Trampolines.........

[cindys732003]

Yes or no?

We are thinking about getting one (one of the safest completely enclosed ones that we can find)...but I always worry about injuries on them, so I haven't completely decided.......
Do you have one and like it? Have you thought about getting one? Any of your kids been injured on one?

BTW, my kids are 5 and 8, so there would be rules which they would have to follow........

TIA!!

[Joana1n]

My ILs got our kids (ages 4 and 18 months) a little one - it's about 2' off the ground, 8' in diameter, with an enclosure. We've had it a few weeks and the kids love it and so far no one has gotten hurt. Of course the rules say you should only let one kid jump at a time - we don't follow that rule here. I'm sure we'll end up with some knocked heads at some point. :|

My brother has one for his boys (15, 13, 8, and 3). My brother broke his tailbone on it, and the 8 year old broke his collar bone. They have an enclosure as well, but the boys were pretending it was a wrestling ring and threw the 8 year old against the enclosure. He didn't bounce back like they thought he would because it's not a wrestling ring! He went through the enclosure and landed on the ground.

[jessica31876]

My opinion it isnt worth the risk. Ive known people who have snapped bones on the trampoline because they did not follow the rules or they jumped to close to the edge or just landed wrong. Even if they dont break anything there is always the risk of spraining something too.

[maryinaz]

I'm posting without reading anyone else's replies.

NO, NO, NO - that is my opinion.

My youngest broke his leg on one when he was 3 years old (cast from hip to toe) and my oldest broke his hand on one when he was 14 (and no, he was not supposed to be on it). Both were double-bounced by kids bigger than them. It didn't matter that the tramps were enclosed. Kids are going to jump with whomever they want to jump with. They aren't going to think - oh, that kid is bigger than me, so I better not jump with him. And that is where a lot of the danger is. So you either have to be out there policing it all the time, or set a rule to only one person jumping at a time. And kids are not going to like that.

When we took my youngest to the emergency room, the person checking us in said tramps are "evil" and they see a tremendous amount of injuries from them.

The doctor that set my son's hand said "there are only 2 kinds of people who should own trampolines...the very rich who can afford to be sued, and the very poor, who have nothing to lose by being sued." Sometimes your home owner's insurance will go up if they find out you have one.

So there you have it...my, I'm sure, very unpopular, opinion. But it's from personal experience.

[nun69]

my kids LOVED the one they had...my kids were 16, 8, 3 and 2...but the rule was we had to be outside with them if they were jumping...and usually the 2 little kids jumped and then the 2 older kids jumped....we didn't have any injuries and I want to get them another one....it let's them get rid of ALOT of energy!

[*Celeste*]

if your insurance company finds out you have one they'll charge you more.

[Sarah8914]

We love ours! We've had it a few years and it never gets old. My kids are little (6, 4, 2) and they are never rough... I'm sure that helps. They haven't ever jumped with older kids and we probably wouldn't allow that because of the double-bouncing thing. We chose it over a swingset so that I can let them jump by themselves (we got it before #3 was born). And any friends that have jumped with us, would NEVER sue, but I also have heard of printed waivers or whatever to have others sign in case something did happen.

[newfiemountiewife]

We had one and the kids literally wore it out. We had rules on it though, and I think that's VERY important. I don't let any other neighbour kids on it either. I would never sue if something happened to my kid on another person's, but I can't trust anyone. We never had any injuries in the 4 years we had it.

We have to get a new one, ours took a topple during Hurricane Igor last fall, but it was really worn out anyway!

[jacinda]

Apparently the two biggest causes in broken bones in kids are trampolines and monkey bars. In saying that however, we have a trampoline for our kids and they LOOOOOVE it. We hummed and ha'd for ages about whether we get a tramp with the enclosure or not, and in the end got one with no nets. Our girls are not rough and tumble kids, and don't do risky moves that require nets. I've had several friends who have tramps with nets, and they say it actually encourages the kids to throw themselves against the nets and take more risks.

My dd broke her arm on the trampoline when she was 3. I was standing right there watching, not 4 feet away, and it still happened. She didn't get bounced very high, but she was unbalanced, and landed awkwardly. Nets wouldn't have made any difference. the neighbours kids have a trampoline with safety nets, and their dd (8) broke her wrist when she was play wrestling with her brother on the tramp. They weren't even jumping at the time - just landed awkwardly again.

I think you need SOME risks in childhood. Kids have to learn what their safety limits are somehow, and so many activities these days have been taken away from them. I love our trampoline. My kids love the trampoline. We've accepted the risk that comes with it, and you know, we wouldn't get rid of it for anything.

[eranslow]

I haven't read any responses - but I know someone who is now paralyzed from the neck down from playing on a trampoline. It was an adult and she was at a birthday party with her son. I don't know what she was doing on the trampoline but their lives will never be the same because of it. So we will never have a trampoline. Just too many things can go wrong!

[pewtertm]

Originally Posted by *Celeste*

if your insurance company finds out you have one they'll charge you more.

