To let 10 year old DS have a knife ?

[JugglingWithTangentialOranges]

Well it would be a present from his DGPa and a penknife but I'm still not sure ...

DS was given the "Dangerous book for boys" by DGPa for his last birthday. He's really getting into it and has made a bit of a den at the bottom of the garden between some hazelnut trees - which he and DD are always climbing. In the Easter hols he made a great periscope with Grandpa using the plans in the book.

Trouble is on page one it has a list of essential things to own and these include a penknife. Now, I can see the attraction of owning such a clever and nifty little gadget with say 20 different tools and a hundred different uses.

But would it be asking for trouble ? You hear so much about the dangers of knife crime especially amongst teenage boys - and also I'm sure you could easily do yourself some accidental damage even if using it was kept to the den and at home.

DS is very keen to ask for one from DGPa for his next birthday. And DGPa is almost as keen to get him one WWYD ?

Do you actually know that, Mrsdevere-aabout the police station and the social worker- ( not that I would be that bothered, I am confident that I could explain myself adequately)- or ar you speculating.

Well I work for the borough so I can take a fairly qualified guess.

They dont fuck about with kids and knives in this area.

Apart from the Police I cannot think of many parents who would let a knife incident go unreported.

As I said it would depend on what had been going on in the area. The wrong kid at the wrong time in the wrong place and yes - absolutely that scenerio would be very likely.

If my child took a knife into school I would expect a swift and hefty knock on my door.

I agree about school. But surely a 10 year old whittling a stick is not classes as "a knife incident"?

In London though a child should not be carrying a knife full stop.

Apparently it's got through and they carry "glass bottles" instead

"through" as in the kids know this.

seeker it shouldnt be.
But it would be.

I checked with OH and asked for his opinion. Until recently he worked for a youth offending team.

Unfortunately he agreed with me.

Not that we think that a 10 year old having a whittle is a cause for concern. We dont.
But that if a 10 year old was found to be in possession of a knife, for any reason, it would be treated very seriously.

There is zero tolerance regarding knives.

I would definately let mine have one at ten. They need to learn how to use a knife how else can you learn to whittle. ahhhhhhh I loved whittling!

I'm trying to think how a ten year old boy carrying a penknife could trip and fall on the blade. Finding it pretty hard to imagine, I must say

If I lived in any other country than this I wouldn't hesitate a second. We all did and I don't suppose it ever occurred to us that knives can be used against people. But knowing what some people are like in this country, I have to admit that I would have that thought at the back of my mind "supposing his friends' parents report us".

Suppose they do? Any person - including a child - may carry in public at any time a folding pocket knife with a blade of less than three inches unless he or she is carrying it with the intention of using it to injure someone. A non-folding knife may NOT be carried unless the person can show they had a "good reason."

Carrying a pen-knife or Swiss Army knife is not therefore against the law unless you have bad intentions.

It may or may not be u n w i s e, but that is a different argument.

Wow. I must lewd an incredibly sheltered life [genuine shock emoticon] I had no idea that zero tolerance for knives would include a Swiss army knife with a 2 inch blade.

Your DS seems to be interested in the kind of stuff he should be as a 10 year old boy, and it's good to know that some children are off the Xbox long enough to climb a tree and build a den, so you do want to encourage this.

That said, if I were you, I'd get a penknife that he can use, but that you own IYSWIM. That way, he will be able to use it for all the type of activities you want him to, but there will be less temptation to take it out/to school because it doesn't belong to him. He would also be more likely to see it as a tool, not a toy.

I have thought of that growlithe - getting one that he could use but which wouldn't necessarily be his - I wondered for a moment if DH could get one for example and he could borrow it.

But I just think DS would be so thrilled to have his own penknife from Grandpa that I think we'll probably say "yes" to the idea. We will have some rules and keep it at home etc. Sanctions too - any misuse and it would be conviscated

• Just life cannot be risk free can it ? Sometimes you have to go for things !

Good to hear from people who've got a lot of use and pleasure from their penknives - I can really see DS getting into whittling sticks

Interesting and important I think to think about how having a penknife can have different risks in different places and situations. And worth considering that you could possibly be expelled or even arrested for having one in the wrong place/ context.

Many thanks for all thoughts on here, it's really helped me think it all through for DS