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How do you feel about trampolines?

1K views 37 replies 34 participants last post by  selendang 
#1 ·
I am not a paranoid Mama. I let my kids play outside alone even.
But trampolines make me weak in the knees. My oldest ds was jumping on one once and there were too many other bigger kids on it and he got his leg caught down in between the springs. I don't know what it is, I don't mind skateboarding, roller blading, rock climbing (for my ds that is!) but I hate trampolines. The reason why I ask, is my in-laws have one in their backyard. And it does NOT have a safety net around it. I don't want my kids on it. I think everyone else thinks I am being overprotective.
What do you do?
 
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#6 ·
Oh, I LOVE trampolines! My kids like them, too, but they get to play on one maybe once a year. Only 1 or 2 kids at a time, and certainly not big kids and small kids together. And always a chiropractor appt afterward.
 
#8 ·
My sons love ours. They have even gotten my DH to jump with them.

I am very strict with the rules. No more than 2 people at a time, and if any of the neighbor kids want to jump I have to speak to their parents first. I am clear that they are jumping at their own risk. I actually only allow a couple of kids from the house behind us to jump. My youngest son is very active and when he is feeling edgy I can say "Why don't we go jump" and it seems to help him burn off that extra energy. I think safety must come first though.
 
#9 ·
Our neighbors have one. If they are jumping only one kid is allowed on at a time and I am okay with that. They all love to hang out on it. My SIL has one and she lets 3 or 4 jump at a time and has told us we are overprotective because we only let ours on one at a time. Trampolines are as dangerous as pools. If there is more then one kid jumping at a time it is very possible that a bone will get broken.
 
#10 ·
I think they look like loads of fun, BUT there are just too many accidents from them for me to feel comfortable about letting my kids play on them. Two of our neighbors used to have those HUGE trampolines in their backyards. One caught wind during a storm and crashed into our patio (yeah, we were NOT happy about that), and another caught wind and crashed and broke another neighbor's swing set. Thankfully, that incident lead to both neighbors dismantaling their trampolines. So, not only are they dangerous to your kids, their dangerous to other ppl's property!
 
#12 ·
My husband brought one home a few years back. The kids were pretty little then, and it was no big deal. As the boys got older, and brought friends over, things got out of hand and they scared the begeebers out of me anytime they got near it. Five year olds will follow the rules. Twelve year olds smile and say, "Yes Mom," and then do stunts from those crazy video shows the minute you look away. The thing finally disintegrated in the Texas heat and got hauled to the dump. I couldn't have been happier to see it go. An aquaintance I know who works in an er said she sees lots of trampoline injuries.
 
#13 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by TattooedMama View Post
I am not a paranoid Mama. I let my kids play outside alone even.
But trampolines make me weak in the knees. My oldest ds was jumping on one once and there were too many other bigger kids on it and he got his leg caught down in between the springs. I don't know what it is, I don't mind skateboarding, roller blading, rock climbing (for my ds that is!) but I hate trampolines. The reason why I ask, is my in-laws have one in their backyard. And it does NOT have a safety net around it. I don't want my kids on it. I think everyone else thinks I am being overprotective.
What do you do?
Oh, yes, I am right there with you. Trampolines completely freak me out and I'm on edge the whole time my kids are on one. I hate that everyone around here has one in their backyard. My 4 yo loves skateboarding and that doesn't bother me at all and I've taken my girls rock climbing with no anxiety on my part. I even let them play outside alone regularly. I can't figure out if this fear of trampolines is realistic or not. I'm just so afraid they are going to break their necks, fracture their sculls, or shatter their elbows
.
 
#14 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by springbabes View Post
Oh, yes, I am right there with you.>>>snip
and snip>> I can't figure out if this fear of trampolines is realistic or not. I'm just so afraid they are going to break their necks, fracture their sculls, or shatter their elbows
.
Me too. I am on edge when I see my kids on one. I am afraid of spinal injury.
 
#15 ·
we had a big one when I was a kid and we loved it but it was dangerous. I tore my ACL when I was in third grade jumpin on it and the doctors said I was the youngest they had ever seen with that injury. Also - too many times to count we flipped off and landed on the ground! It's amazing we're still alive when I think about it...but yet it was still really fun!! I have fond memories. Even after I tore my ACL (exploratory surgery, physical therapy, you name it) I would go out there and promise I would only jump with one leg! I would NEVER get one for my kids!! haha.
 
