Deaths & Injuries - lessons for parents - please read

[pooh2001]

I am reading alot about kid deaths & injuries.
My prayers do go out to all the families for their loss...
But lessons learned, could some have been prevented with better judgement from the parents or guardians ?

1) stay with your kids unless they are 21 or older and independent <-delete
EDIT - ok - for those married at 18 or older...
1) stay with your kids unless they are 16 or older and independent

2) drink water, drink water, drink water - SUGAR drinks do not do much for your body. I am not a doctor, just a Mom. I always have cold water in a jug for my kids and their friends to drink when they use our pool. I make them get out of our pool every two hours to have water and a snack.

3) Use good judgement. Just because your child reaches the height requirements, does not mean they will follow all the directions of the ride.
Do not let a young child - age 13 and below maybe ? - ride alone.
Not just for keeping the body inside of the ride - what about robbery, pedophiles, kidnapping, etc....just because it is WDW, does not mean all guests have your good natured values.

I feel sorry for the familes - but who lets a 4 year old on a ride with G-forces,
who lets anyone under 16 be alone in a pool (never leave kids alone in any pool - unless they have a life guard license & use the buddy system), if any person, any age, looks dizzy after being on a ride -why let them go on again, ask them to sit down for a bit and maybe seek medical help.


Bad Things Happen to Good People (it's a book - you can read it)

But people have to use good judgement where ever they are

 

[umaangel00]

I agree with some of your comments but not all.

1. I do not agree that it should be 21 and under. Legally you are an adult at 18. I think at 16 or 17 you can go off on your own.

2. totally agree with

3. Good judgment should be followed. totally agree.

4. I think anyone under 16 shouldn't be allowed in a pool alone but that is just me.

Most of your rules are good to follow!

 

[yooperfan]

I was married at 19, still 30 yrs later If parents had to stay with there kids in a pool as long as you suggest my parents would have had to come on our hoeymoon. Just a thought

 

[meandtheguys2]

Anyone old enough to drive does not need me to babysit. And I don't believe my children are going to be molested or kidnapped in a ride line.

Dehydration prevention is so easy, if folks would just think.

Interesting how we are all different in our perceptions.

 

[HappyMommy2]

I don't agree with the age 21 part but the idea of making sure kids are adequately supervised, even at a "safe" place at WDW, is certainly important.

Also my personal opinion is that no one of ANY age should EVER swim alone.

 

[kelleigh1]

Yeah, 21 might be a big much. I'd say 15 or 16 is more reasonable.

I do know that far too many parents leave their children unattended and they seem to think that it is ok in a well populated public place. I have season tickets at our local ballpark and I can't tell you how often we see small children, some as young as 3, off on their own. And then just this past weekend we hear a story about the 13 year old who disappeared at Yankee Stadium and they report that dozens of children are reported missing at Yankee Stadium every day. My husband and I were shocked!

Do parents not realize how easy it would be for a complete stranger to walk off with your kid? Sure, s/he's just running to the bathroom. S/he knows where it is and where your seats are so they'll be ok. WRONG!!! The 20,000 other fans in the stadium don't know who that kids mother or father is so how would we know if the wrong adult is walking off with them? And who knows what could happen to them in the bathroom? I shudder to think.

I know that our kids want freedom and that we eventually have to give it to them, but that doesn't mean you can't keep an eye on them.

 

[philaround]

Totaly agree with #3 regarding a child going on a ride alone even if he/she meets the height requirement. We just had a death at Rye Playland Park in N.Y. of a seven year old boy who met the height requirement and was allowed to ride by himself. It was some sort of log flume ride, partialy in the dark. It was just announced today that the child was apparently standing up in the ride car and feel out. He wound up under the ride mechanism and died of a fractured skull.
I do believe that the park needs to take some blame on this incident. Somes rides should have an age requirement along with height. i.e 52" AND 10 years old not just 52".

edited to add: Please note I think a height and age rule needs to be applied for a child to ride alone. If the child is riding with an adult only the height requirement would apply.

 

[Deesknee]

I was married at 19, still 30 yrs later If parents had to stay with there kids in a pool as long as you suggest my parents would have had to come on our hoeymoon. Just a thought

another 19yo bride here. Only still newlywed...only been married 22 yrs.

 

[samsmom05]

Well, I guess that means college is out for mine. Also driving a car. Oh, and camp. I guess she won't be baby sitting either. Of course, my husband would agree when it comes to the dating thing.

 

[WannaBeInWDW]

I am only 24 years old with no children and I have some more common sense than most parents! (Please take no offense!!)

I live and work near Rye Playland and when the story was breaking my FIRST thought was "What parent would let their 7 year old go on a ride by himself that goes into a dark tunnel?!?" NUTS I TELL YOU! It is nothing but tragic and I will coninue to pray for the parents.

