Yes I’m turning this into a sappy Mommy blog today. The little man, the youngest son (but not child–Liv is still here) went to Kindergarten this morning.  He was mostly raring to go, as these photos from orientation and the first day this morning show, but still, it’s always a bittersweet day. [Click on any of them to see them larger.]  Now what excuse will I have to whip out the 120’s on an inch of snow in the middle of the day?

Let’s play another game of “find the difference.”

Here’s the Vermont state snowmobile law governing age restrictions for ATV’s and sledding. See if you can see how it differs from Massachusetts.

Incidentally, the Vermont laws are considered leaders for sledding and ATV’s by leading snowmobile organizations in Massachusetts, including the Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts (SAM), so you have to wonder why Mass feels it necessary to go further than their mentors…

Vermont Snowmobile & ATV Restrictions

(7) By a child under eight years of age unless he or she is on land owned by his or her parents, family, or legal guardian.

(8) By a person born after July 1, 1983, on private or public land and water without first obtaining a certificate of snowmobile education, unless he or she is operating on land owned, leased or farmed by his or her parents, family or guardian or the operator is the land owner.

(A) A person who is required to have a certificate of snowmobile education shall:

(i) possess the certificate when operating a snowmobile on public or private lands and waters of the state; and

(ii) show the certificate on demand of an enforcement officer wearing an insignia identifying him or her as a law enforcement officer. However, no person charged with violating this subdivision shall be convicted if the person produces in court, to the officer, or to a state’s attorney, a certificate which was valid at the time the violation occurred.

(B) The following persons are exempt from the requirements of this subdivision:

(i) a person is operating on land owned by his or her parents, family, or guardian or the operator is the landowner;

(ii) any other person exempted by rules of the department of public safety;

(iii) any person who is under the direct supervision of a certified snowmobile safety instructor;

(iv) a child not yet 12 years of age, but not younger than eight when under the direct supervision of a parent or legal guardian who shall be liable for the actions of the child.

Vermont Snowmobile Law Resources

You can read the full text of the law here:

Vermont Snowmobile Laws

You can also read the State’s Snowmobile Operator’s manual, which summarizes and then details the law, here:

Vermont Snowmobile Operator’s Manual

Do you see the major difference yet?

Not to be totally cheap here, but I’m not really going to write a new post today.  I’d rather keep the last post alive a bit longer, because I think it’s really an important conversation.

This is the conversation about whether kids should ride snowmobiles; as in, how fair is it for the law to regulate whether or not kids can legally ride snowmobiles–not just on the trails, anywhere.  You may not know it, but in some states kids cannot legally ride snowmobiles, even child-sized ones, and not even on their parents’ own land.  Is that fair?

You can read what I think about kids riding snowmobiles, and also see what readers like Tom Remington have to say.  Here’s a taste of our conversation in the comments:

Should It Be Illegal For Kids to Ride Snowmobiles?

Tom did a pretty good job of summing up my opinion:

Bingo! I’m one of those stupid conservatives Mary who trust people and believe that people, if left alone, will solve their problems and the last thing any family needs is government telling them when to wash their kid’s face.
It’s up to the parent but the obsessed control freaks who can’t seem to stand individual freedom have a compelling need to make sure you do what they say…..or else.

To which I replied,

… It is more and more coming to my attention how I am allowing these people to rule my family’s life. I’m not just talking about laws like this, but even the fear that these laws and society subconsciously instill in you and prevent you from letting your kids have real, meaningful experiences.

For example, I’m forever not letting my kids do things they should be doing–letting boys be boys–for no better reason than what the ER doc will think. Seriously. It took me up until about 3 months ago to realize that there was no reason my 9 yr old boy shouldn’t have a jack knife. I had not given him one before because I thought, “what if he cuts himself? What kind of a mother will they think I am when I have to take him in for stitches!?” I finally realized that a cut on the finger–even one requiring stitches–was no big freaking deal in the grand scheme of things, and it was a chance we just had to let happen.

Last year my hub agreed that the boys could have a small hatchet and handsaw for fort-building and the like. I reluctantly agreed, but told him when they get cut I’m calling him from work to take them to the ER because I wasn’t going to be the one facing the doctors and telling them it was a parent-sanctioned event. Then I thought how stupid that was. We give them rules (cut nothing bigger around than your fist), we teach them how to use the things safely, why shouldn’t they have them? And you know what? A year later, no one has gotten cut! (My son did cut his finger while carving with the knife, but noting deep, and no band-aid even required).

Amazingly, life is going on. Even though my kids ride snowmobiles, carve with knives, and cut down trees and build forts.

Now, if the government would spend more time keeping sex offenders from repeating their crimes, I might start to agree with their idea of child protection laws.

What’s your opinion?  Comment here or on the original post, but please do tell me if you think I’m completely out of line, or if you agree that we should be given more credit [and rights] as parents.

Every state [with snow] has its own set of regulations governing who can and cannot ride snowmobiles. Some states are quite liberal–mostly those states that embrace the support as a family recreation and rely on its health and well-being as an income source– and others are quite restrictive (we won’t mention names, Massachusetts, but I’m sure there are others). For the record, do note that I have told you time and again that we ride in Maine even though we are Mass residents, so I won’t tell you that my young children ride in Massachsetts.

