The boy used a steaknife as a screwdriver, hilarity ensues

[Singh]

Some background: My boy (11 years old) lives with his mother.  Since the boy lives with her, his mother's  parenting has the most influence on his character. Unfortunately, that means the boy is immature for his age.  I do what I can, but the custodial parent wins. *shrugs*

Anyway, the kid is at his mom's house and is trying to open a battery case. Unable to find a screwdriver (because his mom and her live-in boyfriend don't bother having tools), the boy comes up with a great idea: he decides to use a steak knife. Well, you can guess what happens. His hand slips and he gives himself a good cut across the palm with the serrated blade.

I used this experience of his to give him a lesson on knife safety. And one of the rules of knife/tool use is to use the right tool for the right job. A knife does not make a good screwdriver.

The good from all of this is that the boy learned a good lesson. He's stubborn, and also not a good listener. That makes him the type of kid who has to touch the hot pan to learn that it's hot. And he's the type who needs to cut himself to realize that knives are sharp.

And now that he knows that knives are sharp, I think now might be a good time to introduce him to swiss army knives. I have a Vic DofE that I was thinking about training him on (rounded blade, no awl, so no pointy things). He would be closely and heavily supervised. He would only have possession of the knife  when supervised by me. I have knowledge on the Scouts Whittlin' Chip qualifications and was going to use that as a guide for introducing him to pocket knives.

If it goes well and he demonstrates responsibility, then I was going to give im an Explorer for Christmas next year. But I'd like to see how he handles the DofE this year.

[Sparky415]

 


Sounds like a good plan to me 

[Gareth]

Sorry to hear about his accident.   If it's any consolation my daughter is just the same, you simply cannot convince her that something is a really bad idea until it has all gone wrong and tears are involved.

Anyway, the DofE knife sounds like a good idea.  I hope he appreciates it.

[Singh]

Like I said, he's the type who only believes the pan is hot when he touches it. So his accident has opened the door for me.

Now that the boy knows that a knife can cut him (and cuts are not fun) , he'll actively listen when I teach him about how to handle a pocket knife. 

[sotto]

One word.

Never cut towards yourself.

OK, four words.

Have fun with your son. 

[Singh]

One word.

Never cut towards yourself.

OK, four words.

Have fun with your son. 

+1

[Ashley]

I've always had to learn the hard way myself. Still bites me in the ass quite often. )

[Grant Lamontagne]

If you are using your ass, you are doing it wrong...

Def

[Ashley]

If you are using your ass, you are doing it wrong...

Def

No I just am hard headed and most of the time end up like this.........................




AND FEEL LIKE THIS

[MirrorEdge]

And you have to get him a good set of screwdrivers 

[nuphoria]

First aid kit for xmas then?

There's a dufus manboy here too... painful just to watch sometimes.

[Singh]

And you have to get him a good set of screwdrivers 

done! 

[5hif7y]

my dad taught me the responsibility of tool ownership and "the right tool for the right job" and now look at me.... in addicted to tools. 

[OddFuture]

Sounds like a good start. My dad would always teach me about the right tool for the right job. And to always let the tool do the job.

And now just like Shifty i'm addicted to tools, but i guess its a good thing my dad has a bunch.

[Grant Lamontagne]

In my life it was the other way around.  Dad had a good set of tools, but as a former Combat Engineer, Dad learned to improvise, adapt and use anything he could lay his hands on.  It's what made me appreciate multitools and SAKs, because there isn't always the right tool, but there is almost always a tool that's right enough.

If the right tool is available, use it.  If not, improvise....

Def

[Singh]

because there isn't always the right tool, but there is almost always a tool that's right enough

.

Very true.