Comments on Reach Upward: Jumping for Freedom

Frank, I have fond memories of making myself very ...

2008-07-09T17:19:00.000-06:00

Frank, I have fond memories of making myself very dizzy on many a playground merry-go-round. The last one I can remember seeing was in about 1990.

TOG, my backyard neighbors' kids used to frequently jump from the roof of their shed onto their trampoline, although, I couldn't fathom how this behavior could be acceptable. Unfortunately, one time when a visitor tried it, he ended up coming down on his head next to the shed instead. That boy will have lifelong problems. My neighbor's family finances were nearly ruined. Serious injuries of that nature can be avoided by insisting on a few simple rules.

All outdoor activities involve some risk. Informed people are capable of determining for themselves how much risk they can accept and how to mitigate unacceptable risks.

Or, I guess the kids could just play video games in the basement all day long instead.

We had one growing up and loved it, and I just got...

2008-07-09T11:18:00.000-06:00

We had one growing up and loved it, and I just got one for my own family about 6 months ago and it's the hit of the neighborhood.

Trampolines are a blast, but they can cause injuries. Just like pretty much every other activity a kid does.

As to the larger point of safety Nazi's and organizations that have to prove they're "getting something done", it's some great food for thought.

I would never make my kids grow up without a tramp...

2008-07-09T08:53:00.000-06:00

I would never make my kids grow up without a trampoline.

Great post.

Many years ago, in my own youth (though at an age ...

2008-07-09T08:42:00.000-06:00

Many years ago, in my own youth (though at an age I should have known better), I jumped onto a trampoline from a significantly higher spot, like, say, the peak of our split level house., for example. The result was a broken ankle as a result of my weight carrying me down, hitting my ankle underneath the trampoline. The sound and feeling of that was enough for me - I stopped using the trampoline thereafter. Oddly we have a trampoline at our house, but it has some pretty strict rules as regards its uses.

As for my ankle, it is still weak, and will turn over and sprain WAY too easily. Which was not fun later as I chose to play competitive volleyball. Let's just say there was MUCH sports tape used. Luckily it seems we will escape a serious trampoline related injury, as our kids are getting older and the trampoline will likely be gone in the next year or so. However, I note that my injury was at an older age, so I guess we'll see if the apple truly does not fall far from the tree, or if there has been significant evolution of my species to weed that event out of the fiber of my children's beings.

On a similar note: Where's the last place you've s...

2008-07-08T20:54:00.000-06:00

On a similar note: Where's the last place you've seen a merry-go-round in Utah? They used to be everywhere. Ironically, a recent news story showed how BYU students used third-world kid-power to propel none other than a merry-go-round to generate electricity.

About 10 years ago, we though my 3-yr-old daughter had drunk antifreeze, so we called the poison control hotline. They said to get her to an emergency room pronto. When we pieced the puzzle together and realized that she couldn't have lifted the full gallon jug of antifreeze and that she had actually drunk some water out of her nearby play-kitchen sink, we didn't take her in. We were hounded for two days by call backs as though we were unfit parents for not having taken her to our local hospital. Interestingly, without asking us personally, they knew that we hadn't gone to the hospital.

;-(