Kids

[cow pollinater]

How old were your kids when you started them with bees? Would you have waited longer or started them younger if you had the chance?
My bees are very gentle. I rarely get stung, even when I do something stupid. My kids are four and a half and two and a half years old. The two year old is to young but the four year old is dieing to tear into a hive, asking lots of questions, and watching out his window every time I check on the hives at my house and begging to go to the out-yards with me.
My fear is that he'll get stung and not want to do it anymore. He's been stung before, but not anywhere near an open hive, and he took it pretty well.
So, what do you think, to young?
Thanks in advance for your time and responces.

[justin]

my son will be 4 1/2 by the time bees wake up here.i am ordering his veil and gloves right now.he does really well around the hives.the several times he has been stung in his life it was yellow jackets,and i made sure he knew that they were not honey bees.thats not saying he wont be stung soon.he is excited about getting started with bees.

[okb]

Son 11 has his own hive and the other one ( daughter) started last year at 4. Both have their times when there not into it but other times they cant wait. But thats kids for ya.

[shawnwri]

The sooner the better as long as they are interested. Kids attention can ebb and flow.

[the kid]

this will bee my 3rd summer with the girls my youngest grand kid that plays with the hive is 3 ,,, last year when he wanted to play with the hives with us ( he was 2 ),, I told him that he will ,, not might , but will get stung ,, and it is going to hurt ... and I told him this each time he went near the hives... did he get stung ,,,, you bet he did ,,,, did he stay away from the hive no .... I tell them that sooner or later they will get stung ... they just say I know and come with to the hives ..... almost all the kids have been stung ....
my hives are inside a fence 20 foot by 40 foot ,,, on 3 acres ,,, and the place they like to play is inside the fence a few feet from the hives ... I keep telling them not to play so close to the hives ,, after saying ''I know ''
its back to the games ... so I say let them know they will get stung and let them work it out for them selfs ... 4 of them want hives of ther own ...

The one thing you should have is a epipen Jr and a epipen Adult .. the Jr pen is half
the dose of the adult ,,,,, and no you can not give just half the adult epipen ,, for the Jr ... Its all or none ... but you can give 2 of the epipen Jr for the adult ...

the kid

[Irene S]

The one thing you should have is a epipen Jr and a epipen Adult .. the Jr pen is half
the dose of the adult ,,,,, and no you can not give just half the adult epipen ,, for the Jr ... Its all or none ... but you can give 2 of the epipen Jr for the adult ...

the kid

Epipens have epinephrine, you'd really only need it if you're really allergic and go into anaphylactic shock. Otherwise, an antihistamine or anti inflammatory should work fine.

You CAN get epipens in Canada without a script and they DO carry an expiration date. You'd also have to know how to use it.

More people are allergic to aspirin than bees. Just some food for thought.

[deknow]

it should be noted that an epipen is not a cure. ...it is a stopgap measure. an epipen should never be used unless you are also going to the hospital.

deknow

[bigeddie]

Just carry a small jar of clorox bleach, when a sting occurs, use it straight from the jar on the sting. The pain will go away quickly, worked on my kids. My kids are in their late 30s now, but they were stung many times when little, and always came back for more.

[MichelinMan]

This is an interesting topic. How many of you actually carry an epipen when out in the field? I`ve been stung many times and I know I am not allergic, but what if you have a visitor come with you who has never been stung... Do you have an epipen for "just in case" use?

[Robee]

I have 2 grandsons that would fit right in with beekeeping. The eldest turning 6 soon. I have another 6 year old grandson that I believe would not do well. They all have different personalities.
I did find some pictures, in another forum, that I absolutely love. Someone elses grandsons. They obviously have always been around bees and certainly have never learned fear of bees. I am sure it would be OK to link to them as that forum is public too.
Check them out,
Rob

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=10139.0

[Irene S]

it should be noted that an epipen is not a cure. ...it is a stopgap measure. an epipen should never be used unless you are also going to the hospital.

deknow

you're 100% right.. it buys you 20 minutes (or that's what I've been told).

and you have to know how to use it properly. None of this 'reading the directions while your throat is swelling up' nonsense.

that said.. I have no idea where mine is and I suspect it's expired. (my allergy isn't to bees btw.)

