Babies and Riding Lawn Mowers

jennylynne_01

I don't know if this gets brought up a lot, I haven't bumped in forever.  So, I'd like to get everyone's opinion on this.  The reason I ask is because a FB friend posted something about her neighbor riding his young toddler on his lap while riding the lawn mower (while the blades were going as well) and there were some people who said they did that all the time and then others who thought it was completely irresponsible and dangerous.  What side of the fence are you on?  I side with dangerous and risky. 

Jennicap

My MIL was watching LO and sFIL brought him on the tractor, of course he loved it and he's done it a few times now. personally I wouldn't allow it but it happened when I wasn't there so I just ignored it. She's watching him for two more days, my only comment was he better not get hurt.

LizzieTim

My dad has taken LO on his tractor a couple of times WITHOUT BLADES ON... and I am OK with it. He holds him tight, goes slow and LO loves it... Also, me and my mom stand by and watch.

I think it'd be stupid to do it with blades on, but otherwise I am ok with it.

 

ArcticFox

I think it is definitely an unnecessary risk.  IMO, I wouldn't expose a child to that situation.

dragon_chica

I don't have any personal experience with lawn mowers and tractors so for me that would seem dangerous.  Anyone can feel like they have a tight grip on the kid but they're so unpredictable.  Something could piss/scare/upset LO and just a random flailing and arching of the body will surprise anybody into accidentally loosening their grip.

MeghanF13

Just the other day there was a report in our local newspaper about a grandfather babysitting his 3 year old grandson. The 3 year old was playing outside, and the grandfather was on his tractor mower.....he took his eyes off the little biy for a second, and then backed up the mower.....right over the child. He had to wag down a passing car to lift it off him (no blade going at the time, because he was reversing). The little boy had to have emergency surgery and has serious but non-life-threatening injuries. IMHO when watching a child that is your full time job and should have your undivided attention. Who on earth thinks it is a good idea to cut the grass while caring for a child?

Abinormal

When we were visiting my uncle a month ago, DD went on many rides on my uncle's UTV, which is a supped up golf cart. She rode either in between two adults or on the lap of an adult. I was never really concerned for her safety. We never went over 10 mph and all the people who drove the UTV were very cautious when driving with DD.

HuneyofJeremy

My husband works in a hospital. It is not pretty when accidents happen with a kid riding on a lawn mower. Completely unsafe. When we lived in our old neighborhood, two neighbors did that, and I would seriously roll my eyes and pray the kids would not get hurt.

NewFamily09

Oh my gosh that is so unbelievably dangerous!  I would never do that.  One mistake and your baby can lose a limb.  Actually, I remember on the news several years ago, this actually happened.  I think it was a grandfather taking his grandson, maybe 2 years old, on his mower and the kid fell off.  He lost his arm from the elbow down.  It was horrible.  Why would you even risk that?

 

SailorGray

I think it's very dangerous.

lynsef

My best friends niece got dragged behind a riding lawn mower when she was a toddler.  She suffered a major head injury requiring surgery to replace part of her skull.  So I wouldn't even consider it.

klaceyblair

with the blades off i dont think its a big deal. blades on-no way. LO loves riding the lawn mower and is very still when he does. He has only been on twice. 

also, im sure i will get flamed, but LO also rode a four wheeler when he was six months old. DH was driving, i was in back holding LO in front of DH. we were going like 2 mph and LO ended up falling asleep. 

mojito14

Dh has ridden both boys on the tractor (w/o the blades on). I see no problem with it.

See siggy...lol. I guess I've gotten an "eye roll".

jenkm

mojito14:

Dh has ridden both boys on the tractor (w/o the blades on). I see no problem with it.

See siggy...lol. I guess I've gotten an "eye roll".

I'm a very laid back parent, and hate over-protective types.  I was mowing the lawn on a riding mower at age 10.  So I'm a rural girl to boot.

Another true story here.  My dad used to commute with a guy who was riding a mower with his 2-year old son on his lap.  He hit a ditch or rock or something - totally unexpected in a well cared for lawn.  His son went over the side and the mower went over one leg.

He was medivac'd to a hospital and had more than 20 surgeries to correct the damage.  The father (who my dad was friends with) sued the *** out of the mower company, and gave my dad the mower since he couldn't look at it anymore.  Win for my dad (expensive mower) but no lawsuit could fix the damage done.

Heavy machines should be reserved for adults.  Children need not be exposed to them, especially with blades going.  99% of the time it'll be ok, but the 1% of the time something bad happens, it's catastrophic.

 

dawneo

It is funny that you brought this up tonight because DH decided to try and take DD on her first tractor ride tonight.  She loves to try to climb on it when it is parked in the garage, but wanted nothing to do with it when it was turned on.  She had the death grip on me when we were close to it.  We were talking to our neighbours later and their 2 year old just went on theirs for the first time tonight because that is the first time he showed an interest (he generally does not like loud noises).  Our neighbour always takes his 4 year old on it when he is cutting the lawn - I am not sure if he had the baldes on when he took the two year old on.

What I have an issue with was the person that I saw that had a little ride on tractor thing being pulled behind their riding lawn mower with a child on it (6 or 7) and then behind that was a lawn roller! 

dawneo

jenkm:

mojito14:

Dh has ridden both boys on the tractor (w/o the blades on). I see no problem with it.

See siggy...lol. I guess I've gotten an "eye roll".

