Please help me with my daughter.

[dialex]

I don't think it has anything to do with carrying a knife. I think she may be trying to verbalize some deeper inner feelings about something else. Asking Dad if he is trying to kill her and then being afraid of Dad? Come on. That's has little to do with knives.

My thoughts exactly. I mean, my first question would be "Why would you ever think, even for one second, that I'd want to kill you?"

[hank_rearden]

Hank, do you live in Malabon by any chance?

in quiet quezon city. it's a rather soft existence for a child (i'm not complaining though.) but yes, the house is somewhat anti-knife. people keep saying "'yan ang magiging mitsa ng buhay mo," translates loosely to "(knives) will spell your end." maybe they've seen a knife collection turn on its owner.

[singularity35]

Singularity, great picture and your area looks beautiful!

That was taken at my son's place bro. Gianne calls it Gianne's House.

Thanks for sharing the grandfather pics it's just sweet.

My pleasure, knife bro.

[jayinhk]

in quiet quezon city. it's a rather soft existence for a child (i'm not complaining though.) but yes, the house is somewhat anti-knife. people keep saying "'yan ang magiging mitsa ng buhay mo," translates loosely to "(knives) will spell your end." maybe they've seen a knife collection turn on its owner.

Ah ok, I was guessing you were in Malabon since you mentioned San Bartolome (their patron saint).

A lot of people feel that way all over nowadays; Asia is no exception. The world is getting progressively softer. My parents definitely don't like or understand my blade business. People don't realize that knives, like guns, are just tools. They don't get up and do anything without someone wanting to take it to the next level, and a good chef's knife is a much better choice than any pocket-sized folder.

[popedandy]

I've taught my kids that knives are tools. I teach them safe knife usage. I teach them that a knife is not a toy and you don't even joke about cutting someone with it. Knowing that knives are tools first gives them a different perspective from many of their friends who see a knife and think "weapon." It has also helped them educate their friends to better understand knives and their non-weapon uses.

[hank_rearden]

thanks gents! you give me hope.

[Ares1307]

I think Glennbad and Miltmaldo have the right idea about trying to get her involved and using her own little "cute" knife. I have two daughters one is almost five and the other just turned one. My older daughter knows Daddy always has at least one knife at all times. When I first talked to her about it I started with the "its sharp, dont touch it, its here to help Daddy protect you just like my guns" but since I had talked to her already about guns this was a bit easier, I also told her it was tool first and only a weapon if someone ever tried to hurt us. She was still scared of monsters so she would come and get me late at night telling me to shoot the monster in the closet.. so that was interesting. Shes gotten over that stage though thank God. But since then she always sees me with my knives and sees me on the computer looking at knives and when she does she points and says "I want that knife for you Daddy". Shes been really good about my guns and knives, she never tries to handle them herself, but she does like to look at them watch me sharpen them.

[bad_juju]

I've taught my kids that knives are tools. I teach them safe knife usage. I teach them that a knife is not a toy and you don't even joke about cutting someone with it. Knowing that knives are tools first gives them a different perspective from many of their friends who see a knife and think "weapon." It has also helped them educate their friends to better understand knives and their non-weapon uses.

This is pretty much the way I have shown my kids. They know dad always has one, they even have their own. I can't even fathom one of my kids saying anything remotely close to that to me. They already know better than to assume it is a weapon. Same with a gun. I tell them "No gun no Meat". Just starting to explain the self defense rules as secondary to the oldest 2. I hope for your sake, and hers that you can talk some sense into her Especially at the young of an age. I know it would be hard to explain to my 4 yr old in those curcumstances. Good Luck! I hope she comes around.

By the way My 9yr old daughter and 8yr old son have their own.

[Moosez45]

Brother, this bothers me. When my daughter was 9, she already owned a couple of blades.

My kids have been around knives, and guns all their lives, and even though the world bombards them with "dangerous" images of knives playing roles as weapons, they are used as tools a significant amount more.

I have found that pulling back the shroud of mystery regarding anything, takes the curiosity out children. When my daughters wanted to start "looking" at my knives, they sat in my lap, while I guided their hand. Showed them all the ins and outs that they wanted to know about. Then, some they didn't. Then, it got boring to them. Same thing with guns, if my daughters wanted to check out my guns, I just checked them out, cleared them, and handed them over. Let them do all the switch flipping, slide pulling, trigger pulling the wanted, all the while, teaching them how to profile their finger, how to be safe.