[irwin harlton]

My grand children have helped me, I suit them up as if they are going into space,none have been stung yet,
I try to remember that a sting can kill a mouse and these little people 50- 75 llbs are going to feel more pain than me, remembering eons ago when I was a kid how painfull a sting seemed to be
interesting comment about the javex, more comments welcome



irwin

Being lucky can sometimes overcome a lack of preparation. The only problem is that you can't plan on being lucky

[MountainCamp]

My youngest started @ about 3 1/2.
So he now has 6 years under his belt keeping bees.
He "claims" about 1/2 the hives as his.

[Jeffzhear]

Of my three sons, the youngest, now 16 is showing an interest...I hope one of the boys carries on in the footsteps...:)

[beyondthesidewalks]

I have six kids. They all have an interest in the bees. They have seen me get stung and not make a big deal out of it. When they get stung, they don't make that big a deal of it.

I have acreage but some hives are right behind the house. There are always bees around the house, in the garden and wherever there's dripping water. My kids are used to the bees and they all want to work the hives with me. They argue over who gets the privilege.

Their favorite part of beekeeping is processing honey. They love to get cappings right from the frame as it is cut. We think that honey tastes the best just after it is uncapped.

I guess the point is the more they are exposed to bees, the more used they'll be to them. More is caught than taught.

[Benton2569]

This is a great question - my son is 8 and this is the year I am going to have him help out. My hope is that by assisting and trying to make it fun versus a chore he will become interested. If not it is back to business as usual - another one of my hobbies.

[greenbeekeeping]

My son is 1. I started him watching the bees with me last fall. We would sit outside by the hives and watch them fly. Now he walks. We take him out front and he runs out back to the bee hives. Hopefully him and his sister both take to the bees as they would be third generation beekeepers.

[Michael Bush]

My kids never showed any interest. My grandkids did. They were in the beeyard in a full suit, when they were four. But they aren't much help. :)

[AstroBee]

My son started going to the hives with me at about 3 1/2, mostly to give mom a break. Now 2 years later he goes with me quite often, not necessarily a big help, but he keeps the smoker going and has a good eye for spotting queens. Its a great father son experience and still gives mom that needed break. I always keep him in a full suit. He was stung once when he was very young (doesn't really remember) and is very curious about bee stings. I'll try may best to avoid the reality of a sting as long as possible, because I'm pretty sure that would end our weekend fun.

[xC0000005]

My oldest is 12 and the first time out with the bees she got stung and had a full blown reaction with throat swelling up & all that fun stuff. She doesn't help with the bees now. My son is 4 and claims he will be a keep-bee'er one day. This year I plan to take him out and let him see the bees.

As for the epi-pen, my wife and daughters need and use them and they do not buy you any a set amount of time. They effect different people in different ways. If you need to use an epi-pen, you need to go to the emergency room because if the reaction is continuing after it wears off you will be in a world of hurt.

[Chef Isaac]

XC has the cutiest little boy.

[KYBeeboy]

My son was 6 last year when he started. He has one hive behind the house and is ready to sell some honey this year. He comes with me to the hives all the time. He has the smallest bee gloves that I could find. The suppliers are rather lacking in child size bee suits! Good Luck to ya'll this year!

[the kid]

I agree the eipen only buys time ,,, but Im abit of a drive away from a hospitable ,,,, If some thing would happen ,, by the time any help got here or you got there ,, they would be pulling the sheet over your head... any way the price of a pen to me is worth it .... As for were they are ,, mine are on top of the key box ( but not in the sun ) and in black letters on the box it says kids on one and adult on the other .. that way they can bee seen and all know were they are ... I sure would have a hard time living with my self if someone was dead, because I didnt have one .... and yes they expier , but get them know and they should b good til fall,,, now this spring the ones from last year will bee used to show all how they are to bee used ,,, on a doll from the thrift shop ,, not on me...
kids take things the way they see adults act ... If you act like a sting the most painful thing you ever felt ,,, so will they ..
the kid