To think the fun element outweighed the risk element?

[PeppermintCreamsSaga]

And you should look at individual circumstances rather than making a blanket judgement?

We went to a family party yesterday. There was a massive 12ft trampoline with safety netting on it, and the kids were having lots of fun bouncing on it together.

Normally I am a one child at a time on the trampoline person because my 5 year old likes to do seat drops, pike, straddle and star jumps which he learns at gymnastics and are best done solo.

However yesterday my 5 year old went on with a couple of 3 year olds and they were having a whale of a time. Lots of little bounces, pulling faces at each other and making lots of "boing boing" noises etc. I did think of my one at a time rule but I thought they are not jumping or moving fast, they are of a similar size, they are all behaving nicely, their parents didn't mind, we were ready to step in if things changed. They are having fun.

Also one of the three year olds has a speech delay and yesterday was the first time I heard him say something that I actually understood. He was repeating what the other kids were saying. His dad, who was watching, looked a bit shocked at that as well.

So anyway, one of the other mums come over because her three year old wanted to join in (I would have made my 5 year old come off) but her one at a time rule was not budging and her child wasn't allowed on, and then told us about the dangers and accidents of more than one at a time and trampolines in general.

I didn't agree or disagree with her, just acknowledged what she said, and the kids carried on. Fair enough, up to her. This thread isn't about us disagreeing.

But it got me thinking. Was I right to let them have fun with a small amount of risk or should I have played it safe?

YANBU at all

I agree with you. Trampolines can be very dangerous, but I think as long as your child is not doing somersaults you're probably ok.
When we were children everything we did was risky. We climbed to the very tops of trees, shinned walls, climbed haystacks, burrowed through undergrowth and cut ourselves to ribbons on brambles, not to mention the fact I was out of the house from dawn till dusk pre mobile phone!

Childhood is too sanitised nowadays. My teens think my childhood sounded great fun, because we were allowed to take risks. You learn your boundaries through risk taking far more effectively than through someone telling you.

Well, i think it does depend on the children as there's one friend my DC1 just won't play nicely with, but i would have done what you did if they were all playing nicely and being sensible (as much as children that age can be). But I am an extremely lax parent so I'm sure we'll both be told we're being UR.

Under those circumstances where all the parents were nearby and keeping an eye on the situation I would have let them get on with it too. I am very slack in my attitude to injury/risk etc and I would have felt obliged to allow the lone three year old have their go by themselves then would have resumed the fun.

I would have done what you did, but it does depend on the children involved!

YENBU at all.

There was no real danger with three or even four small, similar aged children IMO.

I let my 7, 5 and 2 year old on ours together because when the 2 year old is on, I supervise and they play safely with him.

When eldest likes to get a bit more adventurous, the others come off.

She was being silly!

Oops! Ignore the random E!

YANBU.
As long as you were watching then I think it was OK. I am glad they had fun.

I might have given them a little health and safety lecture afterwards to remind them to be careful and to give the illusion that I was a good mum

When we lived abroad I used to let our kids trampoline into our swimming pool. It was brilliant fun for them but they were only allowed to do it with me standing in a particular spot.

Shortly after a 2 year old wanted to get on (with teenage sibling supervising) so I made my 5 year old get off for a drink and rest. Otherwise I would have thought about letting the 3 year old get on by themselves.

Glad I wasn't being unreasonable. (So far!)

YANBU - I had a trampoline growing up, back in ye olden days - so we didn't even have netting! We played on it pretty much every day, in every weather - loads of us. Sometimes we'd take it in turns if we wanted to do somersaults etc, but mostly we were all on it, inventing games and trying to 'dead leg' each other The only accident ever - an adult on it, after a few drinks, fell off backwards Fortunately, she was so 'relaxed' she didn't feel a thinng (until the the next day)!

If they are all of a similar size I leave them to it. Like you, I'd only let the 2 year old on with the older ones if I was watching - but the others - bah - let them get on with it.

As you say, up to the other woman as well what she allows her 3 yo to do - but it was unnecessary to say more than 'No, x isn't allowed on with the others, only on his/her own' then take the child away until it's free. She was BU yapping on about it.

YANBU

YANBU.

Lots of adults around to supervise, and make sure they didn't get too raucous.