# Lawn Mowing with little ones in the yard



## Angelorum (Aug 5, 2006)

Dh doesn't feel safe mowing with our 18mo playing in the yard. He was relunctant to do it with our 3 yo playing in the yard a couple summers ago, but he relaxed about that. I don't really see the problem with it as long as he's not running up to the mower, but I wondered how others felt about it. The little one is throwing fits wanting to go outside with his dad and brother, it'll be a real drag if this happens every time he mows this summer...

We have a corded electric walk-behind mower, for what it's worth.


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## swede (Nov 21, 2010)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Angelorum*
> 
> Dh doesn't feel safe mowing with our 18mo playing in the yard. He was relunctant to do it with our 3 yo playing in the yard a couple summers ago, but he relaxed about that. I don't really see the problem with it as long as he's not running up to the mower, but I wondered how others felt about it. The little one is throwing fits wanting to go outside with his dad and brother, it'll be a real drag if this happens every time he mows this summer...
> We have a corded electric walk-behind mower, for what it's worth.


Idontthink he needs to beconcerne, personally. Could he wear the toddler in a backpack?


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

When I was a child my dad was out mowing, hit a small rock he didn't see, that spun off the blade, through the kitchen window, and lodged in a cabinet across the kitchen. Had anyone been in the path of that rock they'd have been seriously injured if not killed.

That is why my kids are never in the same yard as my dh while he is mowing.


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## swede (Nov 21, 2010)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DahliaRW*
> 
> When I was a child my dad was out mowing, hit a small rock he didn't see, that spun off the blade, through the kitchen window, and lodged in a cabinet across the kitchen. Had anyone been in the path of that rock they'd have been seriously injured if not killed.
> 
> That is why my kids are never in the same yard as my dh while he is mowing.


Do you stay in your House while he's mowing? If so, that is potentially just as dangerous....


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## TCMoulton (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *swede*
> 
> Do you stay in your House while he's mowing? If so, that is potentially just as dangerous....


How would staying in the house be dangerous?

We had the same rule as kids no one hangs out in the yard while dad was mowing the lawn. I've seen a mower kick up items on more than one occasion. Better safe than sorry.


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## swede (Nov 21, 2010)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TCMoulton*
> 
> How would staying in the house be dangerous?
> 
> We had the same rule as kids no one hangs out in the yard while dad was mowing the lawn. I've seen a mower kick up items on more than one occasion. Better safe than sorry.


BEcause DahliaRW said the rock broke through a window and shot into the kitchen (presumably indoors)....

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DahliaRW*
> 
> When I was a child my dad was out mowing, hit a small rock he didn't see, that spun off the blade, through the kitchen window, and lodged in a cabinet across the kitchen. Had anyone been in the path of that rock they'd have been seriously injured if not killed.
> 
> That is why my kids are never in the same yard as my dh while he is mowing.


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## TCMoulton (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *swede*
> 
> BEcause DahliaRW said the rock broke through a window and shot into the kitchen (presumably indoors)....


Surely you can see how being in the yard is more dangerous, especially considering the force behind that rock if it broke a window from such a distance. Bottom line, life includes risks. Sure one could get hurt inside a house from a rogue rock kicked up through a window but the chances are far less than getting hit by the same rock in the backyard.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TCMoulton*
> 
> Surely you can see how being in the yard is more dangerous, especially considering the force behind that rock if it broke a window from such a distance. Bottom line, life includes risks. Sure one could get hurt inside a house from a rogue rock kicked up through a window but the chances are far less than getting hit by the same rock in the backyard.


We do stay away from windows facing the yard while dh mows.









The house offers MUCH more protection than being outside. My dh has had the mower kick up rocks a few times, they've either flown off in the direction of the yard or hit the house siding. Statistically it's much more likely to be hit if you are outside than if you were inside the house, as the house walls offer some protection. In the case when I was a child, if someone had been in the kitchen they could have been hurt, but with how many times rocks and pebbles get kicked up by the mower, that is the ONLY time one has entered the house. Statistically being in the house is safer, and staying away from windows that face the area being mowed is safest.


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## LaughingHyena (May 4, 2004)

Personally I would not want to be looking after young children and mowing the lawn at the same time. My two at least are not that reliable about following instructions, add in the noise of the mower and the possibility of sticks/stones being caught by the mower (or this week the wire brush for cleaning the grill







) and I'd prefer they were elsewhere.

Maybe if there was a space that another adult could watch them that would work out, but the way our garden is layed out makes that not possible, It's a pretty small area to mow, so the 15 minutes or so it takes me to get the job done still leaves them with plenty of outside time.

I still make my 9 year old stay indoors while I mow. My 7 year old is still terrified of the mower so he too stays indoors, usually under the duvet!


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## Asiago (Jul 1, 2009)

I searched John Deere and found the following:
*

Children and pets should be kept in the house under supervision at all times while all mowing, trimming and blowing equipment is in operation.

Do not carry children or let them ride on the machine, or any attachment, or in a cart or trailer, even when the blades are turned off.

Remove any objects or debris that might be thrown by mower or edger blades. Keep people away from the mowing and trimming area to protect bystanders from thrown objects.*
http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US/services_and_support/product_safety/operation/operation.page?%0A%09%09%20%09

We have a yard maintenance person and he always asks we keep our son indoors while he is mowing and edging, etc. he is concerned about injury.


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## Asiago (Jul 1, 2009)

According to manufacturers children should stay in the house while mowing. I searched John Deere and found the following:
*Children and pets should be kept in the house under supervision at all times while all mowing, trimming and blowing equipment is in operation.*
http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US/services_and_support/product_safety/operation/operation.page?%0A%09%09%20%09

We have a yard maintenance person and he always asks we keep our son indoors while he is mowing and edging, etc. he is concerned about injury, even dust, grass and debris going into eyes.


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## NiteNicole (May 19, 2003)

Even my parents, where generally pretty laid back about safety, didn't let us in the yard while they were cutting grass. How can he even hear to supervise a couple of toddlers while cutting grass? It kind of takes all of your attention.

The kids can stay inside for an hour or two. I wouldn't have either of them out there.


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## fisherfamily (Dec 29, 2013)

We have a large yard, and so the kids are allowed outside when dh mows, but no where near him. They play on the exreme.other side of the yard, or in the back while he does the front, and the reverse. I watch the littlest ones very closely, and he doesn't mow when I'm not here, or they aren't sleeping.

My mom got hit by a rock in the head when she was mowing. I still remember her coming into the house holding her head.


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## rachelsmama (Jun 20, 2005)

We let the kids outside during mowing, but we use one of the old-fashioned manual push mowers, so it doesn't throw anything with enough force to do any damage, and the edging is done with garden sheers (giant scissors).


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## Mrs Jay Jay (Apr 22, 2014)

I have always had a phobia of lawn mowers since we had a similar experience many years back to that which DahliaRW has recounted. Because of this we haven't mown the lawn in 6 years, The grass grows, dies, eventually turns into compost, and acts as the bedding for the next season.

It is also much more fun for the kids to play in in the summer.


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## fisherfamily (Dec 29, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrs Jay Jay*
> 
> I have always had a phobia of lawn mowers since we had a similar experience many years back to that which DahliaRW has recounted. Because of this we haven't mown the lawn in 6 years, The grass grows, dies, eventually turns into compost, and acts as the bedding for the next season.
> 
> It is also much more fun for the kids to play in in the summer.


Then I would be afraid of snakes!


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## Mrs Jay Jay (Apr 22, 2014)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FisherFamily*
> 
> Then I would be afraid of snakes!


I'll be honest, that is a concern ...


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