5 dangerous things all kids should do!!

[wanderer-rrorc]

http://www.ted.com/talks/gever_tulley_on_5_dangerous_things_for_kids.html

I totaly agree with this guys viewpoint....I think the "wussification" of our children is getting out of control...

every year our daycare looses more and more fun toys and forced to buy things that will keep the clumsy kids able to later become MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS!!

I know I thank my parents for letting us do "dangerous" things...gave us an advantage over other kids...

heck...my wife was 27 before she EVER flew a kite!!...my daughter has her OWN welding helmet to watch me weld!!..and isnt afraid of powertools/airtools..she's inventive and good at imaginiary play...IF you can get her to turn the TV off without a big fuss...

[photoman]

I try to let my son do a lot of things but have realized I am a little guilty of being 'overly protective' at times. I have ordered the book and look forward to letting my young boy and his friends do all 50 dangerous things. :victory:

http://fiftydangerousthings.com/

[durango_60]

I've knocked of three out of the five so far, this weekend we'll be pitching some spears!!!

Great post! It really got me thinking that I must be sexist cause I've made an effort with my son to do these things but not my daughter.

[kjp1969]

Brilliant. Looks like we have to make a spear and take something apart this weekend. My kids have done the rest already :)

[91runner]

Unfortunately I can't read it on my blackberry, but since the odds are my son will be getting a single fire .22 for his birthday I'm not to worried.

[wanderer-rrorc]

I've knocked of three out of the five so far, this weekend we'll be pitching some spears!!!

Great post! It really got me thinking that I must be sexist cause I've made an effort with my son to do these things but not my daughter.

im in the oppisite situation...I do all these things with my daughter...of course she's 6yrs and the other 2 (boy and girl) are only just 3 1/2 MONTHS!!:sombrero:

I grew up with 3 sisters and 2 brothers...watched my dad make my sisters do housework while the boys went and played...at my house now I probably do the majority of the housework AND the outside work...my daughter gets to help no matter what Im doing (ususally...unless its really dangerous)...

and we have a few "unbreakable" rules...and I've already seen the neighbor fail at these (and she watches her granddaughter 24/7..so you would think she would have experiance with her own kids!)

RULES!

RULE 1. NEVER get into or under a vehicle if a grownup is not with you..matter of fact NEVER get under a vehicle EVER...if you cant reach your ball/toy...get a broom/stick/grownup to get it for you..(we have large 4x4's and Im always afraid of running her over...which leads to rule 2...)

RULE 2. IF someone is moving a vehicle...you will be asked if you want to ride..if you dont..you MUST BE where you can see the driver and the driver can see you AND WAVE TO YOU THAT YOU ARE IN A SAFE PLACE...just because she can see me/mom/driver doesnt mean we can see where she is at..we communicate where we are going to move the vehicle and how..and that she must be either in a "safe" place or a specific spot...

RULE 3. IF a vehicle is moving...DO NOT EVER approach it..this goes for anyone arriving or leaving..any vehicle that is approaching you..car/truck/mailman/delivery/quad/bike/tractor/lawnmower...you dont ever go towards it till it has STOPPED moving...and you must see that the driver sees you and lets you KNOW they see you!!

RULE 4...if Im welding...get your welding helmet and you can watch...but dont let the dogs in the garage..they arnt smart enough to not look at the light and they will go blind..

Rule 5...dont pet dogs till you get approval of the person thats with them..NEVER stick your hand thru a fence to pet a dog..if your wrestling with OUR dogs..and they yelp...let them up..your being too rough..:elkgrin:

rule 6...you can have some pop if you ask..but dont drink it all..and announce if its the last of it and ask if you can have it (someone drank all of my soda one day while we were out in the field workin and when I was thirsty there wasnt any left...papa-NOT HAPPY...then missy had to go potty...)

rule 7. if dad says no..dont go ask mom...cus dad will find out and you wont get to do it anyway..:coffeedrink:

and then theres some things she's learned...

if your asked to do something and you do it...when YOU ask someone else to do something you'll probably get it (shes asked to feed the dogs..your asked to goto the playground...everybody says yes!)

dads diet pepsi can make all injurys miraculously better..

if your mad..and you slam your bedroom door...expect dad to be in your room on .0002 seconds after the door was slammed...you might not get a whoopin...but you will be reminded that we "dont slam doors"...

if your mad about something...dont hold it in...tell someone..we will listen even when we're mad...your opinion counts..but sometimes we overrule..

dont lie..we know better...or you will tell on yourself anyway..the truth is easier to remember..

bringing dad a cookie...(that you secretly want for yourself .."I brought this for you!...you dont want it? can I have it?)...will get dad fed and you will have no cookie..:sombrero:

no ammount of begging will get you something..but being good will get you just about anything reasonable..

you always have 2 options with any given task...you can do it...or you can do it crying..:eek:

and the last one I can think of...

YOUR MOM IS MEANER than dad..just because she doesnt raise her voice doesnt mean you wont be cryin in a few seconds...(this goes for dad too!!)...when in trouble and someone says "im gonna call your dad"...she always starts to behave or says "call my mom instead" and then behaves...when she's hurtin or sick..she wants dad...


my wife sometimes laughs at the 2 of us...and sometime wants to strangle the 2 of us...but we're 2 best buddies...so its ok..we're either bein good or in trouble TOGETHER....

[Ryanmb21]

This is a great speech! Thanks for sharing!

[Ryanmb21]

This is a great speech! Thanks for sharing! - Crap, double post.

[kjp1969]

RULES!



Here's a couple to chew on:

You slam your door, you lose your door: Out come the hinge pins, the door goes in the garage, and you have no privacy until further notice. And your sisters will make fun of you for losing your door. (we have daughters)

You will get in more trouble for lying about brushing your teeth than for not brushing your teeth.

If you do not eat your dinner, you will go to bed hungry. We do not run a restaurant, you do not get to place an order. Missing a meal has yet to kill anyone.

If you are excused from the table for bad manners or any other reason, dinner is over for you. Don't worry, you won't be bored. You can immediately start cleaning the kitchen, loading the dishwasher, etc.

You get an allowance, you have to do chores. You cannot trade the two.

If your attitude needs adjustment, that's okay, we have plenty of extra chores to remind you that you should contribute to the household. (Folding laundry is a favorite here.)