I also agree with the OP about children roaming theme parks, amusement parks, neighborhoods, malls, streets, etc BY THEMSELVES! Until kids turn 18, they should always need to be accompanied by an adult. When I was at Great Adventure, I was SHOCKED with how some kids were behaving, cutting the lines, swearing, smoking, cursing. One little 13 year old flipped me off because I actually called her out on cutting the lines. I was no angel, but if I flipped an adult off, I would be so scared of the consequences.

More and more parents are trying to be their kids' best friends rather than their parents. A woman I work with lets her two daughters get away with murder because she is afraid if she forbids them to do something they will not communicate with her. Communication is important, yes, but as a parent, your kids are going to have to hate you at least once or twice in your life.

I will stop because I am rambling! BE SAFE EVERYONE!

 

[Leota]

Anyone old enough to drive does not need me to babysit. And I don't believe my children are going to be molested or kidnapped in a ride line.

Dehydration prevention is so easy, if folks would just think.

Interesting how we are all different in our perceptions.

ITA

I also don't think we should be making judgements against any parent who has tragically lost their child - it's just not the time to place blame - it is time ONLY for empathy & compassion. Those parents are going to be bearing a burden of Guilt for the rest of their lives that you can't even come close to imagining & it's going to hurt like he!! They need the support & love of community like never before in their lives. I think we should step up to the plate & be that for them, whether we know them personally or not.

 

[dizprincess717]

My parents have always said that nowadays parents just do not raise their children properly or watch them properly. I'm not saying that anyone on these boards fall into that category - we all seem to have our heads on our shoulders the right way.

These horrible tragedies all could have been avoided. Who lets a 4 year old on M:S? Who lets their daughter on ToT with a known condition? Who lets someone go swimming by herself in a huge and crowded area?

While I do feel horrible, these all could have been avoided.

To the original poster - 21 seems way too old. I was 17 when I first went off to the parks by myself, and my parents said they'd have left me go when I was 16, definately. I couldn't imagine being 17 and having to be escorted or following my parents around the parks.

Also, I'm not placing blame. I'm simply stating what I (and my entire family) believes is right. No one is to blame.

 

[umaangel00]

I was married at 19, still 30 yrs later If parents had to stay with there kids in a pool as long as you suggest my parents would have had to come on our hoeymoon. Just a thought

I never thought of it that way! I was 19 when I got married and DH was 2 months shy of his 21st birthday. We will be married in 5 years. How embarrassing would it have been to have our parents with us on our honeymoon! LOL.

 

[lillygator]

I think the main lesson to learn is to never take any moment with your children or family for granted.

 

[k_k_100]

I am reading alot about kid deaths & injuries.
My prayers do go out to all the families for their loss...
But lessons learned, could some have been prevented with better judgement from the parents or guardians ?

1) stay with your kids unless they are 21 or older and independent <-delete
EDIT - ok - for those married at 18 or older...

I'm all for this idea! It would make things a little more crowded in Iraq though - all those 18 - 21 year olds who have to have their parents w/ them...

 

[riu girl]

I agree that I wish there were some guidelines regarding height AND AGE. I have a DD who is 8 and about 56" (she does NOT stop eating/growing). Due to the low height requirements in WDW, she feels I should let her ride EVERYTHING. I think otherwise.

 

[MOMOFMNM]

I was married and a mother!!!! And BTW I looked after my mother more than she looked after me whole other story there...

I agree with the poster that says parents are trying to be friends with the kids more than be parenting the kid...

I have this problem with my stepdaughter and her mother but I just keep my mouth shut and eventually....however it must suck to have to actually tow the line while here, which she is everyday because I stay at home with all the kids.

As far as the OP, I pretty much agree with what you are saying but I do give my 10 yo some leeway. If we are at an Applebee's I will let her go to the bathroom and I watch her go in and out and of course I would check on her in 3 mins if she were not back but the reality is, some other kids are sheltered too much and do not know how to react or behave when the parents are not around. Safety is a key issue but they are kids for a short while and hopefully we teach them what they need to know in the real world...

 

[edingerc]

Can't say I agree here.

MS might be a little much for a 4 year old, but the kids riding with Tiger Woods were 7-8, not THAT much older. The cause of death must be complex, as they still haven't revealed it

The girl who had the heart attack (first reported as that)/aneurysm. As far as I heard, that was NOT a know pre-existing confition. She was in great health and ran each day. The only thing she complained about before was leg cramps, which possibly speaks to dehydration, but not a aneurysm.

As far as the last one, this is still a total mystery. The girl was sitting on an island in the wave pool and when checked on, said she was ok, asked to be left alone, stood and died. How could a parent prevent that one?