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?

I wouldn´t have one, plenty of other things one can do.

trampolines as dens

Exercise area, camping sleepover, science project (slow mo film multi bouncy balls), den, quiet space for book reading, ...

Get a grip op and let them bloody have one

From a bmj article
‘Although few can deny the fun of this activity, as a matter of public health clinicians should support the following safety suggestions: no more than one person on a trampoline at once; children to be supervised; exposed metalwork to be padded; somersaults and complex maneuvers should be discouraged; falls off a trampoline should be prevented or made safer with methods such as digging the trampoline into a pit level with the ground, putting padding on the ground, and/or adding circumferential netting.’

I don’t know why I’m reading this thread because I am already overly anxious about possible paralysis from a trampoline. Broken bones I can accept but not life changing stuff.

Personally I think trampolines are far too dangerous to be used in private gardens. I accept that there is always some risk in life and he'll probably go on friends' ones, but I don't want to take that risk myself.

They can cause such serious injuries, and injuries are so common from them, it just seems like a risk not worth taking.

Trampolines and monkey bars are a big cause of accidents in children, but it’s up to you, you can’t wrap kids in cotton wool.

Childhood isn’t complete without at least one broken bone 😬😬

I think you are being a bit of a kill joy. We had a trampoline when the dc’s were small, only ever had one injury where o thought dd had broken her leg, sat in A&E with a very large dd shoved in a small buggy, just before we were due to be seen she got out of the buggy and started running around and made a miraculous recovery 🤣.

They had years of fun on the trampoline and the dog even used to get on there with them.

My son broke his leg on a trampoline at his friend's house. It had a safety net.

And springs, for the purpose of this thread, but it wasn't those that did it - he landed badly.

Yes - you can hurt yourself from any activity.

But when you have a piece of equipment that puts strain and can cause repeated falls during use, the accidents and the probability of injury is increased.
One of the reasons is that kids grow in spurts: which means there are periods where areas of the body (bones or ligaments) are weaker as they are expanding. If you then happen to fall that way- on a trampoline or just tripping over the carpet, it’s more likely that this fall will result in a break. This break will heal and often does well - but not all these breaks are easy to manage and some can have longer term consequences

Think you're being overly cautious. My girls have enjoyed their trampoline for the last 6 years. I've taught them rules before using it. Yes they go on together, but keep away from each other and no pushing.

With everything they do carry risks unless used properly, as if kids ever listen and use things properly though. It's the same with dance classes, bikes, paddling pools, anything that seems fun and not done properly can risk injury. If they want to bounce about, why not gymnastics class, or dance class though not injury free unless done properly and with added safety equipment. at the end of it all, you are the parent and you do whatever you think is best for your kids, you have final say

I think the main problem of having a trampoline in the garden is that the majority of people don't use them responsibly. I've yet to see a home trampoline that's used by one child at a time at all times. And plenty of parents do not supervise it. Generally we reduce the risks from other sports by using the appropriate safety equipment but people don't understand trampolining accidents so think that a net around it is all that is needed.

Im amazed at peoples inability to grasp the fact that injuries are more likely and more severe because of height, movement, speed and probably some scientific fact about body mass + all the above. The child doesn't have to be doing anything 'wrong' to be at risk of serious injury and this risk is increased when there is more than one person on the trampoline.

The problem we have is the mentality that it won't happen to us, until it does.

My boys are almost men now and they haven't suffered by never having a trampoline in the garden, nor have their physical skills been eroded because they didn't have one.

If your dc has been waiting for 2 years I would not let them down. We have had various trampolines over the last 20 years, not one accident. My sons have been in A& E several times over the years but no trampoline accidents.

@ChampagneWorries I am on the fence with trampolines - I am definitely not in the "broken bones are a part of life" camp - I know many, many people and the majority have not broken a bone throughout their lives. However, I also think teaching children about risk and risk awareness makes them more confident in adulthood and less likely to suffer the effects of risky behaviour. Trampolining isn't the only way to achieve this though.

I would recommend seeing if there's a local gymnastic class your DD can join - it teaches you balance, how to fall, risk awareness, and, unlikely trampoline classes children get much more "activity time" within the sessions.

@wokeasfuck presumably you have a line somewhere though. There are surely some things that you wouldn't let your child do because of safety concerns? I'm pretty sure you don't let your kids just randomly go climbing on the roofs of houses. White water rapids and canyoning are supervised activities anyway with qualified instructors, life jackets etc. That's not the same as just letting them go swimming in a fast flowing river.

Also my point about absolute versus total risk still stands - one off activities (like white water rafting) are relatively unlikely to lead to injury, even if they are in and of themselves reasonably high risk activities, because you're only doing them once but something that is done day in day out is more likely to result in an injury.

Our springfree is amazing. Much safer than regular trampolines IMO (I had many of the same worries as you).

Lockdown lifesaver here

@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.

This would tell me everything I need to to know.

We are getting one in a few weeks and I can't wait. DS has autism and it's been recommended to us for him to bounce off energy.

I am all for not wrapping up children in cotton wool and not wanting to be over cautious with them.
But when our son had a problem and we visited a whole range of doctors - orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists and more - the one thing they expressly banned him from doing was going on a trampoline. And when he was given the all clear and declared a healthy little boy, I asked them all whether he could trampoline again. They all gave the same answer, which was that they would prefer he never went on a trampoline ever again (and not because of his health but just because they didn't let their own children on trampolines). It really struck me that so many were so against trampolines.

well my friends son was wearing a helmet but yesterday fell off his baike and broke his wrist and collarbone! DD used to do gymnastics - in the squad, competed in school team etc. She still broken her arm doing a cartwheel on the proper gym mats.
there are a lot of activities that do carry some risk. as long as you are strict about 1 person at a time on a trampoline, etc you can minimize the risks as much as you can.

I have one dc who is totally sensible on our trampoline and one who is less so. The main thing for me is for them not to be on at the same time! I would also rather they knew how to use our own trampoline safely than had their first shots round at a friend's house.

i can t believe what i have just read to be honest , we all w at to keep our children safe but we also got to let them be a child

My DS broke both bones in his arm on a friends trampoline. Had surgery, pins inserted, months of hospital visits and then further surgery to remove the pins.
He has two massive raised and bumpy scars on his arm.
I would never have one.

OP, really, girls in particular (because there is so much pressure to the contrary) need to be encouraged to do physical activities that develop their strength, agility, fitness, confidence and 'can do' attitude.

I know you are concerned about 'life changing' injuries (a broken wrist is very unlikely and not life changing...) but being excessively cautious will rub off on your kids and could have life-changing effects on your dds' confidence and ability.
It's great that she has been to a club - she will have had basic technique training.

Encourage her! Let her fly!