We have a chore chart that rotates 9 chores between the three of them each week. One of my daughters thought it would be cute to rearrange the chores so that she could perpetually avoid cleaning up after the dog, so she got to do all 9 chores for the next week. The rule that grew out of it was: mess with your sisters and you get to do their chores.

Do good and ye shall be rewarded with extra responsibilities and privileges, like going to work with Dad, earning extra money washing cars, etc.

Its amazing how seldom we actually have to follow through on consequences. Usually it happens once or twice, then they know that "we mean it" and it doesn't happen again.

[James86004]

I would add tree-climbing to the list of dangerous things kids need to do.

[Momrocks]

This is a great speech! Thanks for sharing! - Crap, double post.

Now it's a triple because I agree :)

[TreeTopFlyer]

We have a chore chart that rotates 9 chores between the three of them each week. One of my daughters thought it would be cute to rearrange the chores so that she could perpetually avoid cleaning up after the dog, so she got to do all 9 chores for the next week. The rule that grew out of it was: mess with your sisters and you get to do their chores.

:wings: Awesome

[john101477]

As i posted in the other kid/rules thread i think the rules here are pretty good.
As a youngster I was not only encouraged to play with fire, knives, tools, etc. I started driving a Jeep/w a small flat bed trailer when I was 8 which quickly grew to driving the 1ton dually with a stock trailer when I was 10. I was given my first bb gun at 7 and my first .22 at 8 (after learning several hard lessons with the BB gun. I went to work with dad during the summer breaks. he gave me hammers screw drivers and a hand saw. He was a carpenter on school projects. I was generally shown where the biggest pile of useless lumber was and I had a good ol time unless dad needed me to sweep out a room. I started raising beef for 4-H at 9 and was required to do all of the hard stuff with dad watching but I had to do it. yeah I got bumps and bruises, cuts and scraps. went to the Dr 3-4 times for various things, but i would not trade all the lessons I learned as a kid for anything. I just hope I am able to give my kid the same lessons i learned with out big brother butting in to much

[Mamontof]

[QUOTE=wanderer-rrorc;592607]

WEll if the Kids a Gentle Delicate Flavors let them group in neighbor garden , prefer wild Flavors they have a style to survive .

Do not touch knife you can cut your self , do not touch matches you can burn your self .....well what a hell a Man can group from that kid ??

Let kids be kids if they did not educate them selfs hay they know fire burn :Wow1:.

[stevenmd]

Awesome!

[drgnhrt1979]

Just watched, and I agree 150%, kids today are wusses, my boys have already shot a .357 Magnum, AR-15 chambered for 5.56, AK-47 chambered for 7.62, 9mm, .22, and a .45. they climb trees, and as soon as they can reach the pedals and see over the dash, all my kids will get to drive my jeep off road. Being a former Marine, I taught them all the basics of firearm safety b4 going to the range, then when we got there, went over the rules again and added a few new ones once i had the visuals to show them of what line not to cross and when to know when to cross it.

I am a firm believer that time outs dont work... being in the military, I go back to boot camp lessons when deciding on a punishment, push-ups are a favorite of mine and once in a while if the kids catch me doing something wrong or breaking a rule, i will get down and do them too. this teaches them that even daddy is not above the rules and gets them to think about the house rules more since they like to see daddy doing push-ups too. i will also let them decide on the number that i have to do.

[dport]

But, what if little Johnny severes the main artery in his pinkie finger and bleeds to death before we can get help? Just kidding, I agree 100% with this guy. I can remember running a radial arm saw when I was about 8, without supervision!

[drgnhrt1979]

lol, yea, i played with knives, fire, drove a car, and even had a Trike (3 wheeled version of a Quad) about the age of 10, lol, and i am still here, and a better person cuz of it. I hope to pass it all on to my kids

[Nonimouse]

Pleased to say I have brought up my eldest (11) to enjoy life to the full. That said she is nursing a finger broken in three places thanks to slighlty energetic tag rugby
As for my youngest (2.5) she is going to be a bigger, tougher verison of her sister - bless!

[Mamontof]

[QUOTE=drgnhrt1979;593151

Your san will follow his Father steps !!!
My total Respect to you Dog !

[drgnhrt1979]

http://www.ted.com/talks/gever_tulley_on_5_dangerous_things_for_kids.html

I totaly agree with this guys viewpoint....I think the "wussification" of our children is getting out of control...

every year our daycare looses more and more fun toys and forced to buy things that will keep the clumsy kids able to later become MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS!!

I know I thank my parents for letting us do "dangerous" things...gave us an advantage over other kids...

heck...my wife was 27 before she EVER flew a kite!!...my daughter has her OWN welding helmet to watch me weld!!..and isnt afraid of powertools/airtools..she's inventive and good at imaginiary play...IF you can get her to turn the TV off without a big fuss...

I took your viewpoint and put it up in JeepForum.com since they didnt have anything like this... thought i would share with those guys and gals too... here is the link if you want to see what they have to say on the subject....

5 dangerous things all kids should do!! (http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f7/5-dangerous-things-all-kids-should-do-999100/)

[Riptide]

I have a 4 year old daughter, and I can't wait to let her savor all the milestones that I savored when I was a kid.

Getting a pocketknife, taking apart things, driving on my Dad's lap, getting a BB gun... these were all things that I remember distinctly to this day. I also remember the lecture and warnings that came with them, and the trust that my folks said they had in me to get them. That was powerful stuff back then, and I see no reason why it wouldn't be equally powerful stuff with my kid.

She already demonstrates respect and common sense right now. I was a bit worried about her safety when we put in our wood stove last winter. But after I explained to her what COULD happen if she wasn't careful, I took her over to the door one night as she watched me throw some more wood in it. I let her feel the heat radiate off of it, and we watched the flames consume the wood. Now she understands why you don't touch it, and I don't spend all day worrying at work whether she's gonna get hurt. She respects the stove, and that's the real lesson. She doesn't fear it. She respects it, and that's a big difference.

[SeaRubi]

great post - couldn't agree with it more. my daughter is 9 and started riding horseback when she was 4. Seeing your 7 year old topple off a horse during her first few jumps makes you a bit pale, but I'm glad for it. She's fallen off a total of 4 times now. We checked out a new riding school last week, and she told the instructor "oh I've fallen off before, on jumps. It kinda tickles."

