At what age do you let your kids mow the lawn? (children, 14 year old)

[steveklein]

I was 13 or 14, but that's because I was a lazy kid that wanted to play videogames. My dad wanted me to do it a year or two earlier.

[ncole1]

Originally Posted by seasick

I URGE YOU TO NOT LET THEM MOW until 16 at the earliest. ER doctors agree.

I call BS. Which ER doctors say this, and where does 16 come from? Even my overprotective Mom thought nothing of me starting at 13. I also see nothing at all in the CDC injury data to suggest a high risk, given that most teens are doing it long before then.

[hunterseat]

I read somewhere that they don't really develop that kind of mechanical reaction time that would be needed to keep them safe until they're 12. That's when I started MAKING them.

[43north87west]

I think I started around maybe 10 with a push mower and maybe 12 with the garden tractor. Lucky me; we had one of those houses that was surrounded by 2 acres of lawn. On a hill.

But that was a couple decade ago. Today it's probably more like:

-Minimum age 17 with parental supervision; otherwise 21
-Seek approval from physician prior to operating "heavy equipment" such as a 4HP lawn mower
-Have vision tested prior to first lawn cutting
-Equip with helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, UV-blocking eye protection, steel toed boots, HEPA respirator, SPF30 sunscreen, 2L water bottle, epi-pen
-Breaks every 15 minutes
-Award trophy for effort, regardless of whether it's completed
-Make appointment with therapist to work through issues resulting from having an abusive parent who made kid mow lawn

I'm joking... sort of.

[Mattie]

Originally Posted by 43north87west

I think I started around maybe 10 with a push mower and maybe 12 with the garden tractor. Lucky me; we had one of those houses that was surrounded by 2 acres of lawn. On a hill.

But that was a couple decade ago. Today it's probably more like:

-Minimum age 17 with parental supervision; otherwise 21
-Seek approval from physician prior to operating "heavy equipment" such as a 4HP lawn mower
-Have vision tested prior to first lawn cutting
-Equip with helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, UV-blocking eye protection, steel toed boots, HEPA respirator, SPF30 sunscreen, 2L water bottle, epi-pen
-Breaks every 15 minutes
-Award trophy for effort, regardless of whether it's completed
-Make appointment with therapist to work through issues resulting from having an abusive parent who made kid mow lawn

I'm joking... sort of.

Tongue in cheek or not, that's funny!

[Mr. In-Between]

When I was growing up, the rule of thumb was as soon as they stopped pestering you to let them. I guess that was about 11 for me. I somehow managed to survive the experience, probably because my father never let me use a machine until he'd taught me to handle it with the same thoroughness with which he taught me to handle firearms. I didn't touch it until I knew everything that might go wrong, and how to not let that happen.

[NJBoy3]

Cutting lawns is very dangerous. I have known several people who have been hurt. One that lost fingers.

[jojow]

Well, I used to help my dad clean churches and I mowed the grass with the riding lawnmower - around age 8. I don't recommend it.

My girls will be 8 in a week - I wouldn't even DREAM of it!

[breeinmo.]

Nether son showed up to mow, and the hired company does a half a***ed job. A 9 year old boy knocked and asked if he could mow for $20. His age scared me to death, but his mom said she'd be with him. My yard has never looked better!

I'm in the county and I think the kids are different than "city" kids. This 9 year old is saving for a truck. My 16 year old grand daughter just now got a job to save for a car. I wouldn't dare let my 11 year old grand mow. So my answer is it depends on the maturity of the kid.

[GraceKrispy]

I started mowing at around age 8. That was more than 30 years ago (gas powered push mower). My kids are young teens and a tween, and we haven't had a yard to mow for many, many years. I would probably wait until they were around 15-17 if we did.