This. When we bought our house and signed up for homeowners insurance, the company specifically asked about a trampoline.

[mariewilcox]

I am in the no camp. Like Erin, I know someone who is paralyzed - my cousin's son. He was 10 and was on the tramp alone just jumping up and landing on his butt and bouncing back up again. He lost his balance and his foot slipped and he landed near the edge and his neck whipped the wrong way. Parents were outside watching him. He's now 14 and can only move his head from side to side.

Just this past week a good friend of my daughter's was on a tramp and lost her footing and her foot went into the edge part that goes around the bouncy part and she tore the ligaments in her foot and sprained her ankle so bad that her leg is swollen up to her knee.

My DD has been on them and enjoys them, but they make me nervous. She loves lots of other risky sports/things and isn't afraid to take risks, but the tramps make me nervous after my cousin's son's accident.

[Julie Billingsley]

have your kids tried it out and liked playing on a trampoline? I've never had one, but it wasn't really an option for us because both of my boys get really motion sick. Jacob played once on a neighbor's trampoline and immediately got sick. Logan hasn't done a trampoline, but got sick after one of those "bounce houses". So, make sure your kids even enjoy a trampoline before making that investment!

The neighbor that has a trampoline had to get a fence around their backyard to keep neighbor kids off the trampoline. They'd come home and find a group of kids in their backyard!

[Nathalie]

We have had a huge enclosed one for 5 years now and the kids (now 6 and 8.5) love it. Our main rule is - one child at a time!

[dana]

i think i'm on the 'yes' side of the fence re. trampolines ... although i do think they can be dangerous. that said, i think most things can be used dangerously if the child is adventurous enough ... i know lots of kids who have been injured on the playground, in the pool, etc. i tore a ligament in my knee jumping on a trampoline in college - required major surgery, etc - but had a trampoline at home growing up and no one ever got hurt. i do think it's a good idea to have a one person only rule, though ...

[joelsgirl]

We had a trampoline growing up {gasp} without netting! ; ) We always had a blast and spent hours and hours on it.

[Leila]

I'm in the no camp even though my boys have a really small one. So small that only one person can use it at a time. It's maybe 6" off the ground. It was a therapy tool for Devin when we first got it. The boys still like to bounce on it, but there are major rules even for such a small trampoline.

Why am I in the no camp? Well, all of the above stories and the fact that Devin nearly bit clear through his lower lip when he fell on a larger tramp. I'd said he couldn't go on it, but my mom decided she knew better and let him on the no net, no edge cushion death trap with a slew of other older/bigger kids at the same time. He got knocked into the uncushioned springs on the edge and blammo! In retrospect, he should have been taken into the ER and probably had stitches. His lip was mince meat. Just awful!! He has permanent scarring from it. I'm just so grateful that his injury wasn't any worse.

[lovely1m]

I don't have a yard, so we don't have one, but I do love jumping on them. If we could, I would get one. Really, I mean, kids are going to get hurt on anything. Last summer, my son broke his leg cause he tripped on a blanket hanging off my bed. So as long as there are strict rules, I think they can be a lot of fun.

[isaacsmom]

I haven't read all the other responses - but I say NO, NO, NO!!!

I work in an orthopaedic office coding claims to go to insurance. I see SOOOO many kids with broken bones from trampoline accidents. Some "minor" like a broken finger, wrist, etc, but I have seen some major injuries - broken femurs, paralyzed kids from broken necks... In my opinion, it is just not worth the risk. Of course kids can get hurt doing the simplest things, but I think trampolines are just way to risky! And if you think your insurance won't find out - think again...we have an E-code specifically for trampolines - so we tell the insurance company that that arm was broken by being on a trampoline.

Also, I have heard that if your homeowners insurance finds out you have one, either they will up your rates or even drop you and not insure you at all. So be sure to check into that. And if other people are jumping on it - friends, neighbors, etc...there is always that possibility that they could try to hold you responsible if they get hurt. You may think you know people well, but especially in this day and age with so many uninsured people, there is always that chance that they could sue you if it means being able to pay their medical bills. Ok, off my soapbox now.

[NettieB]

Definitely in the No camp here.

5 to 1 families we know who own trampolines. 5 to 1. Visits to ER with severe injury - broken collarbone, back or other cervical in nature - and the child in question is under 10.

No Thank You.

And that is before the insurance policy issue.

[newfiemountiewife]

My son broke his leg playing on his bedroom floor. He was jumping up and down, spinning in the air, and got a spiral fracture. He was only 2 1/2 and his dad was right next to him.

Lucikly for us, health insurance is not an issue here.

I loved jumping on ours, good exercise!

[sprauncey1]

Originally Posted by jacinda

I think you need SOME risks in childhood. Kids have to learn what their safety limits are somehow, and so many activities these days have been taken away from them. I love our trampoline. My kids love the trampoline. We've accepted the risk that comes with it, and you know, we wouldn't get rid of it for anything.

