Son's First Chainsaw Lesson

firefighter ontheside · February 01, 2023, 03:55:22 PM

My kids for the most part don't seem interested in a lot of the stuff I do. They do have chores they have to do like taking trash out, feeding chickens and collecting eggs, feeding my goats. The 15 year old who just learned the chainsaw, thought he had it hard until he was volunteered to go help his buddy clean out a horse stall full of manure a few weeks ago. He hasn't complained about having to do his chores lately.

Even if my kids don't develop interest in doing things like running chainsaws or woodworking, I try to have them do things and teach them to use tools. I figure someday, they will buy their own homes and then need to do things whether they are interested in it or not. Liam learned to wire a new light fixture on the outside of the garage the other day. Then my wife came out and said, maybe you can teach me how to do that too.

doc henderson · February 01, 2023, 05:53:32 PM

No dear, cause you are a girl... prob. wrong answer!

Jeff · February 01, 2023, 06:23:24 PM

So what did he think of running the saw? Did he see the fun in it, or just the work?

chet · February 01, 2023, 06:42:50 PM

My kids were exposed to just about everything, from butchering, to running equipment. The only thing they weren't to happy with was working in the garden. Especially da youngest son. :D Now he's an avid gardener, always tryin' to outdo his old man. 8)

doc henderson · February 01, 2023, 07:11:37 PM

My son started when he was 12 and I got him a Stihl 250 EZ start. He mostly did not like the noise. He can help with firewood, but he does not volunteer, but he will if asked with a definite tone. He is 21 now.

gspren · February 01, 2023, 07:28:27 PM

We are all different and so are the kids today. At 12 years old I wanted to run anything with a motor, my 3 year older brother not so much. One of my nephews loved coming to my farm to help out while others weren't interested. By the time I was 16 I probably had more hours on a chainsaw than my dad did in his 90 years on earth, learned from an uncle.

thecfarm · February 01, 2023, 09:09:14 PM

Very nice pictures!!!

firefighter ontheside · February 01, 2023, 09:55:33 PM

I think he thought it was a little exciting and a little scary. Of course I taught him about the chain brake and that he should learn to engage the brake if he was going to walk very far with a running saw. After he was done he shut the saw off and set it down. About 5 minutes later I picked up the saw to start it and realized the brake was engaged. I was impressed that he had done it.

aigheadish · February 02, 2023, 07:05:35 AM

When I was a kid I spent a lot of time with my dad working. He did a lot of odd jobs around for people on the weekend and usually he'd take me with to help (which I had no desire to do and was quite resentful) but then as I grew up I realized I was pretty fortunate to have some skills I didn't realize I was learning, so I wasn't too afraid to try things or think critically about how to accomplish tasks. I think I've missed that window, unfortunately, with my kids, but they are starting to show some more interest in some of the stuff, which is good.

I've got a toilet to install this weekend, maybe I'll get them to help on that...

DHansen · February 02, 2023, 07:17:16 AM

Spend as much time as you can with kids, any kid! Take your tasks, projects and repairs and make them opportunities for learning. May take you longer to complete your job, but learning and memories are being built. In the long run it will pay off. Your kid will develop skills that many others lack.

doc henderson · February 02, 2023, 11:54:15 AM

as long as you live, it is never too late.

sawguy21 · February 02, 2023, 05:25:05 PM

@firefighter ontheside I'm still laughing at your story of the 15 year old and the horse stall. I had some jobs that encouraged me to stay in school, I didn't want to be doing for the rest of my life. Unloading and stacking 87 lb bags of concrete mix was one of them.

firefighter ontheside · February 02, 2023, 10:27:35 PM

@sawguy21 we felt a little bad as parents tricking him, but it was funny. His buddy's mom videoed him when he showed up at their house. He thought he was just going over to hang out and then saw Connor dressed up to muck the stall and handed him a shovel.

doc henderson · February 03, 2023, 09:14:42 AM

well at least he dove in. some may have sat down and looked at their phone, waiting on the friend to get done. I have done this with my 21 y/o. he may have a task like firewood or putting the Christmas tree in the attic (2 man job). His friends come to our house to play Warhammer and games, and we usually feed them something. so I will just ask them as a group to do something. If they look like they are getting ready to leave, I remind them, "don't forget the firewood"!
:D