To think it is irresponsible to give an eight-year-old a pen knife

[OlgaRhythm]

Need views on whether I am being too precious here. Family member has gifted DC a pen knife for Xmas. On no planet would I trust them with it until they were much older. I'm just in disbelief that someone could be so daft. AIBU?

Not enough information at all.

Here, perfectly normal, rural farm, huge right of passage. Quad bikes at five, used to cut strings on bales.

In the middle of a city without reason, completely inappropriate

Yanbu, firstly as two young but secondly not their child so they don’t know they’d be ok with it!! Saying that they probably meant well, 11yo has asked for one from Santa as he makes things out of sticks outside but I’m very torn

Is it one of the kids ones with a rounded point rather than a pointy point?

I'd be on the fence if it's a kids one wouldn't be happy with an adult one

Do you mean a swiss army knife?

I wouldn't have any problem with that, if the 8 year old is moderately bright.

Sorry - too not two!!

Adult one. Child is very bright but not mature (who is at eight?)

Context. I had one since I was bout 7 or 8 but grew up horsey and so always used it around the yard

Both of mine got wickedly sharp knives for their 9th birthdays. Their dad and I teach bushcraft and whittling and our kids were well drilled in knife safety. And they never used them unsupervised.

It depends on how the knife is to be used, how sensible the adult is.

Ask if they can swap it for a kids one with the rounded point.

I run cubs session and we used knives and expect kids to own one for camp (8-10.5 years). We did teach knife safety, law around carrying knives, technique to use and if away remove overnight (so no kids with knives and fire stickers in tents overnight). We do recommend rounded end for this age too avoid accidentally injuries and so knives really can't stab.

I think it would depend on the child's level of maturity and whether they'd be taught how to handle it safely in a context like a farm or bushcraft etc.

Mine were country children and had knives from this age. Seems normal to me. But I can see why different circumstances may get make things different.

I wouldn’t want one randomly gifted to my child, but I think my dc were about that age when they had them for scouts.

First Victorianox
The kids one doesn't look childish or that much different to an adult version

DS was given a Swiss army knife for his 9th birthday, so just a little bit older. He was thrilled with it. It's still one of his most prized possessions and he's 30 now.

I was absolutely fine with it. We live rurally so he wasn't carrying it around in a city, his dad taught him how to use it safely, and DS was a sensible boy.

Not a country child. Has used knives supervised by Dad and does belong to brownies/cubs the like but not to have one to own and for me to keep track of.

If the child is not sensible then they shouldn't get the knife until they are older (and of course they should be supervised using it).

Again country child (now 19) here, who had an adult one at that age. Perfectly normal.

Teaching safe handling, where and when it can be used and responsible use is the key. It’s really no different to allowing them to use a sharp knife in the kitchen.

My 8yo got a Swiss Army knife for his birthday last year (when he was 7). We got it for him. He’s a very practical and outdoorsy child, hobbies include fishing, helping with woodwork, camping and he wants to learn to kayak based on trying it this year. We had zero qualms getting him a Swiss Army knife - he doesn’t carry it about unsupervised, but he used it under supervision when camping and fishing etc.

Your child your rules of course but I would encourage an open mind on this. We’ve never had any issue with my son missing the knife. It’s kept with my husband’s tools when not in use.

I think kids are generally much more capable than many parents give them credit for, and I also believe they often live up - or down - to your expectations.

My son has owned his own hand tools from 2.5 and a small electric screwdriver from 4, he’s allowed to use kitchen knives when cooking (under supervision by me) and he’s very trustworthy and responsible in general. I do think it’s better to expose them to these things young, under supervision and they will learn how to keep safe whereas if it’s just banned they don’t know how to handle it.

But in general, if you don’t feel a gift to your child is appropriate it’s fine to set a boundary that it needs returned and/or set boundaries about when/where they can use it. You know your kid best so your rules should go.

Let him open it. Teach him safe handling and a bit of soap then wood whittling (always always always scrape away from you). If he isn't ready, THEN save it for a year and try again.

Pretty sure my siblings and I had them around this age. Not quite sure what I used it for though.

If he is in cubs then I think perfectly normal along with head torch and firelighting flint. My boys were 6 and 8 when they got their first knives from their grandfather. I was a similar age for my first swiss army knife and like others, I still carry it in my handbag!

My 8yo child has one (same as the pic above with rounded end) and has had it for a couple of years. They use it for whittling all sorts of sticks on the beach and in the woods. They treat it with respect and are allowed to use it under supervision, they were whittling at forest school since around 5. We do live more countryside / beach than city though, I probably wouldn’t let him have it if we didn’t have the woods and beach nearby.

I'm pretty sure I mostly used mine for opening bottles of Harp for my dad tbh.

one of my kids did woodwork and lots of crafts and he had both a pen knife and a carving knife at that sort of age.