Kids & knives...a good thing to teach responsible use...or better to hide the hobby?

[Scrim]

One of my little Scrims learning about knives, one of daddy's many crazy hobbies. Smart parenting or a bad idea. Your opinions?

[video=youtube_share;cXXu3i3KFpA]http://youtu.be/cXXu3i3KFpA[/video]
PS. She really gravitated (organically) to the zt0900.

 

[Gizler00]

Smart!
My 4 year old twins each have one of these.

http://www.kleckerknives.com/trigger-knife-kit-red/

I've been trying to teach them about the responsibility of having a knife.

 

[LadyEarth]

I had my own knife at the age of 4 or 5 (still have it). I even cut myself on my thumb with the same knife by cutting towards me also at the same age. I learned quickly how to respect the knives for years to come starting at that age.

So when I have my own kids, they're getting their own knife and learning to respect it at early age is the key.

 

[gadgetgeek]

I feel like its always better to have things out in the open, than to have the attraction due to it being taboo. At least if you teach, they will be smart, instead of playing with the collection behind your back, and finding out how to not get cut the hard way.

 

[comis]

I think sharing hobby with them while teaching about knife safety would be a great idea. But it probably will be wise to keep all the knives with you and ask your permission to use, until they can show good responsibility and respect.

 

[Danke42]

Smart.

To quote a wise man.

"What is your fascination with daddy's forbidden closet of mystery"

 

[slims_88]

Smart. I was raised with knives and guns.

Raising children to be responsible and safe with tools is responsible ownership of those tools if you have kids around.

 

[Rhinoknives1]

She knows where they are and can get into them anyways!

Make it a shared hobby for the both of you. She will gain knowledge & responsibly in many ways from this.

SMART.

 

[sabre cat]

I think sharing hobby with them while teaching about knife safety would be a great idea. But it probably will be wise to keep all the knives with you and ask your permission to use, until they can show good responsibility and respect.

+1 This.

 

[Urban redneck]

My family having a wholesale seafood business had me around knives at a very young age. I can remember handing my grandfather fillet and boning knives at about 5 yrs old as he sharpened them on a steel. I learned REAL quick how to respect and handle a knife so I wouldn't get cut! I say Bravo to u! Too many kids to day are irresponsible because they are overly sheltered in my opinion!

 

[bodog]

Smart. There's nothing better for a child than to be shown how to responsibly do something and then give them some free reign to mess up and learn on their own. I feel by the time they're 10 they should be carrying their own slightly dull SAK or equivalent. By the time they're 11 they should be out shooting with their dad. By the time they're 13 they should have their own gun. Just my opinion. It only works if the dad steps up to the plate and teaches what needs to be taught along the way.

 

[Moondrop]

Not sure how you could hide the hobby. The kitchen is full of knives, isn't it?

Learning from Mom & Dad to respect and use knives responsibly can only be a good thing, I would think.

 

[palonej]

Absolutely SMART!!
My Grandfather had me shooting a .22 at 7....I shut up, listened and learned!
My 12 year old was in the mall with my wife last month and bought me a knife! It's a Batman thing. He was so friggin excited to give it to me! Never forget the look on his face when I opened it! We sharpened it together....he shut up, listened and learned! What a great day!
Our hobbies are SOOO much sweeter when shared with our kids!

 

[clearkevin]

Yep well done, My son is five and does handle and use my knives, he did get one cut but from a multitool when the blade opened on him when he was trying to open the tool (skeletool with the blade on the outside). Lesson learned never happened since. Will probably get him his own knife at Christmas or his Birthday.

 

[22-rimfire]

Involve the kids with your hobby. If nothing else, they will learn about sharp stuff. You really can't hide stuff from kids unless it's in a safe and locked up.

 

[Icky Thump]

Smart

Education= Safe handling and respect. Same as firearms..

Plus, sharing your hobbies w/ the kids (if appropriate) is just good stuff.

 

[craytab]

Completely depends on the mentality of the parent and the temperament of the kid. There is a hell of a lot of stupid people in this world and many of them have children. And guess what, their kids end up like them. These people shouldn't be around sharp objects.

For responsible parents who raise responsible kids, learning to use a knife should be par for the course. Basic knife skills in the kitchen are a must for healthy eating habits (you know, make food rather than just rethermalizing frozen crap or pour garbage out of a box). If the itch for the hobby takes, fair enough.

 

[HFinn]

I thought my son's to use a puukko safely as soon as they were of age. The boy scouts continued where I left.

 

[KBA]

I think sharing hobby with them while teaching about knife safety would be a great idea. But it probably will be wise to keep all the knives with you and ask your permission to use, until they can show good responsibility and respect.

Agreed.

I also do not think it is possible to hide the hobby.

I had my stockman on the bathroom counter and my 2 1/2 year old climbed up and grabbed it, brought it to me, and said, "Here go dada. Dadda knife. It cut me."

I think it depends on the maturity of the adult and the child. I say both because, how you treat and respect something that can cause harm will be what the child learns. If the child is not showing the maturity needed, I wouldn't.

Another thing is my daughter has a rare bleeding disorder called, Glanzmann's thrombasthenia. Her blood does not clot. One cut and we have to administer a factor to stop the bleeding. A deep cut we need to be at the ER, train a Doc on what to do and why, and then pray. In our case it will be a long while before she is carrying one but she will be educated on all things that can cause harm, not just knives.

Sorry for the book of a post. Enjoy the family time sharing the hobby.

 

[K.O.D.]

Got my first knife at age 7, a Wenger Nomad SAK (still have it somewhere, went AWOL in the move). It was given to me by my great uncle. That same year my uncle (different one) gave me a pellet gun for my birthday and taught me how to shoot it. At age 8, my grandfather taught me how to shoot a .22 revolver.

I think educating at a young age is very important. That way they learn respect and proper procedure for the tools.