coating...

We don't have four wheelers.... We do have gators.. Top speed 14 miles an hour... And for a kid that's fast enough.... I get more nervous with the gator than the tractor.... I think the kids have way more respect for the tractors....
Oh yeah too... Our oldest will tell ya if your a good driver.....You're a real chick magnet!!!

 

[Stretch]

IL Rancher

Stretch, Just makig sure , but I felt the need to say, I am not critticizing what you are doing in the least with your boy.. I don't know the situations at all and me not growing up on a farm I probably get a little wary but we were driving riding mowers and stuff like that at 10 or 11 and that is just a step away from some of the other stuff so who knows..

I don't see anything wrong with any of your replies as you are just being honest. I asked the question to see if I was totally crazy or if it was just the normal farm/ranch kind of teaching...



Jinglebob

And that my friends, was the end of my boyhood fun! I ran the rake tractor and then the bucker and when I was 10 I was doing most of the swathing. Sad. What a hell of a thing to do to a poor little inocent kid!

Years ago I heard a story of a kid that learned to milk a cow and got pretty handy at it and of course dad bragged them up to everyone and they tried harder and harder and did get really good. Now that was a dirty trick, :wink: but it worked :shock: . Seems to me that was my mother that told that story.... I don't ever want to take the (being a kid) away from any kid, mine or anyone elses but it does make me mad to hear someone say "Well that darn kid of mine is old enough to drive and won't help at home at all would much rather run off and goof off in town"... Geeeeezz stupid people forgot to teach the young'n to do anything and the kid will likely not amount to beans because of it. I just hope I can teach mine to be good at a few of the "tools" of work so that they can work for anyone and do a variety of things. Heck I'm not a master of anything but can do enough different things that I don't need an electrician,plumber,vetrinatian, agronomist,metal fabricator or mechanic, carpenter for about 85-90% of the stuff I do around here. Cody he get to play basketball, baseball, soccer, and bowling in after school events and Sara she is in dance,soccer,and t-ball. I hope also that as they grow older that they can learn that you need to work as hard as you play and success and rewards will come with it.

katrina

Oh yeah too... Our oldest will tell ya if your a good driver.....You're a real chick magnet!!!

Hmmmm never thought of it that way... :lol: :lol: :lol: He must be realated to that Kenny Chesney feller "She thinks my tractors Sexy"..... 8) 8)

 

[Jassy]

From the day my son was born he went with us everywhere, we had no one to watch him clear out here in the boonies...so he grew up around tractors,equipment and pickups, along with cattle. There were a few times that it would of been easier without him when working, but we always managed to keep him safe and most of the time happy..lol Spending the time with him out in the enviroment taught us all better safety lessons! I think your son will be just fine as long as he has you to guide him along.

 

[passin thru]

if they can't see my eyes that I can't see their eyes in an effort to make them think about running around when I am moving something outside like the tractor or the truck

Excellent if all follow this rule it will make for easier life. Take it from me, follow this rule or it will haunt you for the rest of your days. Do it

 

[Faster horses]

It is my opinion that when the kids are interested, that is when you need
to let them try. It is important to feed that interest, because if you don't,
they are on to other things that interest them.

Our grandson can drive everything we have and has been able to
for quite some time now. Of course, you have to be cautious. One
day, he was with his grandpa in the tractor and grandpa sent him
to the house alone in the tractor. (which I did not think was wise, as
our county road has pretty steep sides). Well, he got to the house,
turned around and drove the tractor back. When he got to where
grandpa was, he said, "oh grandpa, I didn't want to leave you here
all alone."

Ya, right. Just another excuse to drive... :wink:

When he was just a little kid, maybe 6 years old, his mother and he
came to visit and got there after dark. She swung the vehicle around
and the lights shined on the tractor. Little Jack said excitedly, "Grandpa
got a NEW tractor." She asked him how he knew that, and he said
"the hubs are different on this tractor than the old one." That's how
interested he was. Didn't miss anything.

He was with the lady that was helping us hay and they were on the
swather when it broke down. He was 6 that summer. She didn't know
what was wrong, he walked around it and said, "here's the problem."

Something was wrong with a pulley and HE WAS RIGHT.

Kids are amazing. We just need to teach them SAFETY FIRST
and common sense.

I think you are on the right track, stretch. You go for it, with CAUTION.