How did we ever survive as children!! LOL Yes as parents we need to reduce risks as we can, but we also need to allow them to develop a sense for themselves. Within reason.

We have a trampoline, we bought it a year ago. My kids were always wanting to jump on other kids trampolines and I was afraid more that they would be hurt because they had no experience and tried to jump like the other kids. So we have one at home.

We have rules, I enforce those rules. I asked our chiropractor what he thought and he said that as long as there is a safety net (no flying off the sides- and we have a rule you don't use the net for jumping into) and no jumping a kid higher than they can jump themselves. Oh and one child at a time, mom or dad can be in there but we don't really jump, just let them bounce us. Especially me because after two large baby boys, I cannot jump without peeing my pants darn it!

Yes there are risks that they may break a bone, break their neck, whatever. But my boys are not into sports so this is one of the ways they get physical exercise other than riding their bikes/scooters.

Oh and I let mine climb trees too. I did as a child, Evan is a cautious climber and he loves it. So I let him climb the tree at the park and pray. Ultimately he's in God's hands anyway. He is a little boy, he will find danger no matter what I prepare!

[Julie Billingsley]

Originally Posted by sprauncey1

He is a little boy, he will find danger no matter what I prepare!

Isn't that the truth! LOL My oldest son was in football for years, high school hard-hitting football. He never got an injury. However he has had stitches 4 times and a concussion from non-football things... bowling, a tree branch hitting him, a door at school hitting him, and getting cut while playing in the river, and the concussion from hitting a wall at daycare. Somehow, with my boys, it's never the things that I expect to injure them!

[Sheana]

We just got one about 2 months ago for our girls. They have rules that they have to follow while they're on it but they love it. I'm from the 'they're kids, they're going to get hurt regardless' camp. My daughter fell off the slide on our swingset last year and broke her foot my other daughter sprained her ankle playing Wii. I think there is a certain amount of risk involved with anything and as long as you have rules and ensure that they're followed they're ok.

[pewtertm]

Originally Posted by newfiemountiewife

Lucikly for us, health insurance is not an issue here.

Ours wasn't a health insurance issue (we've got great insurance)...it was our homeowner's that would shoot through the roof.

[snaggletooth75]

i totally wanted to remove all my living room furniture and put a trampoline in there but hubby said NO, isnt he mean LOL
the kids were all for it though

[hmlentz]

My DH is a risk manager... he won't let us get one. Even one with the enclosed sides. Your insurance will go up- which most people don't know about.

Good luck deciding!

[junebug]

i wont ever get one. i fell off of one when i was a kid; flew off and landed on my back. luckily it just knocked the wind out of me. my BIL has one and when we visited him the kids were on that every day. they would bump heads and get mad when i would have the littler two get off so the bigger 2 could jump. just a huge headache for me and i was paranoid that someone would get hurt. my kids want one but i wont ever get one

[LenaGardner]

NO WAY camp here. When I was a freshman in high school, my last final on my last day of school that year was PE. After we ran and did whatever else for our final, we were allowed to play on the trampoline etc and I nearly broke my ankle (and I wasn't roughhousing!). I spent all summer laid up :\ and my ankle has never been the same...I spent a ton of time through high school on crutches where I reinjured it over and over in soccer.

[julia]

I don't like them. I don't like them mostly because of the sound they make. It drives me bonkers when my neighbors kids are using theirs and I'm outdoors trying to enjoy the weather. No trampolines for us!

[Sue Setiadji]

We've had one for many years now and went through the same discussion. I checked online reports and found that the majority of accidents are caused when there is more than one on a trampoline - so thats our rule - and Im the type to ensure my rules are strictly adhered to - I only have problems when other kids are here but my own know that if they are busted with more than one on it - it goes in the next council cleanup they are therefore good at policing too and its within site of our lounge/ dining and kitchen areas.

Ive had my youngest break her arm but it was on a gym floor doing beam with the coach standing 2 feet away. My kids take risks all the time - just stepping into the car is probably the biggest risk they have to take on a regular basis. Ive sprained an ankle playing touch that took me off my feet for 6 weeks and my sister fell down a circular/spiral staircase at Euro Disney and broke her ankle - had 3 pins installed to reconstruct it in a hospital in France.

Think you need to check your insurance - seems thats worth a consideration. We've used it for sleepouts too and pitched tents ontop of it - the kids have had fun that way too. I really believe you need your rules but more importantly - you need to be the type to enforce them without question. Good Luck with the decision Cindy - but you need to make this one for your own conscience.

[Amy Carey]

If the only risks were broken feet, toes, legs, arms, etc I agree, that's just a hazard of childhood. but when you factor in the spine and the possibility of lifelong paralysis simply from landing wrong ... It's just not worth the risk to me. There are some risks you take cause they are part of life, but something that is just strictly for entertainment and fun having that high of a danger , I just don't think it's worth it. We had one given to us and I let my kids enjoy it a little while, but when we moved I said oops it's broken and we didn't bring it to the new house. It made me way too nervous.