-proud papa

[dport]

Ordered the book last night from Amazon.com. Can't wait to start reading it on Tues. #6 Hike down waterfalls with your 6 month old.

[Expedition Key]

Thanks for posting this, I'm tempted to wake up my 4yo daughter and go make some spears!!

[kellymoe]

Kids today are not wusses, their parents are wusses.

[PAToyota]

A friend showed me the TED site awhile back. Totally agree with the OPs link!

[kjp1969]

Last night I went up on the roof to spray a wasp nest, and the kids wanted to come. My knee-jerk response was to say "no," but luckily I caught myself. I let them walk around the second story roof for a while, and they were in awe.

[drgnhrt1979]

Kids today are not wusses, their parents are wusses.

it is a learned behavior, wusses breed wusses, therefore, if the parents are wusses, then the kids will be too...

i had to laugh at my kids this weekend, they were playing with their Nerf guns and i heard them saying to each other, "dont point the gun at people, just the aliens" I taught them well, taking them to the range and teaching the the rules of firearm safety... "dont point the gun at anything you dont intend to kill, treat every gun as if it were loaded, keep your finger straight and off the trigger till your ready to fire" caught them doing everything right, so i bought them more Nerf guns... as soon as i win custody back, they will get their own BB guns

[dport]

I got the book in the mail yesterday. :wings: I guess I'll have to wait a few months before we conduct the "Make a bomb" portion, since Lucas is only 6 months old.

[timh]

I got the book in the mail yesterday. :wings: I guess I'll have to wait a few months before we conduct the "Make a bomb" portion, since Lucas is only 6 months old.


Make a bomb:Wow1: awesome, but wouldn't that make your kid a terrorist these days?:ylsmoke:


I think I might need to order the book, I would love to help my daughter get into a little trouble when she is a little older.

[dport]

Make a bomb:Wow1: awesome, but wouldn't that make your kid a terrorist these days?:ylsmoke:


I think I might need to order the book, I would love to help my daughter get into a little trouble when she is a little older.

By the Fed Govt's standards, yes. But no one cares about that, all the cool kids are into pipebombs these days. Which I didn't make until I was 14, I guess I was a little behind my peers.

[timh]

By the Fed Govt's standards, yes. But no one cares about that, all the cool kids are into pipebombs these days. Which I didn't make until I was 14, I guess I was a little behind my peers.

I never did make a bomb. Not sure why, just never wound up doing it.

[R_Lefebvre]

I let my boy stay in the garage last night while I did some work. I wonder if I'll scar him for life. "Don't ever touch this angle grinder. It'll cut your arm right off! Never never touch this, it's SUPER danger!" "Not even mommies can touch it, only daddies?" "That's right not even mommies." :D

So, safety glasses and ear muffs and standing 10 feet back, he got to watch.

Then with the welder "it shoots lightning out of the end, never touch this, it's SUPER danger!" He didn't see much because he had to stand behind me on the other side of the garage so he couldn't see the arc.

But when it came time to grind the 2% Thoriated Tungsten electrode (radioactive) I sent him inside. I guess I take chances with that stuff myself, but not him.

[photoman]

Got the book in the mail today. :victory:

We already skimmed through to see what my boy ha already done. Plan is to complete all 50 before end of summer. :ylsmoke:

First one is shock yourself with 9volt battery- he wasn't excited about that and lucked out that the one in the drawer was dead. I am looking for a good one now- will be a nice morning wake up. :hehe:

[R_Lefebvre]

That's even in there? I do that all the time on my tongue to test if they're dead or not. Do they suggest to do it on your tongue, or wetted finger? Maybe that's a good safe way to teach him about electricity.

[dport]

The book's pretty good, I have only skimmed over it due to being in the middle of another good read. I think everyone, young or old should make atleast one pipebomb in their life. Start out with black powder since you don't get as big of a BOOM, due to the slower burn rate. This is how I ended up making bombs when I was a kid, my older brother was given a muzzle loader. :wings:

[R_Lefebvre]

I think pipe bombs is one thing my son and I will skip for sure.

[Street Wolf]

Pipe bombs FTW! :sombrero::sombrero::sombrero:

[R_Lefebvre]

And let's not forget. According to the US government, any bomb containing more than 4 ounces of explosive is a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Sure to get you some time in jail.


(1) Any explosive, incendiary, poison gas, bomb, grenade, or rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces [113 g], missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce [7 g], or mine or device similar to the above. (2) Poison gas. (3) Any weapon involving a disease organism. (4) Any weapon that is designed to release radiation at a level dangerous to human life.

[PAToyota]

And let's not forget. According to the US government, any bomb containing more than 4 ounces of explosive is a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Sure to get you some time in jail.

Growing up, we couldn't buy fireworks. So we filled spent CO₂ cartridges with black powder...

[photoman]

From skimminy the book the other day I believe the 'bomb' is a dry ice bomb not a pipe bomb. Book is 'things you should let your kids do' not 'hey dumba$$ do this and get arrested'.


I played with gunpowder when I was a kid but since I am not into reloading my son has had very little experience with it. We did light off .22 shells last time we went shooting though. He thought that was pretty cool.

[Mamontof]

Growing up, we couldn't buy fireworks. So we filled spent CO₂ cartridges with black powder...

Well teach use fire arm one think that like teach hay to survive in life situation , but teach create even firework what can blow hands off that not so adult ( my bad i see many ruin life buy dumb mistake )

When i was yang we use WW II field mine to blow fish in lake and river , but no way i won to tell my kids hay right way redril mine and use a steam bath to pull toll aut off the mine.

Some time we must gro up and do not switch REDIRECT aur complecs to our kids

[wanderer-rrorc]

PIPE BOMBS!!!...kids blow up so fast (ya get it? pun on "they GROW up so fast")

I made my daughter touch a dead pilot whale in OBX monday...she will thank me later...shes still whining about it now...and the smell of the barnical we brought back...:sombrero:

[drgnhrt1979]

I got the book in the mail yesterday. :wings: I guess I'll have to wait a few months before we conduct the "Make a bomb" portion, since Lucas is only 6 months old.

never to young to start... dont forget to get Lucas a BB gun for is first B-day as well as a pocket knife


dont know about anyone else, but i always played with "Lawn Darts" in the most dangerous way possible...

[photoman]

Checked out the 'make a bomb' part of the book. Nothing more than vinegar and baking soda in a bag. Effective and fairly safe- good little chemistry lesson there.

