should juniors be allowed to keep bees?

[Japetus]

When I was at primary school a swarm settled down outside of my rooms window, between glass and shutter. They made combs and I thought myself very fortunate to have them there. I used to spend many hours watching them, but eventually the need for sun and light to enter the room has prevailed, and we got the colony removed and placed in a beehive at the yard. This is how I practically started with the hobby, I was never though allowed to open them unsupervised.
Nowadays, I always keep a childs vest at home for the interested one that would like to come and have a look, but I get the feeling that the urban environment has changed their attitude towards nature, and if someone shows an actual interest, their parents would deny them to come along for an inspection.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

but I get the feeling that the urban environment has changed their attitude towards nature, and if someone shows an actual interest, their parents would deny them to come along for an inspection.

That's the unfortunate thing - we are getting increasingly detached from the realities of food production and real rural life - thanks in no little part to the hand wringing litiginous bunny hugging beef comes from Tesco's in plastic packets honey costs 99p a hundredweight and we should all eat tofu bunch of people who think they should rule the country
(sorry - early start and a bumpy flight from Stornoway this morning combined with a bad back has somewhat dampened my usual cheery relaxed persona)

 

[Travelator]

Lots of people on here saying that juniors should be allowed to join in with beekeeping and manage colonies, with appropriate supervision (which might mean almost no supervision for an experienced and competent 15 year old).

However, I really don't think it's OK for children to "own" colonies outright, without anyone else being involved. It's not fair to load them up with that much responsibility.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's not fair to load them up with that much responsibility.

No - we don't want to prepare them for the big bad world before their 21st birthday do we?

 

[Sir Quej]

Yes they should be allowed, with appropriate supervision. The only thing that springs to mind with me is that I guess there needs to be someone who can be held responsible if anything bad happens, and can a junior be held responsible legally?

I dont know.

 

[Oscarmonster]

Absolutely start them young, maybe that way there would be fewer OAP numpties without a clue on here.

 

[Luminos]

At what point did "children" become "juniors" in the U.K?

 

[Arfermo]

Anyone can keep bees.....juniors welcome !

Too bl...y true. There are some quite silly buggers around who want to regulate everything.

 

[Norton]

Nanny state! I started beekeeping with African bees! I learnt FAST.

 

[REDWOOD]

Yes they should be allowed, with appropriate supervision. The only thing that springs to mind with me is that I guess there needs to be someone who can be held responsible if anything bad happens, and can a junior be held responsible legally?

I dont know.

how many kids own pets and look after them, cleaning, grooming, feeding and walkies, if a child wants to keep bees he/she must be made aware of the responsibilities that come with owning bees and any descent parent should support their child even if they don't like the idea, parenthood is only for a short period of ones life but remembered forever. I think that any parent would be proud of their child who pursues an out door activity and finally not all parents are made the same

 

[dpearce4]

Better to me that they spend money on something like beekeeping where they can learn entrepreneurial skills, and also risk management etc, while being outside in the fresh air. Instead of wasting the money on Xbox or ps3 where they sit in a room alone getting sucked into very violent games and getting hooked on them and then just binning them when they want the new game or gaming machine.

 

[Pete Nicholson]

I'm educating my three year old Grandson in beekeeping - he is already taking virgin wax into school and has a good knowledge of the workings of the hive. This is how it should bee!
He painted my wax extractor this summer (great fun) and was most interested in the product. - and he loves the honey :0)

Pete.

 

[Outlander]

Better to me that they spend money on something like beekeeping where they can learn entrepreneurial skills, and also risk management etc, while being outside in the fresh air. Instead of wasting the money on Xbox or ps3 where they sit in a room alone getting sucked into very violent games and getting hooked on them and then just binning them when they want the new game or gaming machine.

I'm nearly 50 and you’re describing me wow, but hay I have to spend my pittance of a public sector pay somewhere in the winter when bees are not an option. I may even get a pay rise next year the first in two years then I may be able to buy to games in one year.

 

[simoncav]

Junior Beekeepers

In our association we are working with the local Duke of Edinburgh team to encourage teenagers to take up beekeeping to Junior exam level as part of their Bronze and Silver awards.

Most may not take it further, but at least they get a good grounding in bees and beekeeping...

The BBKA is also actively seeking more skilled beekeeping teenagers to put themselves forward for one of the UK national teams (England, Scotland & Wales) taking part in the International Meeting of Young Beekeepers. I helped organise the English team that went to Prague this year and they had a fabulous time competing against teenagers from 16 other countries, coming a highly credible 6th.

In 2013 it will be in Munster, Germany in June or July and we think there will be a lot more countries taking part, so we want to put a strong team forward. Please contact the BBKA office (or me) if you know someone suitable from 12-15 with at least a Basic Assessment.

Simon

 

[dpearce4]

I'm nearly 50 and you’re describing me wow, but hay I have to spend my pittance of a public sector pay somewhere in the winter when bees are not an option. I may even get a pay rise next year the first in two years then I may be able to buy to games in one year.

LOL ur an adult not a kid. I speak from having to deal with the mess these games leave behind as part of my job.

Case in point i had to physically remove an 8in cooks knife from a kid that was waving it 3inches from another ones face today, then phyiscally remove him from my lesson.

He believed that he wouldnt hurt the other kid as he had seen the same things in games and they wernt hurt. He was a 13yo boy.
We had another one turn up on monday with a shotgun and cartrages he bought from someone over the weekend wanting to have "some fun" with phesants, we dont have any at school.

This is the world some of the games are producing. they watch horror movies from 6 or 7 they watch porn and try to get others to do what they have seen. and it is with parents knowledge as they allow them to sky+ it.

 

[Hivemaker.]

We had another one turn up on monday with a shotgun and cartrages he bought from someone over the weekend wanting to have "some fun" with phesants, we dont have any at school.

Sounds like nothing much has changed from when i was a kid, many of us would also take a box of ferrets to school as well, so we could spend the time rabbiting on the way home from school.

 

[psafloyd]

Lots of people on here saying that juniors should be allowed to join in with beekeeping and manage colonies, with appropriate supervision (which might mean almost no supervision for an experienced and competent 15 year old).

However, I really don't think it's OK for children to "own" colonies outright, without anyone else being involved. It's not fair to load them up with that much responsibility.

They also cannot carry liability insurance, which in these increasingly litigious times could mean the difference between having a house and not.

 

[Karol]

I'm nearly 50 and you’re describing me wow, but hay I have to spend my pittance of a public sector pay somewhere in the winter when bees are not an option. I may even get a pay rise next year the first in two years then I may be able to buy to games in one year.

Perhaps Wii Bee would be the best of both worlds?

 

[Japetus]

This thread reminds me also of the fact that the boy scouts of America association used to have a merit badge for children interested in beekeeping. They have withdrawn it now and have it replaced with a more general theoretical approach in 'entomology'.
Main reason was, parents fearing their sons would get stung.

 

[Dishmop]

They also cannot carry liability insurance, which in these increasingly litigious times could mean the difference between having a house and not.

only relevant if the bees were on the house owners property and I cant recall anybody loosing their house because a bee stung somebody.

There was and possibly still is a law that says you should have PLI for radio controlled planes.......... but who has?