Is My Kid Too Young To (Really) Mow The Lawn?! [OPINION]

I am the father of one very hands-on, four-year-old kid. He likes to help out in the kitchen, with the laundry, building things, driving the car... pretty much everything. Yes, I know this won't last forever!

After two years of believing his green Fisher Price lawnmower was 'real,' this summer he caught on to the fact that the grass never seems to get shorter when he drives over it. He said he was ready to mow the lawn with the real thing.

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I had let him try mowing a strip of the backyard here and there in the past, but this year I said 'what the heck' and gave him free reign over the backyard (with total and complete supervision of course).

We go around the yard to pick up toys and look for debris, then I start the push mower and hand it off to Charlie. After giving him some instruction on going (reasonably) straight back-and-forth, he actually does a great job!

I sent the above video to some friends and family and, to my surprise, I got more negative feedback than I thought I would. Some thought he was just too young to handle it, others mentioned eye protection and yet another said he should be wearing steel toed shoes.

I have to admit, I never really thought much of him mowing the lawn, especially under close supervision. Now I am wondering if I am putting him in harm's way by letting him mow.

Where do you draw the line between teaching kids how to do things and the chances they might get hurt? Would you let your kid mow the lawn at his age?