This stuff is legal to buy and transport- until you mix it together.
http://aaronnewman.smugmug.com/Other/Video-clips/10845990_xtwLU#756520629_WVVdW-A-LB

:Wow1:

[HanzoSteel]

Great post, I have no kids but I'll steal my friends kid and do dangerous things with them!


When I'm at my friends house I actually do these kind of things with thier kids, giving them thier own knife I'm not sure about though, I guess it would have to depend on age.

[ttora4runner]

Is grabbing onto an electric fence in there. :sombrero: Fun times shocking my sisters at my grandpa's farm (then again they would do the same to me).

[dport]

No "grab an electric fence" in the book, although I've done it as well. BTW, I wasn't talking about a full fledge West Bank pipe bomb :Wow1: Just stuff a little gun powder into a sealed object and let them see what happens when you contain the powder, vs. burning it off. No nail and shrapnel involved :Wow1:

[Mamontof]

[QUOTE=HanzoSteel;599075]Great post, I have no kids but I'll steal my friends kid and do dangerous things with them!

Some start that posts from hay to use fire weapon , after hay to build a bomb :Wow1:

nay even worst kidnapping :ylsmoke: in present days all that sound like

bunch of ectremist terrorist in forum .

[wanderer-rrorc]

[QUOTE=HanzoSteel;599075]Great post, I have no kids but I'll steal my friends kid and do dangerous things with them!

Some start that posts from hay to use fire weapon , after hay to build a bomb :Wow1:

nay even worst kidnapping :ylsmoke: in present days all that sound like

bunch of ectremist terrorist in forum .


every red-blooded meat eatin american male love a good explosion...

thats why 4th of july is so much fun....

ya gotta learn YOUNG how to do it safely...and who better to teach ya than grownup meat-eatin men who learned from their meat-eatin dads??:sombrero:

just one last time...

MEAT!!..:chef::victory:

[dport]

MEAT :drool:

[drgnhrt1979]

boot camp and after was good learning... MRE bombs are fun to make and the creamer is flammable...

the wife wont like it, but the kids are getting .22's when they turn 13, bb guns at 10, and a pocket knife as soon as i can...

the girls gave me a good laugh over the weekend... took them hiking in the woods, climbed some trees, made walking sticks (spears and bow and arrow is fr next time) and they complained that they were getting dirty... i told them that they were in the woods and outside, of course they were gonna get dirty... they came back with that they were in the woods they were NOT suppose to get dirty in the woods... I laughed at them and we continued on... afterwards, they did say they had fun and wanted to do it again some time... cant wait for the next trip...

[Spur]

I got my first shotgun when I was 9 and my first handgun when I was 13.

When I was 7 or 8 my grandfather taught me how to make a homemade canon.

At age 10, I scrounged dumpsters at local building sites and collected enough material to make my own treehouse. I designed and built it myself without any adult supervision. It wasn't pretty but it lasted for a good 15 years.

As soon as I was tall enough to reach the pedals, I was my grandmother's chauffeur. I would drive her to the post office and the grocery store. I still don't know why a cop never pulled us over. I could barely see over the steering wheel.

I bought a copy of the Anarchist's Cookbook at a gun and knife show when I was 11. My Mom used to take me and my friends to the show and drop us off for the day. lol Good times. I don't think they would let kids in the door unsupervised these days. That's how I learned how to make napalm. My friends and I used to play a game we liked to call "flaming night hockey." Coat a puck in Napalm, light it on fire, get one of your buddies to stand in front of the net and enjoy :)

In middle school, my friends and I would buyout the saltpeter and sulfur at the local pharmacy and make huge batches of black powder. I wonder what the pharmacist thought we were doing? Pipe bombs? Of course not. :)

I guess the point is that from the age of about 9, my playtime consisted of running around the woods with my friends, shooting things, blowing stuff up, building things, and setting stuff on fire. I still have all my fingers and toes and I think I developed some important life skills. Who knows, I might NEED to make a canon someday. The key is that my parents also instilled a strong sense of responsibility in me. I always knew what the line was, and I took great delight in getting as close as possible without actually crossing it. :)

[R_Lefebvre]

When I was 6, my grandfather gave me my first swiss army knife. I almost cut my right index finger off. Seriously. I still have the scar to prove it. If I had done that, it most certainly would have had a significant effect on my life.

My parents took the knife away until I was about 10 or 12.

I definitely have my own personal "line in the sand" and some of you guys definitely cross it.

[wanderer-rrorc]

When I was 6, my grandfather gave me my first swiss army knife. I almost cut my right index finger off. Seriously. I still have the scar to prove it. If I had done that, it most certainly would have had a significant effect on my life.

My parents took the knife away until I was about 10 or 12.

I definitely have my own personal "line in the sand" and some of you guys definitely cross it.

thats why we all get to decide for our own kids...

I work with MANY 20+yr olds I wouldnt give a butter knife too....and a few teenagers I would trust with my life....diffrent parents..diffrent kinds of kids..

[durango_60]

When I was 6, my grandfather gave me my first swiss army knife. I almost cut my right index finger off. Seriously. I still have the scar to prove it. If I had done that, it most certainly would have had a significant effect on my life.


But you didn't cut it off, and I bet you've been conscious of knife safety ever since...

[Wyowanderer]

I got my first bb gun at 7; first .22 at 9. By ten, I had ammo and gun in my room. At 12, I would go camping overnight alone with my .22 at my side. Now I'm a capable shot with a rifle, pistol, or shotgun.
Started helping my dad in his shop at 8 by cleaning parts in the solvent tank. Mom sent me to him b/c I was being a bit mouthy. Had to go to the doc for chemical burns from not using my gloves. Didn't hurt me permanantly, though. Spent most evenings in the shop with my dad, working on customer vehicles and equipment until I left for another city. I don't have children, but a half dozen nephews, nieces, and neighbor kids have experienced the same drill so far.

Thank goodness for my parents who taught me a trade and a sense of honor.

[R_Lefebvre]

But you didn't cut it off, and I bet you've been conscious of knife safety ever since...

I'm not sure how to answer that. I've had plenty if injuries over the years. But I do try to be careful.


Had to go to the doc for chemical burns from not using my gloves. Didn't hurt me permanantly, though.

That you know of. Yet. Things like that can be pretty insidious.

