Would you let your child(ren) participate?

[Fintastic]

DD is 5½ and attends daycare. During the summer they have a bunch of activities scheduled, including regular trips to an indoor trampoline place. I'm leery of trampolines to begin with, but they sent home a waiver that each student's parent must sign before they can participate. A few highlights:

I agree not to sue if DD gets hurt in any way, whether it's by her own doing or somebody else's.

I acknowledge that that activities as XXX entrail known as well as unknown risks that may result inphysical and/or emotional injury, death, paralysis, sprains, broken bones, bumps, bruises, etc. and I assume responsibility for all risks.

I agree that I have enough medical coverage to take care of DD if she gets hurt OR if she hurts somebody else.

Etc.

I'm not a helicopter parent. There are just a few things that are outside of my comfort zone and trampolines are one of them. The form sent home states that the place will open early for the daycare class and the teachers and trampoline staff will be there to watch them, so that makes me feel a little better. (I.e., it doesn't sound like there will be bigger kids there at the same time - big bodies and little bodies don't mix on a trampoline.) Plus the form states that if a child doesn't have permission to participate, s/he has to sit on the sidelines and watch until it's time to go back to school. How sad is that? (And of course DD loves trampolines; she's allowed to jump supervised at my sister's.)

So would you sign the waiver and let your child participate?

 

[WDSearcher]

How much do you trust the daycare place in general? Have there been injury problems or situations where you feel bad judgement has been used?

If I liked and trusted the daycare workers and have never had any reason to think that they wouldn't take excellent care of my child, then yes ... I would allow my child to participate. I mean, if my child is happy, well taken care of, well looked-after, and healthy at this daycare center, I would have no reason to believe that my child wouldn't be if these same people are now taking her to a trampoline place. Plus, your DD is familiar with trampolines and has been on them before and, it would seem, has never had a problem.

If I wasn't 100% sure of the people monitoring the trampoline or if my child had never jumped on one before, I might be a bit more wary.

 

[mickeyboat]

I am not a trampoline lover either.

My DDs did gymnastics when they were little, and a trampoline was part of their activities. There are specific rules about trampoline use meant to minimize the chance of injury. The coaches were trained in which kinds of jumps were o.k. and which weren't. The trampoline was properly padded and inspected.

I would allow my girls to participate if I was satisfied that the trampoline place followed safety guidelines.

 

[sbell111]

Given that I chose them to be my daycare provider, I might possibly defer to their judgement and allow it. More likely, I would want to talk to them and the trampoline people to get a better feel of the actual dangers involved and how these are mitigated.

 

[Robinrs]

When I was working at Sam's Club they had a HUGE trampoline on display on the ceiling. They could not put it where kids could get to it because they were not insured for it.

When I found out that if you own a trampoline it can hike or cancel your home insurance, I wondered why bother with those things in the first place???

I wonder why the daycare would chose something that risky as an activity? There are so many other forms of summer activity that doesn't require disclosure or permission, that sounds weird to me...

 

[suzannen]

I voted 'no' because my brother suffered a severe neck injury when on a trampoline. He was jumping safely, but another kid jumped on suddenly in the middle in such a way, that it threw three kids into each other and all were injured. Just too risky and too many other safer activities to do.

 

[C.Ann]

No.. Trampolines are a big "off limits" in our family and always have been..

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Not a trampoline lover here but waivers are always signed at gym-type places, so that is not an issue with me.

If you trust the daycare to supervise then I would let her participate.

 

[Colleen27]

I'd allow it, but I'm not uncomfortable with the indoor trampoline places I've been to. I don't like backyard trampolines because they are too often poorly installed, poorlay maintained, poorly supervised, or some combination of all three. The local indoor trampoline place, on the other hand, is well maintained and has strict rules and ample supervision.

That scary waiver is pretty standard of physically active field trips, IME. We've had to sign something similar for DD's Girl Scout trips to go horseback riding, roller skating, and to a local ropes course/climbing wall.

 

[luvsJack]

Have you been to this trampoline place? At all the local gymnastics places they have trampolines but they are all installed so that the floor level is brought up to the edge of the trampoline and there is cushioning all around it. If they are something like that and not "free standing"; I wouldn't have a problem with it.

