But what is it for dad?

[Fingle]

My son has reached the point in our adventures where he is trusted enough to carry a knife. Previously it has been training and a lot of very close supervision. Now he gets to use his knife as he needs it with more remote supervision (line of site instead of within reach). So I tell him the good news and give him his package which he opens with a real enthusiasm, only to get all confused by the brown canvass wrapped package of his first FFD.

'But what is this dad? where is my knife?'

I explain what it is (to be honest he kind of knew because it's not so different from the big ambulance dressings he had previously encountered doing his first aid training), then take him to the farm shop and buy him his first knife. He was so chuffed he wants to take his FAK & the FFD into school to show the class (minus knife).

Cheers,

Fingle

(I realise not entirely First Aid related but it seemed the place to put it, I thank you for your patience).

 

[drewdunnrespect]

i like it a lot mate and you were right do it the way u have in my opinion and i bet he is well chuffed

 

[sandbender]

"...(I realise not entirely First Aid related but it seemed the place to put it, I thank you for your patience)...'

Very pertinent though, I was given a Puma 265 for my twelfth of thirteenth birthday, but no advice on safety and no first aid kit, within a week I'd lost my thumbnail.

 

[lonefish]

What a great idea, I let my daughter use an sak for small cutting jobs aged seven, she was told never to use it unless I was there to supervise, the rest of the time it's to stay in her pocket and after camp it goes away. I'll definitely use this idea when she gets her first fixed blade. I know it shouldn't be aged based and experience / maturity is the most important aspect of deciding when is the right time but do you mind me asking your sons age? I also started giving her a whistle and letting her stay a bit further from camp knowing she could whistle if she got into trouble or lost which seemed to work well.

 

[Fingle]

My son is 10 (he would argue 10 and a half), he has been using knives and saws closely supervised for a couple of years but my wife and I ruled he would have to do some first aid training before he could do this beyond arms length. The first aid training was no drama because my wife and me are first aid instructors, although he has actually been trained by a friend & work colleague. He has built up his own minor injuries self care kit (minus any kind of medicines) and this has always gone everywhere with him in the woods along with his whistle and his flashlight (a bombproof LED jobby from a friend who teaches scuba).

He has always chosen a target (currently 24hrs overnight in the woods with only remote supervision) then we discuss the skills he needs to master to achieve that target. We originally started bushcraft to give him some confidence as he was being bullied at school, lacked confidence and was scared of everything. He has learned the basics of quarterstaff, how to shoot bow and air rifle, how to light and keep a fire and feed himself (from bought ingredients) how to build a lean to shelter, some useful knots and some pretty basic foraging. He is no longer bullied and often stands up for the younger or weaker kids at his school. He can't wait until he's 12 so he can follow his older sister into the Army Cadet Force. Obviously I'm proud as punch!

Thanks for the positive feedback,

Fingle.

 

[Biker]

Sounds like you are the prefect example of the ideal Dad and Mum to a growing son. Sadly society today seems to put the responsabilty on raising children on everyone elses shoulders and not the parents who should be doing the job.

Good for you mate!

 

[Wayne]

I have been teaching my friends son axe and knife skills from aged 6. Requires close supervision, his first knife was an opinel with the rounded tip. Usually I accept kids on courses from aged 8 for close supervision. Under 8s generally don't have the gross motor control for safe lone work.

 

[Ivan...]

My daughter , Katie is 12 and mad on bushcraft and wild camping ( thank goodness ) and she had a FAK and everything else before she was given a knife ! she kept asking when will i get a knife dad ?
After some basic first aid , and attending many meets ,( thanks to various bushcrafters, for educating her in safe operation ) I bought her a mora clipper , and after prooving she was sensible , we have now progressed to a beautiful knife commissioned by my good friend Savagebushcraft ( handle made from spalted beech , from a tree i felled myself about 6 years ago )

As a parent you never take one eye off the ball as knives can bite ! And now it comes as second nature to concentrate on safety at all times when knife is in hand etc etc .

My golden rule is no sharps after dark !

Nice thread Ivan...