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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To cancel the new trampoline?

368 replies

ChampagneWorries · 01/03/2021 09:49

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?

OP posts:
Chewingle · 04/03/2021 14:13

I am also seeing a huge amount of unfit kids post lockdown that may have life long consequences from not getting out to playgrounds etc.

No. Just no. I think we need to stop with such hyperbole.
A year of not doing their very limited sport at school (if state) really will not be the cause of any “life long consequences”

BugsAndBeesAndBirdsAndButterfl · 04/03/2021 14:21

Ive noticed the lack in fitness in my child. Its been huge. We've been taking her out for a walk most days but that's so very different to running in the playground and the natural running they do playing with friends. Also she was doing 6 hours a week of sport that has stopped, and playing with friends in the park etc, as well as walking to school. Going to trampoline parks/ country parks with friends and playing, just everyday was so much more active than this last year.

I'm sure my child wont be the only one affected. Im hoping she will recover the fitness rather be lifelong though.

Chewingle · 04/03/2021 14:40

Oh my children’s fitness has been impacted

But absolutely no chance “life long consequences”.

Rugby, cricket and hockey both back on from next weekend (outside of school)
Full sports schedule at school

They will have a blinding summer of sports

BugsAndBeesAndBirdsAndButterfl · 04/03/2021 14:46

Wow that sounds fab. My daughter's sports aren't til April (indoor!) and wont have a "full sports schedule" so your child will be fine.

Chewingle · 04/03/2021 14:55

I wasn’t worried in the slightest!

BugsAndBeesAndBirdsAndButterfl · 04/03/2021 15:13

Lucky you! Your cgild sojnds very privileged and as you say will be fine.

I hope you can see that it is a concern for many of us. My child has definitely put in weight and has lost the fitness she had. It will take her a while to regain that and has missed out on a lot of coaching. Many cbildren will have been unnaturally sedentary this last yesr.

BugsAndBeesAndBirdsAndButterfl · 04/03/2021 15:14

Gah can't type on this phone. Too many typos to correct 🤦‍♀️

KettleWentBang · 04/03/2021 15:18

We've just purchased one for 3 year old. She's a big 3.. More like age 5 or so.
She's always on others trampolines
I guarantee the 1 person a time won't last her and the others will be in it together.

Chewingle · 04/03/2021 15:30

@BugsAndBeesAndBirdsAndButterfl

Lucky you! Your cgild sojnds very privileged and as you say will be fine.

I hope you can see that it is a concern for many of us. My child has definitely put in weight and has lost the fitness she had. It will take her a while to regain that and has missed out on a lot of coaching. Many cbildren will have been unnaturally sedentary this last yesr.

So A very full and active life a year ago?

Outdoor team sports allowed from next weekend

SansaSnark · 04/03/2021 17:00

I'm not sure the comparison with horse riding is hugely valid - I don't think many parents would just let their child get on a horse with no experience and no competent supervision.

I used to work as a riding instructor and during the time I worked at the yard, we didn't have any broken bones in kids. We did have two children who had to miss out on riding for weeks due to injuries from trampolining!

I think riding has a perception as dangerous, so people do a lot to mitigate the risks. Trampolining appears on the face of it safe, so people don't take sensible precautions in the same way.

Obviously everything has risks but I do think our own ability to risk assess is sometimes skewed.

Although I trampolined, rode, did martial arts and kayaked as a child/teen, and I've never broken a bone so by this thread I'm some kind of medical miracle!

stayathomer · 04/03/2021 17:10

I used to work as a riding instructor and during the time I worked at the yard, we didn't have any broken bones in kids.
That was extremely lucky! (used to work with horses and had a number of children who had sprains breaks etc from jumping or being out trekking etc.) I was one of those people who always maintained that it wasn't as dangerous as people went on but I have to admit now I have older kids I'm so glad they didn't follow me into it

SaifTea · 04/03/2021 17:19

I won't have a trampoline because I used to work in orthopaedics and the catastrophic injuries to children were awful. My compromise was to buy a bounce house. It has the added benefit of being packed away when not in use.

Countrygirl2021 · 04/03/2021 17:39

I'm not risk averse at all. I have encourage children to climb trees,use knives etc but trampolines are dangerous and I wouldnt have one.

JustLyra · 04/03/2021 18:05

@KettleWentBang

We've just purchased one for 3 year old. She's a big 3.. More like age 5 or so. She's always on others trampolines I guarantee the 1 person a time won't last her and the others will be in it together.
I don’t understand this attitude at all. One at a time will last if parents make it last. It only won’t last if you let them away with it after a first time ignoring a rule.

None of mine are perfect, and I’m certainly not perfect by far, but it took one of them being banned once for going on with a friend and they realised just exactly how serious I was.

KettleWentBang · 04/03/2021 18:47

Because I can't patrol it 100 percent of the time. The kids go in the garden alone or all of them together. I'm out there If I'm pottering but if not I'm inside doing bits and looking after the baby. I have one window that looks into the garden from kitchen which obviously I check when in there.

WiddlinDiddlin · 04/03/2021 21:02

Just to counter the 'blah blah dr/surgeon/etc sees so much/would never have'...

My mates a trauma surgeon, their kid caves, skis, climbs, cycles, rides (as do they all) swims etc etc. Injuries sometimes occur, so does fun, exercise, learning, fitness..... what should we do eh, wrap them up in bubble wrap and never let them out?

MiddlesexGirl · 04/03/2021 21:41

If you have a trampoline you really must supervise it at all times.
That's why I never had one as I couldn't be bothered with that level of supervision.

Banoffeepies · 04/03/2021 22:51

I have a trampoline. Im quite relaxed and I’ve never been worried about them until my child had an accident on a bit of spring related play equipment and very nearly lost use of their arm. Now I’m a lot more cautious.

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