To cancel the new trampoline?

[ChampagneWorries]

Dd 8 has been asking for a trampoline for around 2 years. I’ve always said no due to the injury aspect of them but then i came across springfree trampolines. They claim to have eliminated 90% of the injuries children have on trampolines so i decided that maybe i was being over cautious and i should let her have one.

I also have a ds who is nearly 4 but his head is larger than the proportion of his body and he is 30cm smaller than dd.

I know they will be arguing about the one person at a time thing and i am worried about one of them landing funny and causing a significant injury to themselves (more so ds due to the proportion of his head and body)

I know plenty of children have them with no injuries etc.

I ordered a springfree trampoline last night and then after a few hours i decided it wasn't a good idea and have rang to cancel it this morning.

The lady on the phone wanted to know why i wanted to cancel so i explained about ds and the worry about one of them landing funny and causing a significant injury to themselves.

She said there was alot of misinformation online about trampolines and really did the hard sell!

Am i a kill joy?
Am i being over cautious?

[UhtredRagnarson]

The lady on the phone wanted to know why i wanted to cancel so i explained about ds and the worry about one of them landing funny and causing a significant injury to themselves.

You didn’t need to go into any of that. A simple “I’ve changed my mind” would have done.

She said there was alot of misinformation online about trampolines and really did the hard sell!

Well, yes. Of course she did. Her job isn’t to keep your DC safe- it’s to sell products.

[wokeasfuck]

I think you're being over cautious. But I'm of the 'risk and reward travel side by side' camp.
I've always taken risks and I enjoy life. As do my so far I injured kids.

Surely you have to let them do stuff so that they can learn about their bodies capabilities etc.

[Oysterbabe]

Yes I think you are being overcautious.

[trevorandsimon]

Does your child with a larger head have a medical condition to make it so? If so, I would be cautious like you. If not, kids do live trampolines and they provide hours of fun. Are you going to stop bike riding and other fun things due to the risk of injury?

[wokeasfuck]

Uninjured that should say.

We go rock climbing, canoeing, we have a trampoline, they play out with friends in the woods. Life is for living!

[wokeasfuck]

Also we don't even have a net on our trampoline. Fuckinghell I must be trying to kill them!

[TheVolturi]

Yes they can be dangerous, but so can many enjoyable things.

[ShalomToYouJackie]

Definitely being over cautious, will you stop using a climbing frame or riding a bike too?

[MahMahMahMahCorona]

Friend is an paediatric physio. I've just asked, and the majority of her patients are referred to her after sustaining (private household) trampolining injuries. She wouldn't have one in her garden, and she's always suggested that we don't when the question has come up within our friendship group.

[wokeasfuck]

Well it must be fun at your house

[ChampagneWorries]

No medical condition but his head has been notice by healthcare professionals without me even saying anything about it.

I know i can be over the top with safety (i wont let dd sit in the front seat of the car for example)

They do have bikes and scooters but they are not allowed to use them without a helmet.

[Andwereback]

We have a spring free. No injuries so far. Feels much safer than a normal one as there is no way to trap your leg in the springs. We got the oval one which means there are two jump zones so can have two on at a time safely if they are at opposite ends but tbf they still jump near each other at times. It has built their core strength and balance up massively and really regulates them so for me has been worth the risk (and I was a really worry wort about getting one).

[Hankunamatata]

We dont have trampoline as work in hospital and majority of childrens injuries are trampoline related. Its a personal choice.

[Shadowboy]

Over cautious. It seems harsh to deprive them of something they’ve wanted for two years in case of accidents- they could break an arm walking on pavement (as my younger brother did when we were kids)

[Hankunamatata]

And yep op I also make mine wear helmets on bikes and scooters.

[AtSwimTwoBerts]

We've had trampolines for 15 years and no child has ever hurt themselves on one (or nothing that couldn't be easily solved with a biscuit and a hug!) . If you have the proper net and the covered springs etc, I don't see the issue at all.

When I have heard of people breaking arms or legs on trampolines they are always the ones without safety nets etc.

[piglet81]

I wouldn’t have a trampoline even if we had space for it. Much too dangerous.

[TheCraicDealer]

I'd rather sit outside with them and an egg timer and make them switch out when their go is up than cancel. You should be supervising them anyway so it shouldn't be too hard to enforce.

I would also want to use it when they're in bed

Every time they get on a bike, cross the road, go swimming or use a climbing frame in the park they're risking injury. I'm quite risk averse but would consider that the risks posed by a springless trampoline with one user at a time in a supervised situation would be acceptable for the fresh air and exercise.

[kindlyensure]

My mate is an orthopaedic surgeon and he won't let his kids have ponies or a trampoline because of the particular catastrophic injuries they can cause.

That said, we have had a trampoline for years and there have been minor bumps and tumbles but nothing significant.

I guess the orthopaedic surgeon sees the damage in larger or concentrated numbers while we are just one family.

If you are not comfortable and you are going to worry about it, be prepared to police it at all times, or just don't have one.

[TakeTheCuntOutOfScunthorpe]

Don't worry too much about it, tell the children that if one of them gets seriously injured then you will take the trampoline away from both of them and it's up to them to use it responsibly so that it doesn't happen.

There are so many risks to children these days (being run over by a car, cyber bullying, the ever-present risk of abduction, being groomed by the people who are meant to be looking after them such as teachers, climate change, mass unemployment to name but a few of the more obvious threats) that trampolining accidents rates fairly low down the risk ladder.

[ShowOfHands]

I have a trampoline coach in the family and friends who are a paediatric surgeon and radiographer respectively. I would never, ever have a trampoline. It's nothing to do with being a fun sponge or overly cautious in any other direction (the opposite really, my children climb, do watersports, archery etc). Trampolines are not toys. I know from the people above that it's not about mitigating risk, it's about accepting that the majority of life changing, limiting or ending injuries they see being from trampolines. Even no spring, one at a time, with a net usage, the risk is not something you can fully control.

[JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows]

You are being extremely over cautious.

Unpopular opinion - but the way I see it if they get injured they get injured. Broken bones are part and parcel of life, we can't live life like it will definitely happen when in fact it's quite unlikely

[dalrympy]

I'm usually fairly chilled about stuff but my DD broke her arm on a trampoline and I'm def not a massive fan now!

[HugeAckmansWife]

mine love theirs and at 9 and 11 still spend ages on it - its the one things they will actually play on together (and yes I know the additional risk). The only time my DS has broken a bone was falling off monkey bars at the park. As pp have said - you can't stop all risk unless you want to seriously stunt their development. Broken bones etc are not fun but they are not overly common and equally they are unlikely to be life changing. I teach in a school that runs from 3-18 and we always have a number of kids in some kind of cast or crutches due to all sorts of activities. Its part of life.

[ChampagneWorries]

I dont want to be a kill joy but I’am worrying about the landing funny on them and causing a life changing injury.

Dh was also not happy about the cost of the spring free ones!