I plan to let my boy experience lots of things. Natural things. But chemicals and tools... I'm more cautious. I have diminished hearing already at 33 due to not being careful enough with my ears. God knows what else is in store from practically bathing in solvent a few times.

I let him watch me weld last week, but sent him inside when it was time to grind some 2% Thoriated Tungsten electrodes (radioactive dust).

I think we're way overprotective of our children generally. But I also don't think we should have a sink or swim attitude. Children are innocent and inexperienced. It is our responsibility to teach them. That's my opinion.

[Wyowanderer]

Had to go to the doc for chemical burns from not using my gloves. Didn't hurt me permanantly, though.


That you know of. Yet. Things like that can be pretty insidious.
Good point. But in those days (nearly forty years ago) my parents knew little about stoddard solvent's effects on the body, so I won't be blaming them. Heck, the gov't had just outlawed carbon tetrachloride in fire extinguishers.

I rarely use stoddard solvent anyway. I use a Graymills tank with an alkaline powder that is far safer. Nonetheless, my youngsters don't get to wash parts any more than yours gets to be around radioactive grinding.
My point wasn't that it's okay to be irresponsible with children, but that they need to be allowed to do more than Dr. Spock wants to allow.
Thanks for your post.

[fowldarr]

Alright, I get to share too.

I grew up with 3 brothers, my wife grew up with sisters, we have 3 boys. One day, my two oldest are out back beating the crap out of each other with the most sword-like sticks they can find. My wife calls me in the Kitchen, insisting that somebody is going to lose an eye, and that I do something about it immediately. I point out that kids are supposed to do that kind of stuff when adults are not looking. My wife makes the valid observation that, at that present time, we are indeed watching. So,...I closed the blinds and walked off.

I'm very lenient with my kids, tehy are 9,7, and 4, the two older ones have knives (supervised use only), the older one has a BB gun (and a 30-30 he has not shot yet), they can both build a decent fire, they can use basic power tools, including a jig saw (again, supervised use only), the older one has changed tires, and oil. They know what it is like to have scraped knuckles and dirt in their eyes. I wouldn't have it any other way. Though the spear throwing intrigues me...we have not done that, and they were making home made spear tips out of rock just the other day...maybe teach them how to make an atlatl. Time to do some research.

[R_Lefebvre]

Good point. But in those days (nearly forty years ago) my parents knew little about stoddard solvent's effects on the body, so I won't be blaming them. Heck, the gov't had just outlawed carbon tetrachloride in fire extinguishers.


No doubt. My Mom talks about playing with Mercury balls in their bare hands in Chemistry class, and my Dad played with lead figurines. Meanwhile, today, kid's motorcycles are banned because they have some components made from steel with 0.14% lead content (12L14).

There's a middle ground somewhere....

[kjp1969]

Finally got her out there- 10 years old:

[Zelix]

My 8 year old daughter has a welding helmet. She watched and helped me with the trailer I built. I haven't let her weld anything yet. She is really interested in how things work.

This last weekend she helped me change the oil in the jeep. She didn't actually do anything except climb under and asked questions. It was a great time we spent. I'll get her a BB gun soon [maybe this weekend]. She doesn't care about knives so much but loves to play in the dirt, fish, and now camp.
:victory:

[bftank]

all this talk about pipe bombs and blowing things up and nobody has mentioned potato guns or water bottle rockets?

didn't get to mess with these until i was older and on my own. if and when we have kids it will be on the roster. already ruined the neices and nephews!

[southpier]

not sure where Scouting is today, but most of this stuff was covered in the handbook back in the late 50's.

what wasn't there was in the Gilbert Chemistry Set we got for Christmas.

anyone who wants a good laugh can ask a 20 year old to tie one of the basic six knots. i've got even money they will come up short

[R_Lefebvre]

Just the other day, I had bought some new waterproof matches, and was testing them out. My son was interested and asked me what I was doing so I told him. Then I told him he is never to touch matches by himself. If he ever wants to play with matches, it's ok, but he must come ask me and I will help him. This is the way I intend to proceed with most things. Don't just say "never do this", but "come get me, and I will help you".

It'll be the same deal with alcohol. If he's 14 and shows an interest, he can try a little bit with me so he can see. I intend to remove the mystery and bad-assed-ness about these things, so that when he's on his own and is exposed to it, it's old-hat, and not some rebellious thing. I think current drinking age laws are rediculous, especially places where it's 21. I can't understand how a person is considered legally competent enough to operate a car, or own a firearm, but not have a drink?

[drgnhrt1979]

took my girls over the weekend and let them drive the Jeep... my 6 yr old sat on my lap and my 9 yr old was big enough to sit in the driver seat without me and work the pedals, they had a blast...

the wife said not to do it again, so in time i will do it again anyway...

[bugnout]

Great Post!!!

One more piece of advice: let your kids get dirty, real dirty, play in the dirt and the sand until they are covered head to toe, dirt in thier ears, up thier noses. I'm talking mud wrestling dirty.

Then hose them off in the back yard. Nothing builds immunities better than playing in the dirt.

[R_Lefebvre]

Letting my kids drive on my lap... I'm not sure about that. I think it used to be safe but with airbags, I dunno. If anything were to happen and the bags went off, it's like holding a gun to your child's head. Serious. With them that close to the wheel, BANG, they're dead.

[drgnhrt1979]

Letting my kids drive on my lap... I'm not sure about that. I think it used to be safe but with airbags, I dunno. If anything were to happen and the bags went off, it's like holding a gun to your child's head. Serious. With them that close to the wheel, BANG, they're dead.

i am sure that it could happen, but i was in a parking lot with nothing around to hit or run into other than some mud puddles which the girls loved driving through not like we were on a back road or anywhere with trafic. cant wait till i can get them driving off-road and teach them to be good spotters...

[Alchemyguy]

Letting my kids drive on my lap... I'm not sure about that. I think it used to be safe but with airbags, I dunno. If anything were to happen and the bags went off, it's like holding a gun to your child's head. Serious. With them that close to the wheel, BANG, they're dead.

Why would you, as a responsible parent, create a scenario where that could happen? This entire thread has been about doing "dangerous" things under controlled conditions and this isn't really any different. Deserted parking lots. Country roads. Keep it below 15kph. You've got the gas and brake pedals, where would this go wrong? It's up to the parent to make it safe.

