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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think getting hit by a swing

110 replies

RalphLaurenLover · 02/03/2014 09:50

To think getting hit by a swing Is a life lesson? Everyone does it at some point at least once!

A friend and me took our dc's to the park yesterday and a lady was pushing her DS on the swing, friends little boy run out behind it and nearly got hit the lady then told my friend she needed to "take better care of her DS" as a "good mother wouldn't let their kid run around the park like that" Hmm

I did have a word with her stating that she could of just said be careful and moved on but she was having none of it because we'd obviously left out super mum powers in the car Hmm even if she ran she wouldn't of caught her DS in time
I mean everyone in their life gets hit by a swing at some point right? I mean that's how we learn to not run behind or in front of a swing when it's moving Grin yeah it hurts but that's life

OP posts:
Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 02/03/2014 11:37

Frances

She said to her "If he had been hit It would of been your fault he shouldn't of run round the swing,"

I understand that ideally nobody wants their child to be hit by a swing, I won't be pushing my child into one don't worry. I constantly tell him not to run behind/in front of the swing but he gets rather excited when he goes to the park and just runs it's not a very big park but not small.

If it was me I would of just said "be careful sweetie, I don't want you to get hurt" and left it. Not rant on about how we're all bad mums because we're tied to our children

OP posts:
Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 02/03/2014 11:38

Argy I survived after being hit by a swing, as did everyone else I know.

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 02/03/2014 11:40

I was never hit by a swing as a child.

DH was hit by a swing when he was about 4 or 5. He still has the scar by his eye to prove it.

Sirzy · 02/03/2014 11:41

well what she said was actully right really. It would have been the mothers fault - if anyones - because she should have been ensuring he wasn't in danger.

I know people who have survived being hit by a car, not something I would encourage people to try though!

Pumpkinpositive · 02/03/2014 11:44

Argy I survived after being hit by a swing, as did everyone else I know.

And I survived being ejected from a crashed car into a frozen field in subzero conditions at the age of 4 months.

Still something I'd think of as being rather a chancy business though. Hmm

unlucky83 · 02/03/2014 11:52

Ralph maybe she had experience of being hit by one - not just a bump but a nasty one - one that had done real damage...
Yes - she may have overreacted - but she got a fright...
And talking about H&S - does everyone have those big swings - a semi circle net thing? We have them in a couple of parks that have been furbished ...
I've never liked them much because DCs don't have much to hold onto and my DCs prefer 'proper' swings -I've always been a bit worried about them falling out ...
Anyway I saw the ambulance out to an older child (12-13 ish) who'd been hit on the hip by it when she was pushing - apparently they suspected a fractured pelvis...another thing to be wary about ...

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 02/03/2014 11:55

Sorry, but if you are constantly telling him not to run across the swings and he still does it you need to position youself where you can stop him, or keep him closer to you. You can supervise them properly without being stuck to them like glue.

Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 02/03/2014 11:56

Safe to say I was never cut or scared by a swing. I got a bruise that's about it.

pumpkin I have never personally known anyone to die from a swing, be paralysed or cut.

I only known three people to brake a bone; my friend slipped on a sock and broke her leg, my brother jumper out of a tree and broke his arm and I shut my hand in the door and broke my finger.

unlucky we have them big net swings, I personally like them but wouldn't put my DS in them because he'd try and get out

OP posts:
Sirzy · 02/03/2014 11:57

Do you really need to have seen serious injury in order to be able to appreciate that something is dangerous?

Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 02/03/2014 11:59

Sirzy Generally you get hit by someone's feet if you walk past a swing as they're swinging.

I've never heard of anyone been paralysed from an empty swing. It's a very slim chance for you to miss their feet and hit the rubber seat

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Goldmandra · 02/03/2014 12:00

It depends partly on how old the child is.

I wouldn't allow a two or three year old to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe around a swing because they aren't old enough to remember for long enough and because they are more likely to be hit on the head when the swing in at its lowest point and travelling fastest. That makes serious injury more likely.

