Age for kids to drive small tractor

[Charli1]

What are your thoughts on your kids driving small machinery to help out? My ten year old has been bugging me to drive the smaller farm tractor (Farmall H). I don't see a problem with it but my workers do. I would of course be right there and teach him.

 

[leon]

I don't think that there's an ideal age. The workers may have a legit concern, so don't ignore their input. Aren't you so encouraged that your ten-year-old is already developing an interest in farming?

 

[Charli1]

I am pretty excited that he is showing an interest but I think he is showing an interest of vehicles! I'll definitely listen to my workers though.

 

[Norm W]

It depends on the child. I started at 6 and had my first "Paying" job at 11. If they can't reach the clutch or press hard on the brake, they aren't big enough yet. Also what is the ground like? Flat, hilly, woodchuck holes etc. Too many variables for a hard answer.

 

[Muddybottom]

With all the laws and litigation today. I'm afraid to make a recommendation or even express an opinion. I often think about a story we read in our literature book around 1965. It told about a young tractor driver who was around ten years old. When I think about that story, I wonder whether his parents would get into trouble today for allowing him to operate the tractor. Does anyone else remember that story? It was one of the few in the literature book that gave me a warm feeling.

 

[FarmHand]

Yeah I'll just keep quiet in case some day they're showing my internet posts in a court room.

 

[John G]

What are your thoughts on your kids driving small machinery to help out? My ten year old has been bugging me to drive the smaller farm tractor (Farmall H). I don't see a problem with it but my workers do. I would of course be right there and teach him.

Depends on the kid, IMHO.
My son drove the Lawn Mower at about 10 (So Called Garden Tractor) but it was a hydro and I figured he couldnt get into too much trouble. Mower shuts down when his butt lifts off the seat. My son was always very cautious. As another posted, you are untimately responsible

 

[Ken Sweet]

I started driving our VAC case at around 10 yrs old. Ken Sweet

 

[Breadtrk]

I was doing wheat in a combine at 10 and driving the bottom dump to the co op at 14. It depends on how the kid is raised, back then we didn't have the no consequences video game attitude today's kids have.

 

[FarmHand]

I was doing wheat in a combine at 10 and driving the bottom dump to the co op at 14. It depends on how the kid is raised, back then we didn't have the no consequences video game attitude today's kids have.

Back then we didn't have nosey neighbors calling child services because they don't like the way you're teaching your child real world work ethic from a young age. I looked up to my dad and everybody around me who worked their a$$ off as something I wanted to be like, not as a source of endless food and cash to deplete because i was a lazy little turd. Sorry for the rant.