[ginericLC]

My 7 year old has been driving our Land Cruisers on our property for some time. I won't let them in the front at all even if I'm backing up to hook up the trailer or something in our Cruiser that has air bags. The whole air bag thing has caused a big problem in our family. It has caused us to build a whole second Cruiser without air bags.

The problem with air bags and kids is not suffocation like some people think. It has to do with where the force is concentrated and the snapping effect it has on their head and neck. A lot of head and neck injuries of course cause serious injury or even death. That is the problem.

As far as when an airbag could go off. I'm of the opinion that it could go off at any time. After all it is mechanical and it was human designed so there is a chance of an error. When will the error occur or if ever, who knows?

[kjp1969]

I won't let them in the front at all even if I'm backing up to hook up the trailer or something in our Cruiser that has air bags. The whole air bag thing has caused a big problem in our family. It has caused us to build a whole second Cruiser without air bags.


Baseless fear the exact OPPOSITE of what this thread is about.


If anything were to happen and the bags went off, it's like holding a gun to your child's head.

Uh, no, letting your kid sit on your lap is absolutely nothing at all like holding a gun to their head. It's not even close. Its like black and white, wet and dry, up and down. How in the world could you make that comparison?

In come the facts:


Frontal airbags: NHTSA estimates that since 1990, more than 290 deaths have been attributable to frontal airbag inflation in low-speed crashes. Nearly 90 percent of deaths occurred in vehicles manufactured before 1998 and approximately 68 percent were passengers. More than 90 percent of the passenger fatalities were children and infants, most of whom were unbelted or in rear-facing child safety seats that placed their heads close to the deploying airbag.3 More than 80 percent of people killed were unbelted or improperly restrained. Unbelted occupants are likely to move forward if there is hard braking or other violent maneuvers before a frontal crash. These occupants can end up on top of, or extremely close to, the airbags as they begin to inflate. Short and elderly drivers can be vulnerable to inflation injuries from frontal airbags because they tend to sit close to the steering wheel.

Translation: of the 261 chidren and infantswho have been killed by airbags in the last 20 years, most were unbelted. So over the last 20 years, 13 unbelted infants and children per year are killed by airbags. IN A COUNTRY OF 330 MILLION PEOPLE.

However. . .
More than 350 children die per year by drowning in swimming pools.
More than 115 children die per year by drowning in bathtubs, buckets and other containers.
Lightning kills 58 people per year.
Dogs kill 30 people per year.

Airbags? Almost statistically insignificant, even if you drive around with your unbelted infant in the front seat. And we're talking about (in my case) a 5, 8 or 10 year old sitting on my lap for a couple of trips up and down the cul-de-sac, not zooming down the freeway at 70mph.

[mellowdave]

Baseless fear the exact OPPOSITE of what this thread is about.



Uh, no, letting your kid sit on your lap is absolutely nothing at all like holding a gun to their head. It's not even close. Its like black and white, wet and dry, up and down. How in the world could you make that comparison?

In come the facts:



Translation: of the 261 chidren and infantswho have been killed by airbags in the last 20 years, most were unbelted. So over the last 20 years, 13 unbelted infants and children per year are killed by airbags. IN A COUNTRY OF 330 MILLION PEOPLE.

However. . .
More than 350 children die per year by drowning in swimming pools.
More than 115 children die per year by drowning in bathtubs, buckets and other containers.
Lightning kills 58 people per year.
Dogs kill 30 people per year.

Airbags? Almost statistically insignificant, even if you drive around with your unbelted infant in the front seat. And we're talking about (in my case) a 5, 8 or 10 year old sitting on my lap for a couple of trips up and down the cul-de-sac, not zooming down the freeway at 70mph.

I love a little statistical reality thrown in the face of FUD.

[photoman]

I can't tie the 6 basic knots but I was never in Scouts. :)

I have already had my son try beer. He hated it. My parents did the same thing so drinking was never a big deal. If I wanted to drink something I just needed to ask my parents- no need to sneak off into the forest or desert to drink with friends. I am also of the belief that if my son wants to do something he just needs to come ask me. I would rather be there with him than have him trying things with a bunch of other kids.

My boy is 10. He will get to drive the Jeep Memorial weekend while out on some trails. If there are hazards that require some driving care he will sit on my lap. He will learn about picking a good line, going slow instead of romping, and tread lightly. When we are on one of the long roads to nowhere he will have full control. The Jeep will be in 1st gear to help limit the chance of an accident.


As mentioned before. The whole concept of the book is to let your kids do 'dangerous' things provided it is controlled as much as possible and supervised. Have your kids watch Myth Busters. They do very dangerous things but make a very conscious effort to show the safety and control factors being used. If you make the same effort and promote the concept of safety your kids will pickup on it.

[ginericLC]

Baseless fear the exact OPPOSITE of what this thread is about.



Uh, no, letting your kid sit on your lap is absolutely nothing at all like holding a gun to their head. It's not even close. Its like black and white, wet and dry, up and down. How in the world could you make that comparison?

In come the facts:



Translation: of the 261 chidren and infantswho have been killed by airbags in the last 20 years, most were unbelted. So over the last 20 years, 13 unbelted infants and children per year are killed by airbags. IN A COUNTRY OF 330 MILLION PEOPLE.

However. . .
More than 350 children die per year by drowning in swimming pools.
More than 115 children die per year by drowning in bathtubs, buckets and other containers.
Lightning kills 58 people per year.
Dogs kill 30 people per year.

Airbags? Almost statistically insignificant, even if you drive around with your unbelted infant in the front seat. And we're talking about (in my case) a 5, 8 or 10 year old sitting on my lap for a couple of trips up and down the cul-de-sac, not zooming down the freeway at 70mph.

Statistics mean nothing if you are the one person that it happens to. And if the kid is sitting on your lap driving most likely they are unbelted. And the are closer to the air bag than had they been in the passenger seat. Statistically the odds are low but I'm not willing to take that chance with my kids.

[Alchemyguy]

Statistics mean nothing if you are the one person that it happens to. And if the kid is sitting on your lap driving most likely they are unbelted. And the are closer to the air bag than had they been in the passenger seat. Statistically the odds are low but I'm not willing to take that chance with my kids.

Irrelevant comparison. Unbelted kid on your lap playing at driving does not mean they are of the same cohort as the 13/year that die from airbags.

