When should I allow my son to start mowing the lawn. He is 11, almost 12?
Question:My boy is itching to mow the lawn and I am sick of mowing the lawn so it's a perfect fit. But is it SAFE?
Answers:
I would say about two years ago!
yea dude i started doing it at a younger age
11 still might be a touch young for a dangerous power tool/ However they still make the old style maunal onces without a motor. get him one of them its great exercise.
I would let him start out small. Let him mow maybe 1/2 of the yard and then work his way up.
Lawn mowers are dangerous, start out small and let him get comfortable with it before you let him do the entire yard.
I think 12 is a good age.
I would say you should teach him how to do it now :) But, make the lawn mower run at a low speed and keep him away from hills also! Make sure he knows how dangerous the blade is how it is controlled and how the brake works.
Go out and teach the kiddo...He will hate it to soon.
well seeing as hes 11 almost 12 i think he would be fine doing it.. start with a push mower first.. my dad started me on the riding one.. when i was 11 it wasnt a good idea. haha. but yeah i'd go for it. and then just give him pointers and such.. he should be fine :)
Im my opinion if he is wanted to do it, show him to run the mower and let him do it. Just make sure he understands how dangerous it can be if he is not careful. Do not allow him to do it on his own, make sure someone is there with him and watch him closely until you are comfortable with him doing it alone. Just make sure you stress how dangerous it can be if he is not careful.
My dad had me doing it when I was 8 or 9. If your son is responsible let him earn his keep. He will feel proud that he is helping you.
YOU have to teach him the dangers of using the lawn mower, watch him a few times and when you and he are comfortable, let him have at it, in no time you won't be able to get him within 100' of the lawn mower :-)
Still a little young to operate dangerous equipment but it is a good time to have him out there prepping for you, picking up debris, clearing the area, fetching the fuel and teaching him how to fill the tank and check the oil, and showing him how to start it (choke etc..). I always told my son the watching is helping.
Safety is the utmost important lesson, one mistake could be tragic.
I would think he's old enough if you think he's responsible enough. Just teach him the dangers of not horseplaying with the mower and what could possibly happen if he's not careful. He will learn from this because it will be his job. Although, if he's like most kids, once he's done it for a while, he'll find out it's not that much fun, then you'll be back to cutting it. Heck, let him earn his own money for doing it. You know him best, do you think he can handle it? Good luck!
12 is the right age. And once he mows it, that thrill will quickly wear off..and as for the itching..he'll certainly be scratching!
my daughter turned 12 today and she was mowing the lawn with me. Im sure you would have to hang out and watch him a bit but let him do it and make it something you do together and he wont mind doing it either in fact is less work for you and more fun for him.
You know your son better than we do. Some boys are capable at 9 and others are not ready at 15. It depends if the boy is safety conscious and you warn him of all of the dangers of operating the mower. You should watch him the first couple times when you turn him loose with the mower. Hope he does well.
I think it's OK -- I started at 10.
Be sure to go over the safety stuff (but lawnmowers have gotten so safe these days!), and don't let him mow for a long time at first -- maybe 15 minutes or 20 minutes at a time. Don't get mad if he leaves trails and stuff, but calmly have him go over those spots again. Don't make him do the trim stuff, either (like next to flower beds or trees) until he's got the plain mowing down pat.
He will feel very proud and accomplished -- and happy for some pocket money, if you decide to do that. And it's a skill he'll use all of his life (unless he turns into a millionaire or lives in a concrete jungle).
WATCH him at first to make sure he follows the safety rules, and make sure he doesn't overheat. If you leave him "itching" to do more, then you'll have a willing and happy helper.
if he's a smart kid an physically able to do it, man , you are one lucky guy. but it's you're call after alls said an done.
Hi, to me it is not the number 11 or 12 that would be the deciding factor on if he is ready to mow the lawn. Is he going to be walking or ridding ?? I would walk over the lawn with him and explain the dangers of ( YOUR ) yard. Are there steep grades or stumps or plants that are in the way ? Waring the proper shoes and eye and ear protection. Never pulling the mower backwards etc. The big question is, do you feel that he is aware of the dangers. I would do it with him the first couple of times. Be careful and good luck..
Teach him the safe way to mow. Have him demonstrate his abilities. Watch him closely at first and when your comfortable check on him periodically. Depending on his background he should be old enough if he is strong enough to do it safely. My son as an example was riding dirt bikes from about 5 years on so he understood about things with motors. On the other hand I could never get him to mow the lawn.
He should have already been cutting the lawn at 10. That's when I started, and I'm a girl. I've never had a problem mowing the lawn. I'm still doing it and I'm a Grandma now.
My brother started mowing on my grandpa's lap when he was four. I started mowing when I was 7. For most kids the ages my brother and I learned at are too young.
I think the age is dependent on the kid and how responsible the kid is. Monitor them the first several times they mow and instruct them on all the safety aspects such as unplugging the spark plug on a push mower before removing anything caught up under the mower so the mower doesn't accidentally start. Show them to avoid rocks and sticks and to walk over the yard and pick up any debris first before mowing.
I grew up on a farm which is a very dangerous place to grow up. There are all kinds of things you have to watch out for on a farm. Making sure the tractor doesn't roll back on top of you. Not getting too close to PTO shafts and getting wrapped up around them. Not getting pulled into grinding equipment. Stacking hay properly so it doesn't fall on you. Avoiding going into grain bins and suffocating to death. Knowing how to handle a rampaging bull when you have to go out into the pasture when it is charging at you so it doesn't mall you and kill you (stick close to the fence lines so you have something to hop over away from them and if you arent' near a fence don't run away but rush them instead, bulls are faster and will run you down if you run...if you charge at them most the time they will scare off).
Just instruct them well on what the hazards are make sure you reinforce your instructions. One time of them being lazy could mean a missing hand. Monitor them until you see they are being responsible and heeding your instructions then you can allow them to do it with less supervision or hawking over them.
yes he is old enough to mow. just go over the safety aspects.... wear shoes, don't touch the blade, don't stick your hands near it etc. and who knows, maybe he can mow in the neighborhood and make a few bucks, too.
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