Why won’t I tell you that? Because that would be illegal. Thank you, great state, for taking away one of my rights as a parent–the right to let my children ride recreational vehicles as I see fit. Understand, too, that this doesn’t just apply to snowmobiles. This applies to all types of recreational vehicles, including ATV’s, and all sizes, including snowmobiles and ATV’s designed specifically for children–even those that govern down to 5 or 8 miles per hour. It doesn’t, however, apply to the battery-operated “toy” types that are less well built and go just as fast.

What I Think About Kids Riding Snowmobiles And ATV’s

I won’t bore you by rattling off all the laws of all the states; I’ll leave you to your own devices to find out what laws might apply to you (you might be surprised). Or maybe I’ll do that another day. For today I just want to talk about this in general. But I can tell you that the Massachusetts law is so restrictive that no child under 12 can ride legally in the state–even on your own property! Not even in sanctioned and approved racing events, either. Even at age 12 the law is restricting, and the ages for real riding increase to more like 14 to 16.

In case you haven’t guessed what I think about this yet, I think it is crap. I think that for a few reasons. The first of which is my parental rights being decided by another. Aside from beating my children and other reasonable leglities, I don’t like that. I don’t like it when other peple tell me how my kids should be raised. Especially people that know little to nothing about my lifestyle.

However, I’ve got better reasons, too. I believe that when you start kids young and teach them well they learn well. They learn how to enjoy a sport like snowmobiling and they learn from a responsible adult how to do it safely. At age five my child will listen to me. At age 16 that same child, placed with a high-horsepower sled under his thumb for the first time, will nod impatiently and gun the throttle. Lessons be damned.

Kids learn better at an early age. They have more respect for teachers and parents at an early age. And they have more fear of getting hurt. This is somehting you can capitalize on when kids start riding and respecting the ride from a young age. But it’s a window of opportunity that is missed by the time they are teenagers.

In my own humble opinion I think the states do a great disservice to children when they limit their snowmobiling opportunities when they are young. They mistakenly take away an important window of opportunity that could be used for far more good.

What do you think? Agree or disagree, but tell me why. Comments are open below.

Is it right to make this illegal?

On this topic of letting kids go outdoors, I find myself evaluating why this is important.  Here’s one of the things I came up with.

The Outdoors Means Freedom

When I was young one of the best reasons to be outside and be gone was to regain a sense of freedom and composure.  I could think and play and do and not be bothered by anyone else.  I had time to regain my sanity.  I’m thinking lately that that is something my kids are missing, and I think it has a lot to do with the fact that there is no free outside exploration going on.

Let’s think about this.  I have 4 kids.  We own a little over half an acre.  It’s a 3+ bedroom house.  Nice, even large by some standards of living, but after a while it all starts to close in.  I have 4 kids that are hardly ever–unless they’re in school, which they’re not now–more than 1/2 an acre away from each other.  And I wonder why those older two just can’t get along (as is I should wonder…I had siblings!).

I have a serious inclination that if my kids were given a little more free reign that behavior and atittude would improve.  And creativity would increase.  They’d figure out, like many of us did who grew up outside, that you have to find ways to entertain yoruself and find ways to respectfully utilize what you’re given.  But most of all, my kids could feel more free and confident, and more in control.

I have raised all my kids to be fairly independent, and I by no means lead everything they do, but nevertheless the immediate presence of adults takes its toll. One way or another, I always impart my infulence, even if it’s only subconsciously.

I’m sure that as a community of sledders here we can get this.  Freedom is why we ride, in part.  I would be very surprised if there was a sledder here who arugued that with me.  That freedom is part of why I’m not sure communicators are a good idea–if I had one people could be talking to me and breaking my mood.  I have enough talk at home.

I think it’s important to find ways to give my kids some freedom within reasonable bounds.  I think if more kids could experience personal freedom, away from the interference of adults, we’d be raising a more independent and thoughtful society of kids.  It’s a little scary to consider the alternative.

I guess this is sort of related to snowmobiling, but more related to those things we’ll talk about that are of interest to like-minded individuals.

You might recall a while Back I mentioned a book that is on my nightstand, Last Child In The Woods.  It’s a book about our children’s growing disconnect with nature and independent experiences.  One of the issues that the book mentions is the shrinking radius of world our children are allowed to explore on their own.  One “startling fact” the book lists is that by the 1990’s the radius from the home where children could explore on their own had shrunk to just 1/9th of what it was in the 1970’s.  In short, kids today barely have enough room to wander around their yards whereas in generations past the fields and woods were open to them.

Of course, the author, Richard Louv, does know that there are some very valid reasons for this–in part the shrinking of open space, fields, and woods, but also the increased need for safety with the lunatics that prey on kids.

What’s been on my mind lately is what to do about it–how do you find that balance as a parent in a world that is bearly trustworthy?  My oldest is nearing an age when I feel like he should be able to strike out and explore on his own.  I know I did.  By the time I was 10 my parents hardly knew where I was all day.  Most of the time is was in the woods, riding ponies, or playing in our fields.  Of course I was lucky to have that access because I lived on a farm, but still…I could let my son go a bit in the woods adjacent here, but how do you know when it’s safe?  How to hedge odds in your favor?  How do you prepare and protect and still allow your child that natural freedom that should rightfully be his?

It’s not easy raising kids like we were raised in this modern day and age.  The way I’m going, the kid will never be allowed to ride a bike alone-and I don’t even consider myself an overbearing parent!  Just a reasonably cautious one.  How, then can I feel good about raising an independent and self-sufficient adult?  Sometimes I wonder if that’s even possible anymore…

Opinions?