I’m writing this post because I just stumbled upon a plastic tote full of kid scissors. Lots of well-made, sharp, and useful real scissors and a few pairs of dull, ineffective safety scissors. I’m no fan of safety scissors, but managed to come up with a handful of reasons you might want to give them to kids instead of real scissors.

You can’t argue that safety scissors don’t live up to their name. They are very safe. “How can that be? They’re scissors. Scissors are for cutting things–and using a device made for cutting tends to come with some risk,” you may be saying to yourself. Well, safety scissor are safe because they are all form and no function. They look like real scissors, but they won’t cut a damn thing.

That’s a bit of exaggeration, of course. I was able to get them to snip a piece of printer paper. But to do so, I had to make sure I was holding them exactly perpendicular to the paper for them to work. A degree or two off in either direction and the paper slipped between the ‘blades’ uncut. I’ve been using scissors for 50 years and struggled to cut with these faux scissors.

Increase Frustration

Want to frustrate a three-year-old? Demonstrate cutting with a pair of adult-sized scissors. Then hand them a piece of paper and a pair of safety scissors and tell them they can cut.

You: “Look Kami, I cut out a beautiful snowflake! Now you try!”
Kami: “My scissors don’t work”
Kami: “They STILL don’t work. Do they need new batteries? Are these really scissors?”
You: “Keep trying, you can do it!”

Foment Failure

The frustration of safety scissors that won’t cut leads to feelings of failure.

Mom: “How was preschool today?”
Kami: “I flunked cutting…again.”
Mom: “What?”
Kami: “I don’t know how to scissor. I’ve been trying for weeks. Teacher is good at it. She says I need to keep practicing.”
Mom: “Maybe tomorrow you’ll do better.”
Kami: “Maybe. Don’t expect a Valentine’s Day heart. I won’t be able to cut one. I’m such a failure.”

Slow Physical Development

Giving up on cutting due to ongoing frustration and lack of success can slow physical development.

Mother: “I’m so glad we could get the girls together for a play date!”
Other Mother: “It’ll be so nice to catch up. Oh, someone fell!”
Mother: “It’s Kami! She fell off the monkey bars again! What’s wrong with that child? Her wrists and fingers are so weak!”
Other Mother: “My Bertha zips across them like she has Capuchin DNA. Of course, they use real scissors at her school.”
Mother: “Maybe we should find her a cutting tutor.”

Curtail Curiosity

Persistent failure and frustration in one area can lead to a reluctance to try new things.

Stephen: “Wanna try the hole punch? It makes holes–and tiny circles.”
Kami: “How does it work?”
Stephen: “Simple. You just squeeze the handle-thingies. Like cutting with scissors.”
Kami: “I can’t cut, so I probably can’t hole-punch.”
Stephen: “Wanna try the stapler?”
Kami: “Nope. I’m not good at machines.”
Stephen: “How about painting?”
Kami: “I can’t, my wrist is probably too weak. Why even try?”

Erode Self-Worth

Handing a child real scissors says, “I trust you.” Handing them safety scissors, says, “You can’t be trusted.”

Bertha: “Kami, I haven’t seen you since that day you fell off the monkey bars and broke your wrist. How are you? It’s been years!”
Kami: “I’m…I…I’m not doing so well, Bertha.”
Bertha: “What’s wrong?”
Kami: “I’m just angry at the world. I used to be so trusting and outgoing and felt so alive. Then the teacher handed me safety scissors. It’s been down hill ever since. They wouldn’t cut. I blamed myself. And why safety scissors?”
Bertha: “You do seem a bit angry…want a juice box?”

(After juice)

Kami: “Did they think I was going to stab someone? Or stand there in the middle of the room and cut everyone’s hair?” I just wanted to cut out some hearts for mom’s Valentine’s Day card. Why couldn’t they trust me?”
Bertha: “You poor thing…”
Kami: “Now, here I am with no confidence, no self-worth, and floppy-weak wrists. Life has no meaning.”
Bertha: “You’re 6. You’re too young to give up.”
Kami: “The world’s a cruel place.”
Bertha: “Look, I can help. You can’t tell our moms. I have what you need over here in this pencil box.”
Kami: “What is it?”
Bertha: “Real scissors. Give them a try.”

We chat about this topic in this episode of the Child Care Bar And Grill podcast.

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