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Four reasons to teach your kid to use power tools

December 17, 2014 by GreatDad Writers Leave a Comment

My 9-year-old son pushed the growling lawnmower across our modest lawn, grunting as he struggled to make the sharp turn at the edge of the yard. A pair of passing pedestrians raised their eyebrows as I quickly bent to grab the electric cord out of his path before he sliced the wire.

Had I been wrong to agree when he asked to try running this dangerous machine? What sort of a dad puts a young boy in charge of whirling blades? As he started mowing another strip of lawn, I ran through a mental list of pluses and minuses for teaching kids to use power tools.

On the downside:

  • There was the nightmare potential for danger and injury. Those whirling blades would quickly slice off a toe or finger if he was clumsy in handling the mower.
  • Also, those blades could throw a rock through the air if he mowed over a gravel patch.
  • And finally, he was doing a terrible job – my front yard now looked more like a gnarly obstacle course than a manicured baseball diamond.

But there are plenty of benefits, too:

  • Anytime a child volunteers to help with household chores, a father smiles with pride.
  • He’d probably have to learn to use a mower sometime – why not today?
  • Learn how to use one power tool with care and respect, and you can transfer the skill to other tools, like a power drill or a circular saw.

My son reached the other edge of the lawn and threw his weight against the handle to turn the machine around for another trimming pass over our shaggy grass. Several daisies in my wife’s flower bed disappeared in a puff of white and yellow.

Just then another neighbor walked past our house, raising his hand in greeting as he walked his dog. “Send him over to my place next year and he’ll have a summer job!” he called out.

A job offer at the age of 9! I added that as Number Four on my list of benefits and bent over again to flip the trailing electric cord out of the way, just in time.

Filed Under: Fatherhood, parenting advice

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Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks
Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

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Today we delve into the complexities of fatherhood with David Marcus, Ph.D., an expert with over forty years of experience working with families and children. In this enlightening conversation, we explore the essential components of communicating with your child, focusing on the development of a common emotional language. Learn about the four assumptions of emotionality that parents often make and discover strategies to foster a safe and open environment for meaningful conversations at any age.

Check out Dr. Marcus’ website at parentrx.org

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

– GreatDad.com/coaching 

– GreatDad.com/pq 

– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC  

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