Quote from Klutch :

If a person has their eyes set on doing drugs, no ammount of "No, dont do it" will tell them otherwise.

Educating them on the risks and how to be safe about it is the best bet.
Alot of people says that encourages them to do it..but lets face it, if a kids going to do them he'll do it anyway

I agree on that one, but you said something about positive sides on it, and I wouldnt tell the positive sides for f.e. drugs for my kids.

I would take the saw from him and tell him to jump on it instead. A broken plank and some wet clothes, maybe a bloody knee isn't dangerous, but landing on a saw? Come on. Way to castrate your boy before puberty.

Quote from Stefani24 :

I agree on that one, but you said something about positive sides on it, and I wouldnt tell the positive sides for f.e. drugs for my kids.

If you're going to educate them it's important that you give them the facts, that means both the "good" and the bad. If you make it appear like there's only negative aspects of it, they're gonna find out sooner or later that you weren't telling it true - either from the internet or, worse, from friends who do drugs and try to pursuade them. They'll think you a liar and start to put other things you've told them into question as well.

If you educate your kid properly about what drugs do, he should be able to make the right decision himself. Sure, you feel great for a short while - most of the time, if you don't have a bad trip - but the consequences aren't worth it. Show him pictures of junkies who look more like zombies than anything else. Tell him - or make him read - stories of families/relationships that got destroyed because of a person having a drug addiction. It's important that they see what pain and misery it can cause.

Heh, hear me... I'm not even a parent yet but I've got it all figured out

Quote from amp88 :

An interesting article from BBC News. It debates the pros and cons of letting children expose themselves to an element of risk. Today's society is all about cotton wool, trying to avoid risk (and any resultant lawsuits). There have been numerous generations who have grown up without being stifled by this and we all came away with a few grazed knees/elbows and the occasional broken wrist...but we learnt from the experience.

So, what would you do for the kid in the picture?

Well, it all depends on the situation. If he was above a pit of snakes and scorpions, or there were Tomb-Raider style death spikes, then yes I'd probably stop him. I'd tell him to be careful of dangers and always think if there is a safer way to do it.

In the picture, however, there's all of a 2 foot drop to a (almost non-existant) stream, so there's only the danger of a grazed knee, as you said.

The very worst that could happen is the falls flat on his face and breaks his brain, but then again he should have thought about that before being a dork!

What I'd personally do, if he were my kid, is simply point out that he should not be standing on what he's about to cut in half, and it'd be a better idea if he stood on the rocks in the stream or uses a box or something so he could reach. If he was like "no it's ok", I'd let him carry on. I wouldn't force the issue, I've given him "advice" and he's made the decision. The result would be his own doing and he would learn better from it.

What a stupid example for their cause. Since when is learning to work safely with dangerous tools something you do by trial and error?

How old's the kid? He could be anywhere from 7 to 11 from that photo.

If a 7 year old was doing that, I'd take the saw away. If it was an 11 year old I'd probably show them how to use a saw.


I don't have kids, just two five-year-old nephews. One loves to climb, so I let him. He never goes crazy and ends up 20ft up a tree or whatever, he seems to know his limits quite well. The other likes riding his bike or scooter down big hills, going as fast as he can. He's less aware of danger (or cares less about it) and he can end up a long way away from me so I have to rein him in sometimes, like when he's setting himself up to ride straight into the river...

The second nephew still goes home with fat lips and scratches on his face way more often than the first one. But is he learning from these experiences? Honestly I'd say no he isn't!

Quote from obsolum :

If you're going to educate them it's important that you give them the facts, that means both the "good" and the bad. If you make it appear like there's only negative aspects of it, they're gonna find out sooner or later that you weren't telling it true - either from the internet or, worse, from friends who do drugs and try to pursuade them. They'll think you a liar and start to put other things you've told them into question as well.

If you educate your kid properly about what drugs do, he should be able to make the right decision himself. Sure, you feel great for a short while - most of the time, if you don't have a bad trip - but the consequences aren't worth it. Show him pictures of junkies who look more like zombies than anything else. Tell him - or make him read - stories of families/relationships that got destroyed because of a person having a drug addiction. It's important that they see what pain and misery it can cause.

Heh, hear me... I'm not even a parent yet but I've got it all figured out

Well, didn't think of that one. Okay, I changed my mind (well kinda) and fully agree with you.

Quote from runeman :

Ah.... kids... I got a picture of something like you said.

I saw an American bumper sticker that said 'Hire a teenager while they still know everything'
Made me smile.

I'd take out my camcorder and get ready to gain the, is it 200GBP or 2,000GBP You've Been Framed give you for using a video?

But that would depend on the water content and where I am, if it is the sort of stagnant water that gets covered in green I'd stop him, only because that shit stinks and I wouldn't want to handle the child and/or clothing after he fell in. If it was just friendly clean water, I'd probably chuck in the "I wouldn't do that if I were you" comment and let him find out through trial and error.

I wouldn't tell him that he's going to fall... I'd rather laugh.

Record a video and youtube it!

Quote from P5YcHoM4N :

I'd take out my camcorder and get ready to gain the, is it 200GBP or 2,000GBP You've Been Framed give you for using a video?

But that would depend on the water content and where I am, if it is the sort of stagnant water that gets covered in green I'd stop him, only because that shit stinks and I wouldn't want to handle the child and/or clothing after he fell in. If it was just friendly clean water, I'd probably chuck in the "I wouldn't do that if I were you" comment and let him find out through trial and error.

£250 I think though.

If it was my mum or dad, they'd stand at the back door of the house. Shout at me telling me to get off, then go back in.

well, other one of these, probaply the first. on a chainsaw he might get sawing his leg off
Explain what will happen but let him keep the saw and make his own decision. %Give him a chainsaw.
EDIT: chainsaw one if hes not my kid, the telling what happens thing if he is my kid

Let him keep sawing, that way he has his independence and learns something at the same time. If you explain to him why he shouldn't do it then it's the same as saying don't do it, he will pick up on your feelings and not do it.