Age for kids to drive small tractor

[Breadtrk]

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.

I get where you are coming from FH, but I didn't let any neighbors raise my daughters, and they won't let the lonely old hag next door raise theirs either. Actually my neighbors did help raise my girls, maybe the real problems are with the way modern neighbors were raised?

 

[FarmHand]

I get where you are coming from FH, but I didn't let any neighbors raise my daughters, and they won't let the lonely old hag next door raise theirs either. Actually my neighbors did help raise my girls, maybe the real problems are with the way modern neighbors were raised?

I just think everybody is a know it all nowadays so they think they know how to raise everybody's kids. Hasn't happened to me but I've heard plenty of stories. Then the teachers in the school are basically handcuffed so the kids try to push the limits and if the parents don't set them straight nobody will. Rural communities don't have this problem as big as suburbs which I think are the worst.

 

[Qapla]

I started when I was 8 - we had a Ford 9N ... no safety switches on anything back then.

If they can't reach the pedals or can't press them - they are too small ... not always too young.

With children, it all depends. I have seen 16 year olds I would not trust on a tractor ... by 12 - I could run a backhoe

 

[Wildlife]

I was about the same age as your son when I started on the H.
The teacher should must teach youngster well also have good gut feeling when the time comes young student goes solo.

 

[IH tractorman]

In my opinion 4 things factor in, 1 how responsible and knowledgeable to farm work is the child, 2 is the child tall and strong enough to work the controls,3 how safe is the tractor, 4 what job will they be doing? An M farmall with no fenders, stiff clutch and tricycle front end would be a no for me, my son is 6 and when I have a small tractor here to repair with a large platform or cab and easy clutch, when its fixed I let him drive it down the driveway or in the open field in front of my shop, he has fun and when hes done I can look for leaks. As far as more complex work, I think 9 at the youngest. Its a matter of him or her being to able to deal safely with the unknown things that happen out there. PS Ive seen adults that should not be on a tractor