I'm a very laid back parent, and hate over-protective types.  I was mowing the lawn on a riding mower at age 10.  So I'm a rural girl to boot.

Another true story here.  My dad used to commute with a guy who was riding a mower with his 2-year old son on his lap.  He hit a ditch or rock or something - totally unexpected in a well cared for lawn.  His son went over the side and the mower went over one leg.

He was medivac'd to a hospital and had more than 20 surgeries to correct the damage.  The father (who my dad was friends with) sued the *** out of the mower company, and gave my dad the mower since he couldn't look at it anymore.  Win for my dad (expensive mower) but no lawsuit could fix the damage done.

Heavy machines should be reserved for adults.  Children need not be exposed to them, especially with blades going.  99% of the time it'll be ok, but the 1% of the time something bad happens, it's catastrophic.

 

I cannot stand it when people do something stupid and blame the company that makes the product.  JMO

Kingston54

Absolutely siding on the "dangerous and risky" side.  My LO loves to watch my DH cut the lawn.  I keep him significantly away from the mower, string trimmer, etc. - Let him LOOK from afar. He won't be anywhere near that stuff until he can understand the safety regarding it.

Hip2Bsquare

Yeah I don't think it's safe even without the blades turned on...the baby can still fall and get hurt and run over.

I think a tractor may be different if it's one of those enclosed cab types and or with a seat belt. (Do they make such a thing? I am not sure).

sucrets4

Yeah, my dad lost a toe (and not the pinky toe) as an adult on a riding lawn mower.  I still don't know exactly how it happened.

DD won't be going near one for as long as possible.  Hell, I don't like going near them.

diana.filipi

It's not my favorite thing but my dad takes DD on the tractor sometimes.  I didn't mind at all on the full cab tractor but he will take her on the regular kind sometimes too.  When she was really little she rode for a couple min on the riding lawn mower. 

I certainly don't advocate that it's a perfectly safe thing to be doing.  I'm sure my dad will take her on the tractor many many more times in the future.

numeria11

I would be ok with DD being on one without the blades going and assuming we are going slow.  Definitly not ok with her being anywhere near it once the blades are on.

I too grew up on a farm and my family are all still farmers so when we go down to visit this summer I am sure she will end up riding with my uncles in the tractor cab at some point.  Yeah something horrible could happen but really they arent taking her on uneven ground where tractors are more prone to tipping and they have been driving for 40+ years so I feel comfortable with their level of expertise to keep her safe.  The reality is we all want to protect our kids but wrapping them up in bubble wrap and sitting them in a corner in the house to keep them safe isnt really an option.  I dont want to deny her every neat childhood experience because I am so worried about the what ifs.

PiRSquared330

Stupid. It's horrible for their hearing and it's dangerous.

danto

Don't things get kicked up from a mower?  My dad wears eye protection when he mows (and ear plugs because it's very loud).  I thought because of the risk of rocks getting kicked up.

*LrCg*

Being that both DH and I were on farms from such a young age and we have a small farm at our house now, its important for us that the little ones are around that at a young age.  So yes, my kids are on lawn tractors and farm tractors, etc (remember a combine and most large farm tractors have enclosures).  I have pics of my then 8 month old on them- they love it!  Now we do take into consideration the temperament of the child.  My oldest was calm and very interested in tractors and just sits on them- so he went on them much earlier.  My youngest is very wild so she did not start going on them until she was just over 1 and she's not on it very long.  Now our concern is hearing so they do wear protective ear muffs when they are on them.  So for me, I don't see the risk.  They also know they aren't allowed on them without an adult and yes they do listen to that rule.  

mechanicsgirl

Yeah...I've seen too many Rescue 911 episodes to ever even consider mowing the lawn while my children are outside.

ToledoDeux

diana.filipi:

It's not my favorite thing but my dad takes DD on the tractor sometimes.  I didn't mind at all on the full cab tractor but he will take her on the regular kind sometimes too.  When she was really little she rode for a couple min on the riding lawn mower. 

I certainly don't advocate that it's a perfectly safe thing to be doing.  I'm sure my dad will take her on the tractor many many more times in the future.

WTF?  She's your kid.  If you don't like it, don't allow it.  Protect your kid, ffs.

GooseyLoosey

Stupid and dangerous. Unless of course she's in a carseat. (SARCASM)

MegGary

Not a good idea. Blades or not. 

We went to my friends house & they use a tractor to mow the lawn. He left the thing right next to the swing set. Yeah you've got 2 acres of land, lets find a better place to park that think. This is the same guy who freaks out if you let his 10 month old chew on her own sock because it might get lodged in her throat. Right but that big ole tractor is just fine sitting right by where the kids play.  

beachgirl10

We do not allow a ride on the tractor(ours is not enclosed). However we have 2 other machines that are enclosed that he is allowed to ride in with my DH or FIL or whomever. We also have a UTV that is kind of like a truck style golfcart and he rides either sitting on someone's lap, or, if it is just him and someone else, he rides in one of the seats with the seatbelt around him.

Other than that, no he is not allowed on anything else until he can understand the dangers that come with it and how to properly sit so as not to cause injury.

Corrine10

LizzieTim:

My dad has taken LO on his tractor a couple of times WITHOUT BLADES ON... and I am OK with it. He holds him tight, goes slow and LO loves it... Also, me and my mom stand by and watch.

I think it'd be stupid to do it with blades on, but otherwise I am ok with it.

 

 

I totally agree with this. And DD loves the "tractor"