Knives - what age?

Daveyboy · Member Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 143

So my girl has gone to hospital today.

I was on the 'phone, her mum was dealing with my son and my little girl decides to open a present that she got off her aunt last week. It's a bag full of girlie goodies like make up and other stuff I don't really understand and for shop security, it's closed and cable tied so you can't get your fingers in to help yourself.

She's in the kitchen, can't find the scissors so she decides to take a knife out of the block and use that.

So she's in hospital with a wound about an inch from her eye. Cutting up and towards instead of down and away so I suppose that it's time to teach her how to do it properly. Only seems like yesterday that I was delivering her and now, already...

My boy, 6, helps me clean my guns and feeds the dog etc and Hannah has never shown an interest. Could be why I've missed it.

So just letting you know, just wondering...

yotebuster · Member Joined: Oct 16, 2005 Posts: 216 Location: Georgia

Dang!

Made me pucker just thinking about that injury. She was very lucky! Sounds like the cutting tutorial is needed right away. Hope she is recovering well. Cheers!
YB

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:48 am Post subject: Re: Knives - what age?

Damn ya hate to hear that, I hope she's doin well Daveyboy.
Joe

roklok · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:57 am Post subject: Re: Knives - what age?

Hopefully it wont leave a scar,sorry to hear about it.Reminds me of my grandfather,a butcher among many other things.He was cutting meat and had a habit of stabbing chunks of meat with butcher knife and throwing over his shoulder into a bin.Well one time the meat slipped off knife as he was throwing it and he stabbed himself right in eyeball. Doctor told him the slightest fraction of an inch deeper he would have lost the eye.

Daveyboy · Member Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 143

Hi Folks

Well she's back. Steristrips over the wound which is about 1/2 inch long, about an inch below the eye socket.

So what can you do? Telling her off won't achieve anything so we had a lesson on knives instead. Picking one up, handing it over, cleaning, all the parts, how to cut (down and away is always a nice place to start!), in and out of a scabbard - all that stuff so she's a bit sheepish but always confident. Thing is, I run a house where everything is possible and that you can do anything you put your mind to so small wonder she picked up a knife.

Thanks for your kind words and concern - much appreciated.

D Very Happy

ripper007 · Member Joined: Mar 05, 2006 Posts: 199 Location: Colorado

as soon as you started telling your story, I had freard the worst.
I am very sorry about what happend.
my little girl is 7 years old , so I can relate to the feeling of what happend.

sounds like you are a very good dad. I have not thought about teaching my kids about how to use a knife. but after reading your story, I am going to now.

my little girl is very self dependent. almost alot more than my 10 year old boy.
if if or any one else does not help her do something she will do it her self and willl use any resorses possible.

we have bought toys for her before that was tied up and wrapped. forget about child proof. some of those toys are man proof. lol.
well. several times she had aske me to open something up for her. and as I was bussy bringing in the food or something. she will not wait. to the kitchen she goes. usualy we have a drawer with sizzors . so she can use . but one time, she did not find them so she used a big knige. she got everything opened. after looking at the package, cut up to a million pieces. lol.
it did scare me and told her not to do that again.
Thank you for sharing this with us. I like how you handled it.
will give my kids a lesson on how to and how not to use a knife.

Thanks again. great post.

and most of all. I am very glad your little girl is ok. although she might have a small scare, it could of been worse.

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

Daveyboy,

Good to hear your daughter Hannah is for the most part all right Smile

Knives and younger kids I dont know. I've owned knives since I was 10, I had one in my tackle box that I'd use for cutting things, wood widdling etc. I never got seriously hurt with them and I'm pretty safe about using them. Very Happy

But I know some kids that no matter how much you try to teach them the right way they dont lisen. (this actually applies to almost anything with kids not just knives) Sad

Daveyboy I myself would suggest waiting untill shes older before trying to get her to use real knives compentantly.

I'd suggest that if shes anywhere near your sons age get her a few plastic knives (from a fast food place or something) so you can show her and teach her safely on how to use a knife. Then as "stage 2" let her play with a semi-dull butter knife for a while and when she stops getting hurt with one then introduce to her a sharp knife Smile

But this is just my 2 cents.

Dimitri

Daveyboy · Member Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 143

Hi Dimitri

Too late - lesson done!

As my dear depararted Grandma used to say... "She's as sharp as S**t on a frosty morning". Might as well use it!

And bear in mind that we all use knives at least 3 times a day - what do you eat with?

Thanks

D

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

Daveyboy,

I dont got a problem with knifes Very Happy

But if my kid did something like that they'd only be seeing butter knives for a long while Laughing

No sharper knifes and no steak knifes Laughing

I suggested dull knifes because honestly at that age I wouldnt give my kids sharp knives no matter how good they were when handling knifes Smile

Dimitri

delboy · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: Knives - what age?

Hi Dave, just read your posts. I'm glad that Hannah is over it without too much cost, could have been a lot worse mate! I guess that stuffed the outing for you, never mind - I'm going out in the next few weeks, maybe the three of us can meet up at that time? I'll get back to you on that when I can work out a date as I have so much work on at the moment and a team of idiots to do it with, I don't usually know whether I'm on my a**e or my elbow! Must get a new team together that can't be held against their wills by the simple act of tying their shoelaces together! God give me strength!! Hope to see you soon.
Del.

Vince · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:46 am Post subject: Re: Knives - what age?

Gee Davey, your Hannah is one very lucky little girl. Hopefully everything is ok and she doesn't scar from it.

Mate, I think you have the right approach. It is obvious that she has no fear of knives so now is the best time to teach her to handle them safely. One point that was always stressed to me is "a blunt knife will always give you a much nastier cut than a sharp one". I have always had knives around the house so my daughters were used to seeing them, but they knew not to touch them. My third daughter is a Chef now and has her own knife set (guess who gets to sharpen them) and she is very careful with them and won't let anyone touch them.

My second daughter is married with 3 kids and her husband is also a Chef so her kids are also very aware of knives and their capabilities.

Anyway mate, its good to hear that she is ok. You will have to show her these posts so that she may understand the concern people have for kids and knives.

Cheers, Vince