The risk of injury or death increases when the amount of risk exceeds the child's level of maturity and many times kids do not have not have sufficient experience to judge danger. The child must have the maturity and judgment to handle the task safely. He advises parents to talk to each other and think about age-appropriate tasks for their children and ask themselves if they have unrealistic expectations of their children. Teenagers have a strong desire for social and peer approval, want to be supportive and do adult work, want to practice their skills without being constantly watched, desire to experiment, and seek thrills but for the most part, their physical development often outstrips their emotional maturity. In a recent analysis of 460 child-related fatalities on farms in Wisconsin and Indiana, half of them were associated with tractors.
Children mimic their parents and that's why it's important that parents be good role models.
Doss says that for kids 10-13, the biggest risk to them on the farm are animals, machinery and recreational vehicles. For kids 13-18 the causes of most accidents are slips and falls, power tools and machinery. Be patient and reinforce good behavior with praise. He says that belittling a child because their work performance does not measure a parent's personal standard and detracts from a kid's self-worth which can contribute to accident risk. Ideally, this will take place at the hands of the parent but other resources, such as the local FFA chapter or county MSU 4-H group can also help.