 

[cwfmr181]

my sons are 32 and 30, i learned that if just one of them were working at a project it seemed that things were taken more seriously than if they were working together and they took greater pride in what they did. they both begged to drive anything that had wheels and moved. we also wouldnt let them try anything until they could clutch and brake at the same time, both boys turned out to be better equipment operators than their dad and have become the haying crew. as to when is a child old enough, each child becomes responsible at their own pace and time and you will just have to be the judge of that.

 

[Cal]

We don't have any open tractors left...so I never worried much, just adjusted the seat for our boy and stuck the seat belt on him. I sure think that a set of ROPs for that old 3020 would be a good investment. You never know what might happen.

 

[Sundancer]

For one thing, if the kids grew up on the farm or ranch and were around all the equipment and livestock, they already have a lot of education and some common sense. I have no kids of my own, but have 15 nephews and nieces that are all townies and that is another story! They follow you around, and you tell them not to step in that deep mud puddle....they step right in it and then get all upset because their feet are wet! They simply don't know what mud is! I think kids today spend too much time in front of the TV and computer and way too much time in organized sports, etc. They generally are physically weak, over nourished, and think that all life is a fun game. Giving kids some chores that are age appropriate is the best thing I think. And letting kids have some "down time" is needed as well. Kids are so hyper because they are over sensitized.
A horror story from my younger years....My dad put me behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler bull rack and he crawled into the sleeper!!! I think I was 15 or 16....rolling down I-80! That gives me the heebies now just thinking of it. I can't imagine how he could sleep :shock:
I'll quit.....just my view from the other side of the fence (non parent).

 

[cowwrangler]

alot of kids have no idea about farm machenry now,it use to be even the town kids would know some cause they prolly have relatives involved in it,nowadays they dont hardly know anybody who farms,and their lives are easier now,i also think kids nowadays mature slower also,my greatgrandfather became invloved with politics and was gone from the farm alot,so my grandfather quit school and took over the farm. seems like normal thing cept he was only 12 when he did this, he stayed on the same place and farmed it for 75 years,lol musta liked what he did :lol:

 

[sandhiller]

I was running tractors by that age. When I was in 7 th grade, my dad had me pick up our MD farmal at the repair shop in town after school and dirve it the 20 miles home. I had already drove that tractor 100's of hours by that time.

When I was 14, I ran the hay crew myself for 2 weeks when my brother in law I was working with ended up in the hospital sick. My grandpa showed up about every day and ran the scatter rake for a hour or two. Had 2 kids older than me that I had to keep working. Had 1 kid, probbly in his 20's running a mower. I had cut out a large land for him to work on. Watched him go catycorner across most of the whole thing and I was about to go run him down when he woke up. another 1/2 mile and he would have been going over the edge of a canyon.

My kids rode with me in the tractor quite a lot. I had a old car seat bolted into the cab so they had a good safe place to sit. When my oldest son was about 4 years old, I ended up in the hospital. My brother in law came out to feed my cows and took my son with him because he knew what feed and how much to feed each bunch and where they were.

From past experience with my oldest son, some kind of radio communication would be a really good idea, in fact should be mandatory for starting any kid no matter the age. I had my son raking hay and I had it timed so that I was right beside him baleing hay most of the time, but right at the end, he ended up 1/4 mile ahead of me. Everything was going great. when he finished the feild, he started doing the end rows and when he got to the swather, he ran the tractor tire over the end of the header drive and ruined the back tire and ran the rake into the swather and broke that up. He could have so easily have tipped the tractor over. I saw it comming, but could not get there in time. If I would have had a radio, I could have told him to stop. By the time he was 12 yeas old, I had him drive 10 miles from home and running a self propelled swather alone, but by that time I had radios in all the equipment so that I could talk to him every few minutes or he could call me if he had any kind of a problem.
My younger son, I didn't have doing much untill he was about 12. He was much smaller and it was more of a challenge for him to run the clutch and brakes.

A kid that never had been around equipment much would be plum scary to put on a tractor at 14. They just don't have the experience to have any common sense. Have started some town kids when they where 16 and had some close encounters, but did get them going fairly well. But when they did have a break down, they didn't have a clue to what was wrong and couldn't even explain it good enough that I knew what was wrong. Then I had a gal in her late 20's running my swather and nearly burned it up cuz when she didn't turn the pto off when it plugged up the conditioner and it burned off a belt. age don't always add to the common sense, but being around and seeing what can happen does add several credits to the education process.