My DSs(6 and 3) are avid trampoliners but are used to trampolines with nets ie they jump high and freely and rush across it bouncing against the sides.
This weekend, DS2 is invited to a 3rd birthday party at a house with a huge trampoline with no net. He's been to the house before, I've let him on the trampoline but have stayed next to it/been on it with him holding hands at all times and to be honest my heart was in my mouth the whole time. It was safer being on it with him because I could make up games involving holding hands, etc. If I ban DS2 from the trampoline he will scream the party down, the hostess will say "don't worry, he'll be alright, my daughter falls off all the time and she's fine" etc etc - not great.
Two weekends later, DS1 is invited to the same house for a 6 year old's party . He's also been to the house and, because I can reason with him more, last time I just banned him from the trampoline. Result? He ran across the garden, slipped, skidded, crashed into the underside of the trampoline and still ended up in A&E!!!!
Needless to say, the trampolines will be more dangerous if all the kids get excited and clamber on at once.........
I do not want to offend my friend who is (i)not from this country (ii)too broke to buy a net just now. But I have gone so far as to suggest that she declare the trampoline out of bounds for the party . I felt pretty aggressive doing that so there's nothing more I can say to her now......
HELP!!!!!!! I think the other mothers will feel the same as me.