"Lets Talk About Shop Safety"

Sean Wright

Member
Messages
902
Location
WNY, Buffalo Area
I had mentioned in the "Woodworking with Children" thread about how my 3 year old son plays with his toy tools. Well he was playing with them the other night, and I had to snap this picture. Keep in mind that he did this all on his own, I just got him to stand still long enough to take this picture. The mask and goggles are toys, but the ear muffs are the real ones he uses when he is in the shop with me.

Some of his favorite shows to watch with me are The New Yankee Workshop, Wood Works, and The Wood Wright's Shop. He recognizes who Norm is. When we go to Rockler, he always points out the NYW sponsor sign that they have in the window.

His latest is watching Matt Vanderlist's video podcasts of Matt's Basement Workshop. I've you've never seen it before check it out. :thumb:

http://www.mattswoodshop.libsyn.com/

Its great, we go to Home Depot / Lowes just to walk around. Of course we always end up in the tool section. As we walk through, he will correctly point out varous tools, such as tablesaws, bandsaws, jointers, planers, drill presses, lathes, routers, circular saws, and drills. (and the occasional Delta dust collector at Lowes too!). He knows what a block plane and a bench/jack plane are. He can also identify the fence on a table saw, knows about how dangerous kick back is, and that you need a splitter on your table saw. How many 3 year olds can point at a maple tree and tell you it is a hard wood tree, and softwood trees have needles not leaves?

I hope I haven't created a monster......:huh:
 

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That's just too cool, Sean. He sounds like a bright little guy, and it's obvious he looks up to you and wants to be "like Dad". And kudos to you for guiding him along the way and sharing your shop time with him.
 
Be aware that he will intimidate many of his teachers (that are not fully competent or doing their job in the best of fashions) as he will know and if not tell them directly, his body language will transmit his knowledge of their lack of knowledge and/or effort. This is not a bad thing, went through it with my girls as they progressed through school. Just be aware, our society as a whole doesn't support independent thinkers, they want sheep that follow meekly, not asking questions like, "why don't you ever hand back our homework/tests/quizzes/etc. so we can see what we did wrong?". You are doing good there dad, Kudos to you and yours. Cherish this time, seems like yesterday mine were one and three, now they are twenty and eighteen. Man time flies.
 
"why don't you ever hand back our homework/tests/quizzes/etc. so we can see what we did wrong?".

Jonathan, my mom is a teacher and uses this as here main teaching tool. She is the only one I know that does it...I hope my daughter asks the same question. :rolleyes:

Sean, I remember doing the same thing with my dad. My daughter runs away when she sees me in my face shield, but likes to wear safety glasses and gloves. Great pic.
 
My 6 year old son has been "helping" me in the shop for a few years now. As long as he's safe, he's got free reign over the scrap bin. We built a small bench for him. Now that my daughter is getting older (4), she's in there with us now too.
I get the shop safety speech quoted from Norm from time to time. Public TV home improvement shows are favorites.
It's impossible to know if the tool savy, shop dusty background has made him more confident, but he certainly doesn't lack in self assertiveness (in a gentle, woodworker sort of way). Having a whole body of knowlege others don't have makes a big difference. With other kids, it's other things - bugs, birds, music, whatever. In depth knowlege about any given thing i think is great. I'm just trying to keep them enthusiastic and eager to dive in.
I do enjoy my shop time witht he kids, though. I also like the fact that they're learning some practical skills.
paulh
 
Sean,
Looks like you both are having a lot of fun together. It also sounds like you've got a little sponge absorbing everything he sees and hears.:D Great picture too.

Wes
 
Be aware that he will intimidate many of his teachers (that are not fully competent or doing their job in the best of fashions) as he will know and if not tell them directly, his body language will transmit his knowledge of their lack of knowledge and/or effort...

I've been told that my late older brother (I never knew him) got in trouble with his first grade teacher for correcting her when she referred to "cement" sidewalks. Any of my dad's kids knew before they were school age that sidewalks are made of concrete, not cement. (One of the benefits/curses of having a Civil Engineer for a dad.)
 
Hi Sean

It looks like your son knows more than I do:eek:......I cannot tell the difference between the planes:eek:.....for me they are all the same....and Maple...I heard about it:)...

One thing I would recommend...
By the time that he will be a "big boy", the riving knife will dominate in USA (I hope) and it will be much easier to install/remove the blade guard so, please teach him from now to use the blade guard....yah, the Norm show is not exactly good example...

Look at my blade guard...a split of second of non-concentration...if it would not be there, the picture would be "Red"...but it was there...

Guard 1.JPGGuard 2.JPG

Regards
niki
 
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