That number doesn't even actually reflect the reality of each circumstance, but I'd be willing to bet that *none* of them involved the activity we're talking about here. You're looking at numbers from vehicles under normal travel with kids bouncing around the front seat (where they don't belong if you're on the road, doing road things!) with parents that think seatbelts are for pussies. Statistically, the odds for our purposes are precisely zero.

Airbags in modern vehicles don't just deploy for no reason, and there would be absolutely no reason for them to deploy if you're letting your minion drive under controlled circumstances. What could *possibly* go wrong in a deserted parking lot, country road or field, with you at the command of the brake and gas pedals? Seriously!

Don't take me for a dick, I'm just pissy tonight and don't feel like pouring any sugar over my disagreement with this mindset. My inlaws are completely unable to judge real vs perceived risk, and thus everything imaginable is not only likely to occur, but is also instantly deadly.:rolleyes:

[kjp1969]

Statistics mean nothing if you are the one person that it happens to. And if the kid is sitting on your lap driving most likely they are unbelted. And the are closer to the air bag than had they been in the passenger seat. Statistically the odds are low but I'm not willing to take that chance with my kids.

You're entirely correct, it is safer for them not to try out a drive up and down the cul de sac sitting on Dad's lap. If you're that risk averse, you should probably keep your kids home where its safe. I mean, what possible benefits could there be to pushing their comfort level in such a dangerous way?
:coffee:

[bugnout]

Ok beaten "Driving a Car" to death. (I let my son drive when he was 12)

The one that intrigues me is "Break the DMCA"

The speaker suggests that its a lesson that sometime you can accidentally break laws.

Another lesson it can teach is recognizing who is victimized when you break the law.

Lastly I think its a lesson that everyone breaks the law, sometimes on purpose, sometimes without knowing or realizing. The key is recognizing the risks of breaking the law and accepting the responsibility and consequences both from the law and your conscience.

[Alchemyguy]

Ok beaten "Driving a Car" to death. (I let my son drive when he was 12)

The one that intrigues me is "Break the DMCA"

The speaker suggests that its a lesson that sometime you can accidentally break laws.

Another lesson it can teach is recognizing who is victimized when you break the law.

Lastly I think its a lesson that everyone breaks the law, sometimes on purpose, sometimes without knowing or realizing. The key is recognizing the risks of breaking the law and accepting the responsibility and consequences both from the law and your conscience.

It also gives an opportunity to teach the difference between mala in se (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malum_in_se) and mala prohibita (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malum_prohibitum); that which is bad in and of itself, and that which is bad because it is proscribed to be so. If you're of that kind of philosophical bent, that is. Probably better for older kids as exploration of why actions are declared bad and punishable and whether that is just and, more critically, who benefits is probably too much for younger ones.

[glnn313]

my daughter got her 1st motorcycle at 18 months(pw50 w/ training wheels) at 5 she got her quad. at 7 she got her compound bow and knife. at age 9 she got to pick out her car(95 isuzu trooper 4x4) which she drives in my friends pasture and out in the desert.i sit in the back seat and hold the e-brake just in case.we are still only using low range for now. she got her bb gun and sling shots some where along the way. at 10 she took over my quad and always backs in the car trailer when we are camping and when we get home. at 11 she was doing top rope rock climbing but isn't a big fan. also started white water kayaking. now she is 12 and has driven my jeep a little but the clutch is too stiff for now. she now has a big polaris 4x4 quad with a 3k winch. if i do it then she does it or atleast has the option. i am proud of her and trust her judgement more than most adults. for her b-day she wanted survival gear so she now always carries her back pack when we go out.she has it loaded w/ her tent,fire starting eq of all sorts,water,m.r.e.'s,first aid supplies along w/ a 7 piece cook set,spork,knife etc. i try and give her tho opportunity to live a fun adventureous life but i always let her make the final decesion and never pressure her. i love it and her mother hates it but has comes to terms w/ it.
no point in sheltering kids. hell,this stuff is what made us into the people we are today. all we need to do is guide them along the way and brush the dirt off now and then when they fall.

[cowboy4x4]

well lets see....when I was a kid
1) I threw my lawn dart at my sisters hipity hop.... needless to say my mom and dad gave my hipity hop to her....... bummer
2) I got caught with a pile of sparrows that I shot with my BB gun and my my mom said if I shoot one more I was going to have to eat it.........wasnt feeling very hungry at the moment so I went back to shooting the target.
3) my friend and I were shooting our bb guns.....he was very adament that the bb wont hurt us if we got shot..... so I shot him in the foot through his sneaker.....he started dancing....... I was right he was wrong.

[Mamontof]

[QUOTE=glnn313;633433]

Well i do not have bless by daughter so far , but if i can i do not mine follow you .

My total Respect

[T.Low]

I am a firm believer that time outs dont work... being in the military, I go back to boot camp lessons when deciding on a punishment, push-ups are a favorite of mine and once in a while if the kids catch me doing something wrong or breaking a rule, i will get down and do them too. this teaches them that even daddy is not above the rules and gets them to think about the house rules more since they like to see daddy doing push-ups too. i will also let them decide on the number that i have to do.

I'm working on convincing my kids that if they are bad, I will send to bed without their push-ups! "No push-ups for you! Go straight to bed with out push-ups!


RRoc, won't you be my neighbor?!!



Edit: i think I've found a suitable role model for a daughter should I have a girl:

Lulu Puy. Of course i could be totally wrong as I've not met here, but I like her bio: International Six Days Enduro Champion and French Police Officer. And she rides for Team GasGas. Not positive about the role model part, but you get the general idea.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee258/wannahuckmastinky/Gas%20Gas/Blouson_Moto_Femme_Esquad_Jean_E-Sc.jpg

[BigAl]

When my daughter was 8-9, we built a "potatoe gun" together. It used a solenoid valve from a sprinklier system and a 125PSI holding tank. We shot a D-cell battery thru a 3/4" sheet of plywood. It left a big inpression on her. I also got her running the drill press to make guitar pics into necklaces. You could definety see the sense of accomplishment she got in doing something she thought she would never be allowed to do.

[Navman]

I just read the "TotTurf" article in the last issue of Overland Journal.. It made me laugh (and cry). It mentions "50 Dangerous Things..." and highlights licking a 9 volt battery and burning something with a magnifying glass.

