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Comment by m52go | Hacker News Reader

I like the parenting part: he let his kids use sharp knives at 4yo because if they hurt themselves, they'd learn.

"I'd much rather have a kid with nine fingers than a resourceless kid."

I love the idea in theory...but really wonder if I'd have the guts to actually pull off something like that in real life.

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My son has chopped vegetables with a sharp knife as a 5yo under close supervision. When he started to fool around, i took the knife away.

It was super stressful for me, but I rather teach him to use a knife correctly and responsibly. The alternative would be that he plays with it in secret and that is more dangerous.

Also, better use a sharp knife than a blunt one. ;)

When I was a child it was normal to play with knives, go off somewhere without telling your parents and even play in the road.

Of all the people I knew back then I'm pretty sure they all survived into adulthood?

The only thing that has changed really is that roads are a lot busier nowadays so you may be forgiven for exercising some caution with that one.

Yeah, well. I grew up in the countryside. Recently spent some months back there. Connected with some people from kindergarten and primary school. I learned 6 people from back then died driving their car too fast when about 18~20.

Edit: I also remember two kids burn down the house of one of their parents, playing with matches. I hope they are resourceful now because that one put the parents in a very difficult position.

A usual Sunday afternoon for me as a young child was to cut pieces of wood with a pocket knife until I cut myself. Then I would go to my bedroom and read a book. I may or may not have learned anything.

I think that is literally survivorship bias.

A chopping knife is not a rifle. It's really difficult to kill yourself by mistake while chopping carrots, especially if you are given a small, rounded knife.

I've got relatives down South who bought my cousin a pink .22 rifle for Christmas at around 8-10. Not sure if I would do it for my kids but I didn't hear of any problems.

It’s stupid, because your kid might lack the motor skills to handle a knife.

That sounds more like a fancy quote than an actual tradeoff.

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