toy tools vs real tools

[jdgator]

My 7 year old son likes to play with my hand tools when I am outside working on projects. I encourage it because that is how I learned - I watched my dad and mimicked him. However, I am constantly missing things now. How did y'all deal with that? Do you get a separate set for junior, hide the good stuff, or just accept missing 10 mm sockets?

 

[bassboy1]

My 7 year old son likes to play with my hand tools when I am outside working on projects. I encourage it because that is how I learned - I watched my dad and mimicked him. However, I am constantly missing things now. How did y'all deal with that? Do you get a separate set for junior, hide the good stuff, or just accept missing 10 mm sockets?

I hate to break it to you, but 10 mm sockets go missing without children's assistance every hour of every day.

But, go ahead and get him his own set, so he too can learn of the 10 mm gremlin at an early age.

 

[transfixer]

I am not sure I know the answer, but getting him his own set might work ? maybe one of the entry level Harbor Freight sets ?

I say I'm not sure because I know when I was growing up my Dad complained about me losing his tools, or planting them in the yard as he put it, I might have forgotten a wrench or two when working on my bike or something similar , only to find them rusted a week or two later , lol

fast forward many years and my youngest stepson had access to all my tools in my home shop, as a result I was constantly missing things, sometimes left in the driveway, and later after he started driving they somehow found their way into his truck, and never made it back to my box ,, lol

I think its a time honored tradition for sons to lose their Dad's tools, after I started in the automotive repair world professionally, I bought my Dad a set of Snap On wrenches, and took them to him, when he said what's this ? I said those Craftsman wrenches I planted in the yard years ago,,, they grew up to be Snap On wrenches ,,, they're yours ! I ended up buying him a lot of tools off the Snap On truck , figured I owed him !

 

[jdgator]

Maybe I should call the tool truck and get him started on a payment plan. lol!

 

[JustUs4All]

Post of the Month material right here at #3. Thanks @transfixer.

 

[Ruger#3]

My now grown son was a little younger than your boy and watched me tinker often. I bought him the little plastic set. One day I put him in the fenced yard to play. I noted the lawnmower outside the storage shed where I had left it earlier. A little later I went to put the mower up My boy started saying, I fix it, I fix it. There was plastic tools laying about the mower. I then saw the gas cap off and “additives” protruding from the tank. Pine straw, sticks and dirt had been added to the fuel tank. Remove, drain , clean and reinstall the tank. What‘s a Dad to say, he tried.

 

[Big7]

My 7 year old son likes to play with my hand tools when I am outside working on projects. I encourage it because that is how I learned - I watched my dad and mimicked him. However, I am constantly missing things now. How did y'all deal with that? Do you get a separate set for junior, hide the good stuff, or just accept missing 10 mm sockets?

When I was little Daddy used to say I was a bad tool farmer.

He said as many as I "planted" in the backyard, I should have at least had a few sprout.
.

I bought both Nephews stuff from the pawn shops. If you look through the bulk bins, you can find anything from the best USA made tools, medium imported quality- just stay away from the Indian junk.

My local Pawn Shop/Gun Store sells sockets and wrenches by the pound. For real.

 

[dwhee87]

My Dad's mantra was 'if you use it, put it back'. He had a pegboard in the garage with silhouettes for each tool. When he got home in the evening, all he had to do was glance at the wall to see if I didn't follow the rules.

 

[transfixer]

My now grown son was a little younger than your boy and watched me tinker often. I bought him the little plastic set. One day I put him in the fenced yard to play. I noted the lawnmower outside the storage shed where I had left it earlier. A little later I went to put the mower up My boy started saying, I fix it, I fix it. There was plastic tools laying about the mower. I then saw the gas cap off and “additives” protruding from the tank. Pine straw, sticks and dirt had been added to the fuel tank. Remove, drain , clean and reinstall the tank. What‘s a Dad to say, he tried.

That sounds like something my 5yr old granddaughter would do right there !

 

[Ruger#3]

That sounds like something my 5yr old granddaughter would do right there !

I think that was about my boys age then.

 

[notnksnemor]

JMO
If he's interested in tools, teach him the importance of taking care of them.
Involve him in cleaning them and putting them in their proper place.

 

[fireman32]

My pops didn’t really have tools, but somehow I became an autobody guy and now a cotton picker repairman, along with being a full time fireman. Work tools are cared for, nothing worse than being on the road and the one tool you need being at the shop.
Craftsmen is my highest end stuff at home, my boys know to put my tools back. The oldest has started tinkering with his truck now, so I bought him his own set of tools. Money well spent.
At 7, I’d buy yours a cheap set of sockets and some pliers. He’ll be fixing everything.
Oldest currently figuring out the mounting and wiring of a light bar with his set now.

 

[basshappy]

@jdgator I would gift him a set of tools, maybe some used ones from a yard sale, or maybe a new set. This is a great opportunity to get him using his hands and brain, and a teaching lesson on responsibility and organization. All good stuff.

 

[Fan Number 17]

I would get him his own set. Harbor freight stuff is decent for the price and is cheap enough that if it is lost or just gathers dust, no big deal. Every year my grandfather would throw in some tools that he had in my Christmas present, even when I was too young to use them. I still have the majority of them. And some of my best memories are helping my dad and grandfather on whatever project they were working on. And it just keeps getting more rare to see that. More kids are just buried in a screen. I'm thankful that I was encouraged to help an do stuff, an I hope more kids get the opportunities that I did.

 

[basshappy]

@jdgator here is a set I got my boy. He is now 11. He was 10 when I got him this set.

Amazon.com

 

[tr21]

I hate to break it to you, but 10 mm sockets go missing without children's assistance every hour of every day.

But, go ahead and get him his own set, so he too can learn of the 10 mm gremlin at an early age.

somewhere in this world there is a truck load of 10mm, 5/16 and 3/8 sockets and wrenches !!!! I think about 1/4 of them where mine

 

[jdgator]

Thanks all for the advice. If I get him a separate set I will have to use it occasionally to "validate" that they are real.

As we speak, there is a nice little pile of Matco sockets and a 3/8 inch driver on the floor in the garage. My stubborn little boy wants to swap the wheels on his scooter and won’t let me help him. My dad said this is definitely karma.

 

[tr21]

Thanks all for the advice. If I get him a separate set I will have to use it occasionally to "validate" that they are real.

As we speak, there is a nice little pile of Matco sockets and a 3/8 inch driver on the floor in the garage. My stubborn little boy wants to swap the wheels on his scooter and won’t let me help him. My dad said this is definitely karma.

be sure to get him one with the box that has slots for each tool and start teaching that young man after your done to check and make sure he has a tool in each spot !

 

[ScLowCountry]

My dad continued to blame me for losing his tools when I lived 300 mi away. It's just what Dad's do

 

[bassboy1]

My dad continued to blame me for losing his tools when I lived 300 mi away. It's just what Dad's do

Glad I'm not the only one that happens to.