Well, I was getting depressed reading the article until I got to this part. I was changing a 9 volt in one of the kids toys the other day and thought that my kids probably never did that. So, when my wife wasn't around, I had them lick it. As I was doing it I thought that I must be a terrible parent until the first one did it and started laughing.

I also saw my son trying to burn an ant with a cheap magnifying glass the other day - after he tried starting a fire with it.

So, even though my kids are growing up in the 'burbs unlike my country upbringing, I think things will be okay.

It's just too bad that none of the other kids in the neighborhood leave their house to go outside and play.

[drgnhrt1979]

I just read the "TotTurf" article in the last issue of Overland Journal.. It made me laugh (and cry). It mentions "50 Dangerous Things..." and highlights licking a 9 volt battery and burning something with a magnifying glass.

Well, I was getting depressed reading the article until I got to this part. I was changing a 9 volt in one of the kids toys the other day and thought that my kids probably never did that. So, when my wife wasn't around, I had them lick it. As I was doing it I thought that I must be a terrible parent until the first one did it and started laughing.

I also saw my son trying to burn an ant with a cheap magnifying glass the other day - after he tried starting a fire with it.

So, even though my kids are growing up in the 'burbs unlike my country upbringing, I think things will be okay.

It's just too bad that none of the other kids in the neighborhood leave their house to go outside and play.

its not where you grow up, it how... i had a friend that grew up in the city and he did all the same stuff i did growing up in the country cuz his parents let him get away with it in a responsible manner...

so i think the moral of this thread is that as long as your kids do dangerous things in a safe and responsible way, they will be better off in the long run and as future parents...

[Capt Eddie]

We just got back from a Canada fishing trip. Every day was survival day. The kids both had ditch bags with all kinds of survival stuff. We would have contest to see who could start a fire first, who could catch fish with a stick and string. Who could cook it and eat it. Every contest was won my my 6 year old daughter over her 8 year old brother. During this trip he ended up loosing his knife and fire starters. He wanted to PLAY with the fire and left his knife lay on the ground after clean up. It would have been lost for ever if mom had not picked it up. It seem like the girl has more focus.

[BlueBomber]

anyone who wants a good laugh can ask a 20 year old to tie one of the basic six knots. i've got even money they will come up short

Hey now, Im 22 and I think Im pretty good with knots. Dont make me whip out my old Boy Scout book!

[drgnhrt1979]

taking my son camping in a few weeks, i think i am more excited than he is, though i know he is excited to spend some one on one time with dad. I am excited cuz I am getting him his first pocket knife, gonna let him start a fire, and all kinds of fun dangerous things... may even let him drive the jeep though the woods... hehehehe i cant wait

[UK4X4]

mmmlets see, pipebombs nah we did'nt do them in the UK

but bolt bombs yes ! the heads of swan vesta matches 1 nut and two bolts
load the match heads in the nut, gently squeese the bolts tight- throw and enjoy !

Cap guns....still have the square scar in the web of my hand from the hammer on the pistol

Sheath knife with 5" blade I think when I was 6- still have it at home !

waking concused in the middle of a bramble bush after falling out of a tree

dripping burning plastic on my fingers

chasing ants with magnifying glasses and lighting fires with it,

I only caused one heath fire:Wow1:

buying a slingshot from a porn brokers

decided to upgrade said slingshot to an air rifle against my parents strict orders, dismantled the kick board beneath my bedroom cupboard , and used to store the stock and barrel seperately and smuggle out of the house under long coat...got a good spanking for that one when i was caught behind the house re-assembling it before going onto the heath with the dog "hunting"

Cub scouts, canoeing, sailing classes from school.

Bit of a loner as a child, I think I spent more time with my dog than other kids.

My daughters only 2, and already loves to "help" dad

she burnt her hand a few weeks back after I ground some steel with her watching turned arround to put grinder down and she touched the nice shiney metal !...dad was in trouble for that one !

There has to be a healthy balance between the risk and reward, I hope my daughter gets to do all the things I did, but in a controlled manner, so that she can grow into a well rounded person.

Rather than you can't do X all the time

Pretty sure next month when dads chopping down trees at our new plot she'll be helping with a saw or knife.

[Antichrist]

I did a lot of stuff when I was a kid, still do actually LOL, that today's society seems to frown on, and the government makes laws against, but I'm still impressed when I think about some of the things my dad did when he was a kid.
Not long before he died we were looking through some old photos from when he was a kid, and here are a few of the things he told me about:
- At 5 he had to take the tractor about a mile from the house to work a particular field. He told me he was always terrified he'd stall it crossing a particularly bad ditch, because the hand crank was right at head level.
- When he was in grade school his teacher took him home one day during lunch break to start her washing machine for her. The hand crank flipped back and hit him in the forehead, leaving a dent. She put a piece of tape on it and they went back to school.
- During a blizzard as a kid he got lost in a whiteout heading to the house from the barn. Completely disoriented with no idea which way the house or barn was he fortunately walked in the direction that took him to a fence that ran from the barn to the house. Otherwise the subzero temps would have worked quickly on him.
- One pretty funny story was how when he was 8 during harvest season their 30 year old farm hand kept screwing up running the combine, so my grandfather told him to get down and had my dad run it. My dad commented, "You know, I never really though about it before, but I guess that must have made him feel sort of small."

I suppose it's not surprising that when he won a full agricultural scholarship he chose to join the Navy instead, to get as far away from the farm as possible.

When I think about stuff like that, I realize I've lived a very sheltered life in comparison.

[Street Wolf]

All this thread reminds me of, time and time again is....

http://www.motifake.com/image/demotivational-poster/small/0809/suicide-bomber-suicide-bomber-demotivational-poster-1221780560.jpg

[wanderer-rrorc]

All this thread reminds me of, time and time again is....

http://www.motifake.com/image/demotivational-poster/small/0809/suicide-bomber-suicide-bomber-demotivational-poster-1221780560.jpg

(please dont hate me)

but this picture does prove that kids blow up so fast...:coffeedrink:

[Street Wolf]

(please dont hate me)

but this picture does prove that kids blow up so fast...:coffeedrink:


.................. Bwahahaahaha!!
:xxrotflma

[nwoods]

A funny (?) cartoon I saw today:

http://zs1.smbc-comics.com/comics/20100724.gif

[Nullifier]

If you have to get out the book your not good with knots lmao!