One of the summer’s less pleasurable activities for homeowners is the endless lawn mowing. It only takes a rain shower and a few days of sunshine for the grass to look unkempt again.
A popular strategy to avoid mowing is to make one of your children do it. But is that a great idea?
How old should your son or daughter be before they’re old enough to be put in charge of a mower? After all, it’s a piece of powerful machinery with blades, so their safety has to be top of mind.
A recent online article that I read put this into perspective. It said more than 8,500 children suffer mowing-related injuries that need hospital attention. The Family Handyman article said mower accidents are the primary cause of limb loss for children under 10. Whoa!
As a parent, these critical recommendations from the Family Handyman article may give you pause.
Age limit
No child under the age of 12 should be let anywhere near a lawn mower or strimmer. That’s according to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines. No child under 16 should be put behind the wheel of a ride-on mower.
Not a game
Regardless of age, your child should not see mowing as a game. They need the maturity to take instruction and prioritize their safety and the safety of others.
Techniques
Your child should be taught and understand the desired pattern for mowing your lawn and know how to handle slopes.
Physical capacity
You need to be confident your child has the strength and height to handle your model. The handle should be stomach height for your child as a minimum.
Different mowers
Self-propelled models require significant strength, so be wary of allowing a child to use one. Engine-powered models are heavier than electric mowers, and this may play into your thinking.
Ride-ons
These are harder to handle than they look. As a rule, they’re not super-stable and can be dangerous on gentle slopes, tipping over or backwards. Use extreme caution before allowing your child to use one.