I wouldn't feel obliged to follow a five or six year old around but I'd still warn them and remind them because children do forget and they could still be badly injured if they were hit.

There are times when it's a very good idea to allow children to learn to risk assess for themselves through experiencing natural consequences but I don't think this is one of them. The combined weight and speed of a child swinging are enough to cause a very serious injury if the impact is to a child's head or neck.

A good mother would try to keep her child safe whenever possible but good mothers are human, get distracted, make mistakes, etc and this lady needn't have been so rude about it. I think I would have simply offered to stop the swing while she came to retrieve her child.

BertieBottsJustGotMarried · 02/03/2014 12:01

I've never been hit by a swing Hmm I was always told to give them a wide berth as they swing out further than a child expects. I am quite able in adulthood to get out of the way of moving things Confused

I do the same for DS.

Unlucky those swings are very safe for the swinger. Centrifugal force keeps them on it. They are designed for disabled children who can't sit on a normal swing and are too big for baby swings.

Sirzy · 02/03/2014 12:01

You do realise that being hit by someones feet when they are swinging could easily make someone fall with enough impact to cause serious head injury?

I dont see what the issue is, you know your child tends to run behind swings so therefore until he understands properly the risk YOU have to stop him doing so.

BertieBottsJustGotMarried · 02/03/2014 12:03

Yeah, being hit by feet on a swing has to be a harder impact than being kicked in the head by a bigger child. I would be horrified and think potential serious injury if I saw a child be kicked in the head, a swing isn't much different.

Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 02/03/2014 12:05

Sirzy
Generally you just fall to the floor on your arse, you get back up dust the woodchips off and carry on running. that's what I did when I was little anyway

It wasn't my son running behind the swing.

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Sirzy · 02/03/2014 12:07

You have already said you have to often shout at him to keep out the way, but seem to think him getting hurt would be funny

Perhaps you should walk infront of a swing and ask an adult to swing and kick you in the head see what happens? I bet you wouldn't be quite so laid back then.

Pumpkinpositive · 02/03/2014 12:09

Generally you just fall to the floor on your arse, you get back up dust the woodchips off and carry on running. that's what I did when I was little anyway

I seriously doubt there are many young children who've just been kicked about the head/face/body get up and do that.

You must have been the exception to the rule.

And it sounds as if it happened to you more than once. Why did you keep going back for more?

bragmatic · 02/03/2014 12:11

The woman sounds like a complete knob.

Goldmandra · 02/03/2014 12:11

I have never personally known anyone to die from a swing, be paralysed or cut.

I don't know any children who have been killed in RTAs while not wearing a seatbelt. There's a very slim chance of it happening to my children but I still make sure they are wearing theirs.

It's a very slim chance for you to miss their feet and hit the rubber seat

You are very likely to be hit by the seat if you walk behind a person swinging.

Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 02/03/2014 12:13

I was never kicked in the face, the chest yes but I got back up. Never heard or seen it happen to anyone.

Swings never use to be on the same par as getting hit by a car, I mean we use to lye underneath them and have people jump off. Nobody ever got jumped on. Hmm must of been the luckiest kids around

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MrsDeVere · 02/03/2014 12:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sirzy · 02/03/2014 12:15

Just because something didn't happen to you doesn't mean it isn't dangerous.

You seem to be taking your "let them run around" stance to the extent where it becomes more dangerous for a child than following them around. Children need to be TAUGHT to risk assess, and leaving them to get injured doesn't do that.

HuskyBlueEyes · 02/03/2014 12:15

Oh deary me I remember clear as day we used to PLAY a game which involved running between the swings and don't get hit.

I wasn't quick enough and my god that hurt... The next girl wasn't either and was sent flying.
I was about 8 though... Never hit when younger I don't think.

merrymouse · 02/03/2014 12:16

YABU because he was getting in the way.

She was probably frustrated because her child couldn't just enjoy the swing.

If you want your child to experience getting knocked over fine, but don't inconvenience other people.

HuskyBlueEyes · 02/03/2014 12:16

It was called Chicken!!