Knowledge and your interaction with your daughter is whats needed to remedy this problem, my friend. For my family, its now a dad/daughter "thing" we do. My kids come ask me if they can use their knives to open this, or cut that, and most of the time, I ask them before they go out to play, "Gotta knife?", and the response is usually, "Yeaaaah, dad, you ask us, like, everytime......"

Its our jobs as parents to teach these things to our kids, and use our love and standing in the family, to overrule the media hype and BS. That's how the knife culture will survive.

Go slow, take your time, teach your kid. Its your job, not someone else's.









Moose

[dartheo]

As others have already said, I think the best thing to do is to let her see that the knife is a tool used for everyday tasks.
At the same time, you want to instill the respect for knives so that she doesnt get herself hurt.

My daughter is 3 1/2 and she already knows to ask me to cut/open things for her because she knows I always have one.
Whenever we are in the kitchen, she always helps me cut things (with a butter knife at this point lol).

[frontline29]

Yep, sadly everyone with a knife is a terrorist. The brainwashing continues.

Stand your gound. A knife is a tool...

[fast14riot]

This type of reaction is somewhat unnerving in the least! There is something deeprooted that is causing this reaction, whether from school "stranger danger" training, or what to do if you ever find knife/gun training. Subjects like these are very delicate and can be swayed one way or another just by tone and inflection to meet a (subliminal or not) personal agenda. I would talk with her teacher(s) about it and say that yes these are good things to be teaching but should be done so properly.

To circumvent this type of behavior I would go to negative reinforcement. That does NOT mean punishment, it means to take something away to get the result you want. That is her fear and lack of knowledge about such tools. Take her to a market, play a game with her to spot how many knives she sees being used, go to sushi and have her watch the chefs, watch cooking shows on TV, stop by a woodworkers shop, basically make her aware of how many knives she's around everyday and no one has ever done anything to hurt anyone with those knives. My guess is she is oblivious to just how prevelant knives are in everyday life. I would leave out any protection and self defense talk until she is more comfortable and understanding of them.

Best of luck!


-Xander

[hank_rearden]

This is the most badass picture I've seen in quite a while. I like the shooting stance of the older one. Very natural,very relaxed.

[Moosez45]

This is the most badass picture I've seen in quite a while. I like the shooting stance of the older one. Very natural,very relaxed.

Thank you Hank. Yeah, not sure if you can tell, but she's spent sometime behind the stock.

I'm a shooter, and an outdoorsman, and I am trying to generate an interest with my kids. We'll see if it takes.

I do find that spending time with my kids, taking the "curiosity" out of dangers, such as guns, knives, bugs and animals, is a great way to generate some love, and understanding.

With knives and guns, there is some danger inherent to each, and by hiding those dangers, we make our kids susceptible to them. Here's an example, my oldest became infatuated with one of my revolvers, a Colt Detective Special, made in 1976. So, I cleared it out, and just handed it over. She cocked the hammer, dry fired it a few times ( ouch), and wanted to know how the cylinder came out. So, I showed her. She spent a grand total of 15 minutes fiddling with, then, handed it back.

She now knows how to safe check an auto, or revolver, and she still profile's that finger everytime she handles a firearm. Even the play ones.

Take the mystery out of your blades, and your daughter won't see it anything but an orange peeler.

Some more pics,

My oldest with my air rifle, taking cans at 87'.



My youngest toting my Hogue EX01 4" drop, as her "day blade"



My youngest Sierra, showing off her 20mm targets



And here she is, taking those 20mm targets at 57yrds. She didn't miss one, the whole day. That's the day we moved her up to 22lrs.



I know you love your child, take the time to make sure ya'll get past this one in the positive, brother.

Moose

[Jack Black]

Be sure and post an update Hank!

[jnich67]

She sounds kinda like my wife...

Jordan

[hank_rearden]

Be sure and post an update Hank!

AGHH! she watched her mother cut herself while slicing vegies. that's why she was terrified when i took her hand to touch the clipit on my military. she thinks a closed knife will snap your finger clean. i told her i'm in the process of teaching her mother about sharp knives (bought the wife a ladybug as a birthday gift, among others.) and i said it's high time i taught her how to use and care for knives. she got excited. it turns out her upcoming school activity calls for some knifework and she's worried about it.