 

[Liberty Belle]

DD is 5½ and attends daycare. During the summer they have a bunch of activities scheduled, including regular trips to an indoor trampoline place. I'm leery of trampolines to begin with, but they sent home a waiver that each student's parent must sign before they can participate. A few highlights:

I agree not to sue if DD gets hurt in any way, whether it's by her own doing or somebody else's.

I acknowledge that that activities as XXX entrail known as well as unknown risks that may result inphysical and/or emotional injury, death, paralysis, sprains, broken bones, bumps, bruises, etc. and I assume responsibility for all risks.

I agree that I have enough medical coverage to take care of DD if she gets hurt OR if she hurts somebody else.

Etc.

I'm not a helicopter parent. There are just a few things that are outside of my comfort zone and trampolines are one of them. The form sent home states that the place will open early for the daycare class and the teachers and trampoline staff will be there to watch them, so that makes me feel a little better. (I.e., it doesn't sound like there will be bigger kids there at the same time - big bodies and little bodies don't mix on a trampoline.) Plus the form states that if a child doesn't have permission to participate, s/he has to sit on the sidelines and watch until it's time to go back to school. How sad is that? (And of course DD loves trampolines; she's allowed to jump supervised at my sister's.)

So would you sign the waiver and let your child participate?

Both my sons take gymnastics and use the trampolines. Most gymnastic places require that only one child be on a trampoline at a time. Yes, I'd let my child participate IF there were going to be people there who regularly teach gymnastics.

 

[minkydog]

No, I would not let my child participate in the trampoline activity. Call me crazy, but as a pediatric nurse I have cared for some kids with horrifying injuries due to playing on trampolines. Even when they use them correctly, accidents can happen.

No sir. Not after caring for a 9yo who went from normal 4th grader to a child in a semi-conscious state, wearing diapers and unable to recognize his parents in one morning. That child spent 9 months on inpatient rehab, missed nearly a year of his normal life. I will never see the need for my child to jump on a trampoline.

 

[happygirl]

I would, we have a trampoline here and the kids love it

 

[Grandmax3]

Have you been to this trampoline place? At all the local gymnastics places they have trampolines but they are all installed so that the floor level is brought up to the edge of the trampoline and there is cushioning all around it. If they are something like that and not "free standing"; I wouldn't have a problem with it.

My high school class is responsible for the no trampolines in Md schools law as we had a horrific accident occur. that said if the trampolines are in stalled in the floor it is proven that it is a safer way to play . I would have to go to the site and see for myself what safety rules are in place.

 

[boltfans]

I assume this is some type of gym place? If so, then yes, I would let my child participate. Both of my kids are in gymnastics and they use trampolines there. They are supervised, only one child allowed on a trampoline at a time, must stay on the "X" in the middle, must have socks on for the looser mesh (so their toenails don't get ripped), hair has to be pulled back, and probably some other rules I am forgetting. The kids use the from 18 months on up.

Now, that said, I wouldn't buy a trampoline for my yard or anything, i don't feel those are safe as I am not sure how I would install one well, nor do I really know how a child should be using one, plus trying to keep just one kid on it would be hard at home. But at their gym it is totally fine with me.

And we have to sign that same waiver. In fact, we had my 5yo's birthday party at that gym and all the parents had to sign the waiver too.

 

[HelenePA]

I would let mine, of course I'd take them there myself if we had a cool place like that around me!

 

[fall08CP]

I completely bashed my lips open and cracked a front tooth in half on a trampoline in the 4th grade. They said I could have easily been paralyzed due to the way I fell on it. I am now (understandably) very wary with trampolines. I have a parially numb lip and stitch scars for the rest of my life. It so wasn't worth it. Obviously I was in the minority as most people are just fine, but I wouldn't take the chance again.

 

[anniemae]

No, I would not allow it. I have a friend who is a pediatrician and she sees a ton of kids who get injured on trampolines. Just not worth it in my opinion.

 

[carrollchristoph]

Is it an indoor trampoline place or an indoor bouncy house place (like JumpZone)? If you trust the daycare supervisors, the bouncy house place is probably significantly safer than a backyard trampoline.

 

[Stacerita]

I probably wouldn't. Seen way to many accidents on trampolines come through the ER. Not worth it.