ds falling backwards on bed

[rebelmama]

We bedshare, so our mattress is on the floor. My 10 month old DS has taken to standing at the head of the bed and falling backwards. Mostly by dropping to his knees and leaning back. He thinks it's hysterical. My mom came and stayed with us for three weeks and was shocked to see him doing it. Basically she said I shouldn't allow him to do it at all and should say no every time he does as he could really hurt himself doing it. In fact there were a lot of things she thought I should stop letting him do because of the danger. We have always let him get around the house and discover his world(within reason). When he started crawling at 5 months we taught him how to back off the bed so he wouldn't hurt himself and within days he was a pro. I am torn about letting him fall backwards. Part of me feels that if he is supervised then he will learn how to handle himself safely. Another part of me thinks maybe I do need to discourage this behavior so that he doesn't get hurt. I do believe in discipline but also feel that if you trust your child then they will trust themselves. My mother operates more from the principle that children should be kept in a padded bubble so that they don't hurt themselves. Would you allow your child to do this and why or why not?

[LynnS6]

Don't send your mother to our house.

My kids stand on the arm of the couch and fall backward onto it. It's one of their favorite wintertime activities! They fall backward and forward on our bed, and it's not on the floor. The fall backward and forward on their beds, which are at least lower, but also have more furniture closer.

I think it's relatively harmless, especially if he's supervised (I mean, you're not going to leave a 10 month old alone, are you?).

[leighann79]

How in the world is he going to hurt himself falling backward on the bed while you watch??

To answer your question, I would let him.

[DivineMrsM]

i am slowly giving up on this fight. i worry when my son jumps on his bed or couch, but it's so much fun for him that he can't stop! lol so i figure if he does get hurt, that will teach him to be more careful about it. i always watch him and intervene if i think he's teetering on the edge, but mostly i just let him do it.

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by leighann79

How in the world is he going to hurt himself falling backward on the bed while you watch??

Yeah, that. He's falling on to the bed right? Not throwing himself off the bed on to the floor? Sounds like a lot of harmless fun to me!

[tayndrewsmama]

I am willing to bet she is thinking of other things. My ds did this and accidentally fell of the edge of the bed hitting his head on one of the peaks of a wooden castle. BUT, he was much older than 10 months and the mattress isn't on the floor.

I have to admit that at ten months I wonder if it is a good idea for the safety of his neck to be doing this, but I haven't seen how he's falling so what do I know? My best friend's ds is ten months old and I can't imagine that being a good thing for him to do at all right now, but they all develop at different rates.

[MammaV]

I fold and fluff up our down comforter so that the kids can fall/jump onto it on the bed. They love it. I'd let him go for it. The bed is low and you're there.

[BellinghamCrunchie]

Originally Posted by rebelmama

Part of me feels that if he is supervised then he will learn how to handle himself safely... I do believe in discipline but also feel that if you trust your child then they will trust themselves.

You sound like a great mama!

DD loved to do this, too. And worse things, including climbing the pine tree at that age, which we tried to make as safe as possible but didn't discourage. At 4.5, she is very advanced in motor skills and her preschool teacher wants us to enroll her in gymnastics.

Trust your intuition

[Dandelionkid]

Yes- we let our kids do similar. One thing we are a little bit scared of is somersaults on soft surfaces. Our friend worked at a major childrens hospital at one time and took care of 2 or 3 kids that broke their necks doing somersaults on couches and other soft things. Can you believe it??!!

[~Amy~]

My 13 month old still does this & he thinks it's hysterical too I'd let him...seriously how is he really going to hurt himself??

[rebelmama]

I don't know why but I wasn't sure which direction the responses would go. He's been doing it for awhile and I always giggle with him when he does it cuz he's having so much fun. My mother was so freaked out by it that it really made me think that I was being irresponsible by encouraging him to do something dangerous. At first I felt she was being ridiculous but then got to thinking maybe she was right. Her fear is that he'll fall backwards onto the floor or off of the couch and really hurt himself. But, as was mentioned...he's 10 months old and supervised every minute. My mother is hyper safety about everything. I was calling her "Safety Sam" her whole visit.

It's reassuring to read your responses. I really felt like it was just fine!

[octobermom]

Originally Posted by leighann79

How in the world is he going to hurt himself falling backward on the bed while you watch??

To answer your question, I would let him.

I agree unless I'm missing something. I'm a HUGE stickler for safety and rules (no slide climbing for this mama ) but falling backwars on a bed is so not on my danger radar.

Deanna