#17 ·
I was worried about them before we bought one, so I did some research. I found CDC reports that said something like 94% of trampoline injuries that required medical care happened when more than one child was jumping at a time. So we bought one, and have a one-at-a-time rule ( which we sometimes flex to two, depending on the kids who are jumping and what they're doing). That was five years ago, though, so I don't have the link handy.
 
#18 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by TattooedMama View Post
I am not a paranoid Mama. I let my kids play outside alone even.
But trampolines make me weak in the knees. My oldest ds was jumping on one once and there were too many other bigger kids on it and he got his leg caught down in between the springs. I don't know what it is, I don't mind skateboarding, roller blading, rock climbing (for my ds that is!) but I hate trampolines. The reason why I ask, is my in-laws have one in their backyard. And it does NOT have a safety net around it. I don't want my kids on it. I think everyone else thinks I am being overprotective.
What do you do?
My kids play on trampolines, but we limit the number of kids to a max of three. I really don't see the point of the safety net, but my kids injuries could not have been prevented by a net. My middle son busted his lip with his own knee and required a stitch. My daughter broke her arm in three places, but that was b/c there were six kids and they were playing a game of jump over me. She was afraid she would get landed on so she moved out of the way.....and got landed on when she moved.

I honestly rank it right up there with the multiple sets of staples/stitches my oldest has required in his head by just playing on a playground or at home. I figure my kids are gonna get hurt and there isn't a whole lot I can do to completely prevent it.
 
#20 ·
There are two trampolines in our neighborhood. One has a net, and the other doesn't. We're moving next month, and I *won't* miss this aspect of the neighborhood! My kids love jumping. I've seen the ER statistics, and they aren't pretty. Trampolines scare me.

I'll let my kids jump, but only if I'm there with them. One of our neighbors has a rule that if other kids want to jump, an adult has to be there with them. I appreciate that rule! I have my own rules - only 2 kids on at a time if they are jumping. The kids like to play games on the tramp that don't involve jumping.
 
#22 ·
Having a trampoline has been great for us, but you really just have to follow simple common sense safety rules: No jumping if more than one child is on and have a safety net and foam surround on the springs. Someone is going to say, oh, my child broke her arm bouncing by herself or some such thing. Well, the only serious injury my kids have experienced has been that my son dislocated his thumb bad enough to need surgery to fix it, from simply running and tripping. Maybe I should ban running then? My husband dislocated both shoulders playing ultimate frisbee -- I guess frisbee is out too? Other parents will be comfortable drawing the line in other places than I am, I understand that. I just think there's a lot of unnecessary hysteria about trampolines -- I don't see bouncing as inherently more dangerous than other active movement.
 
#23 ·
I hate them. They are fine if used under proper supervision and one at a time. But I have seen & heard of too many accidents. It does not take much to send someone bouncing in the wrong direction. Just watch Funniest Home Videos. Insurance companies also hate them. You can find you get higher rates or even refusal of service because of a trampolene.
 
#25 ·
I went on one for the first time in my life, last summer. Oh my gosh! NOT cool! I had bruises for months! And it was scary as hell.


My daughter has a similar reaction to me, when it comes to trampolines. She'll scoot out, do a token jump, and then scoot back off.

My FIL has a trampoline on his property that he keeps there "for the kids." It came with the house. I have no idea how old it is. The springs are rusty and exposed, and the entire thing looks like it could collapse at any second. He doesn't understand why I forbid the kids from going on it. Apparantly, I'm "mean."

I've seen a few that I would consider buying. My requirements are that: 1) the springs have to be covered; 2) no more than 2 or 3 people on it at a time - if the jumping is really getting vigerous, less than that! I hurt myself bashing into my best friend in mid air. We were both crying; 3) must have a full net around it so that nobody flies off. I've seen too many America's Funniest Home Videos skits to know what can happen!

I hope my kids never ask for a trampoline.
 
#26 ·
I think they are super SUPER fun!!

And I never let my children near them.

One of my friends has a great mini trampoline, it is square, less than a foot off the ground, and has a bar the kids hold on to. Great exercise and safe.

The big ones? No way. Been to too many safety conferences at Children's Hospital at my previous job.
 
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