Inappropriate party bag gift?

[SignOnTheWindow]

Friend's DS went to an outdoor-activities birthday party (lots of running around grounds of large house; marshmallows over an open fire type thing). Sounds great fun, tbh.

Friend's DS was given a party bag at the end and in the back seat of the car on the way back he opened it and started playing with the contents... which included a penknife - cue him opening it and accidentally cutting himself. Not deeply enough for stitches or anything, but deep enough to end up with blood everywhere.

Now, one thing I didn't find out was whether the parents had been warned that there was a knife in the party bag. I'm assuming not because my friend is pretty paranoid about potential safety issues and I imagine would not have let him have the bag in the car if she knew it contained a penknife.

If they weren't warned, it seems a foolishly dangerous thing to put in party bag for 7 year olds.

What about if they were warned, though? AIBU to think that even with a warning, a penknife is an inappropriate gift to put in a party bag at that age? Or am I being precious?

[Thingamajiggy]

My 6 year old has a sharp vegetable knife (used under supervision) and has whittled things on her own with a pocket knife so I don't consider it age inappropriate but it WAS inappropriate not to warn the parents so they could remove it or supervise use! Not all 7 year-olds are as responsible as others. Does your little one not know now to play with a knife?

[SherbrookeFosterer]

Precious, alas.

At his age I had my own custom made Swiss Army Knife and not many years later a Weatherby.

[Mmest75]

Totally inappropriate at 7 .....
But surely they knew that.

[selfishmommy]

By the way you describe the party...... it wasn't hotdog mum, was it???

[Screwinthetuna]

Very irresponsible present! I would never give that whatever the age, wouldn't want the blame and responsibility

[mumindoghouse]

How long was blade. Depending on that is an offence to possess in a public place (tho not at 7 cos too young)

[Mycatsaninja]

Don't know if it's been said up thread but you have to be 16+ to buy a knife in a shop so giving seven year olds a penknife without consulting parents is very irresponsible imo and maybe a bit dodgy legally !!

[Bobbi73]

My 7 year old is fine to use a knife under my supervision but one in a party bag is just bizarre. What if a younger sibling got hold of it. I would mention it to the parents just so they are aware.

[bsbabas]

Why not add a margarita kit and a lighter

[SheRasBra]

Our DS had a penknife at 7 which he could use but only under supervision and then he would have to hand it back to us. Bit risky to just put it in a party bag.

[happypoobum]

YANBU I think this is totally inappropriate as a party bag gift.

[rwalker]

think it was not thought through gift seems inline with theme of party but think you should of been told

[steppemum]

ds and dd both have knives. Dd goes to scouts and on camp when she was 10 they all had penknoves. But the knoves had to be handed in to the leaders, and were then allowed out for certain activities/times, mostly to wittle wood.

I am pretty strong about independence and mine have used kitchen knives for years, but I think this was inappropriate.

It is illegal for a child to carry any knife, it is a concealed weapon, and even if you are on the way to scouts, your parent has to have the knife until you are in the scout hut.

So I think they should only have been given out with parent's permission

[Missolford33]

Agree with telling the parents of the gift you are going to give if it's something they might hurt themselves with... also agree that 7 yeas olds are not babies!

[TunaStubbs]

It's unreasonable not to mention to parents / carers that a potentially dangerous item had been given to the child.

But like most things it's different strokes for different folks. I gave my DS his first multi tool when he was four (and installed the sharp blade when he was five). He can stack the kindling / firewood and light the when asked, and last weekend (he's now 6) I gave him my old cordless drill/screw driver to help me with chores.

He's been taught how to do all these things (and more) safely, so personally I wouldn't have had have a problem with it.

[Littlenic73]

I think it was irresponsible to put it in a party bag without checking with the parents first, especially as they are not legally old enough to go into shops and buy them themselves. Even the Scouts aren't allowed to keep their penknives on them at camp, they are supposed to be locked away until they are using them for specific activities.

[pinyata]

a child could not purchase a knife at the age of 7 therefore as an adult organising party bags you shouldn't think this appropriate to put in them

As a parent choosing to let your child have a pen knife is a personal choice my DD could have been trusted at 7 however my DS would not have been mature enough at that age

[MrsWombat]

I second the poster who said to check that the pen knife wasn't pocketed from an activity during the party and put in the party bag on the way home as an explanation for it's presence.

[DesertSky]

Er I wouldn't trust my almost 7 year old with a knife. Maybe because he's quite immature for his age - possibly would trust his older (more sensible!) brother.
Def should have at least warned parents. You're not allowed to purchase knives in a shop unless you're over 18 isn't it?

[KTC40]

I think at least a warning, if the parent hadn't found out he could of taken it to school, wouldn't go down well with the teachers 😱

[Blueflowers2011]

i wouldnt be impressed at all and would ask the mum who gave this out WTF.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

Maybe it was a Lord if the Flies party - did anyone get a conch in the party bag? :o

[wanderings]

Was it a Famous Five party? 7-year-olds carrying penknives and matches would have been very normal in Enid Blyton's world.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

Actually, thinking about it DD1 had her knife at the age of 10. DD2 had to wait till she was 11, because at 10 she was still too dozy to be trusted with it .

[AChickenCalledKorma]

We are outdoorsy and both our children have their own knives, can light fires, get filthy in the woods etc etc. Their knives were 10th birthday presents and it was a definite rite of passage that we considered them old enough to handle the knife responsibly and understand how to keep it safe, avoid leaving it lying around etc.

They did use all sorts of sharp and/or dangerous objects before the age of 10 (which is how we knew that the time was right), but having your own knife is a different thing.

I wouldn't in a million years put one in a party bag without making sure parents were happy. Party bags are for opening on the way home from the party and gorging on sweeties - not for acquiring a sharply-bladed object to cut yourself on.