What kind of parent are you?
@MommaOfAllTrades (969)
Canada
March 5, 2008 12:22am CST
What kind of parent are you?
Are you the type to allow your children to play rough and deal with the broken bones later? Or are you the type of parent that prevents accidents at all cost?
I'm the type to deal with whatever is thrown at me. If there's a possibility of a cut and bruise by jumping out of the treehouse, we'll deal with it if it happens. I want my children to experience climbing trees, and playing in the creek, try swinging from one bar to another only to miss and try again. :)
Actually, call me crazy but from a person who never had a broken bone (except the broken jaw my ex gave me many years ago) I look forward to the day we are sitting in a room getting a cast applied to delicate arm or leg. Am I a freak parent? lol Alas, 9 and 12 years old and still no broken bones... maybe my grandchildren will enlighten me someday!
Now with that said, I don't purposely send my children to play in the street and anticipate an accident. I do teach them proper safety... how to safely get lost in the woods :) how to safely jump off a moving swing :) how to safely go rock climbing :) how to safely go exploring and learn in your natural environment :)
I can only hope that they continue to apply the safety rules while exploring their boundaries!
3 people like this
12 responses
@sminut13 (1783)
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
well each and every parent is different. for me, i'm more of the trying to prevent accidents type though i won't try that seriously. it's just that my hubby gets fired up easily. i too believe that some things they should experience.
but no climbing trees and all here as it's not that conducive i would say. but i don't hold him back at home just because he gets bullied and hit by other kids. of course, i don't allow him to leave the house to play everyday too. he will take it for granted.
@MommaOfAllTrades (969)
• Canada
5 Mar 08
May I ask how old your son is? I believe I misunderstood your reply. You're afraid your son will take playing for granted?
Playing is an important role in life! Climbing trees is awesome!! I used to love sitting at the top (not recommended) and watching wildlife all around me! Not only did I learn many things including how to balance my weight properly to ensure I don't break any branches and fall many feet down, I got to experience the wonders of bird nests, seasonal changes, and nature watching!
@sminut13 (1783)
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
grins he's 5 this dec. well, haha i guess i mislead you there huh, not really take playing for granted. it's not playing but the fact that i'll listen to his every whims that he'll take for granted. but fortunately for me, he doesn't insist on wanting to play outside unless his friends call him so then i let him out. if he doesn't say anything, then i don't which is better as he tends to stay inside and is interested in reading books. he wants me to read to him.
i am happy at times but i do get tired too so sometimes, i hold back the reading times. heehhe selfish aren't i?
as for climbing trees and all, it's because the environment here is such that he can't climb trees here. we live in a flat system housing here. most of us. so there's usually no trees to climb though there are fences(metal grilles to be more precise i would say) for him to climb and all if he goes to the first floor which he doesn't as we have to watch out for cars. so basically he just plays outside along the corridor that's all. runs abotu here and there, sometimes plays teacher with other older girls and kids his age. not many here though.
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
5 Mar 08
I warn my son to be careful a lot, but he's only 2. As he gets older, I will probably let him do more things, but right now, he gets into enough trouble when he can sneak away, or when he's in his room. I try to keep the dangerous things he does to a minimum. When he's older, I will let him climb trees and everything, as long as he is careful about it.
1 person likes this
@MommaOfAllTrades (969)
• Canada
5 Mar 08
Well considering he's only 2, I can understand you won't let him swim in the river to the closest island LOL
Back in the fall, there was a teacher at the school giving me a long winded speech on how dangeroud tree climbing is, and not only can children break bones, but they can injured their skulls and die of brain hemorrage.
However I injured my back last weekend while toboganning! 6 days later, I was in the hospital because the pain was so intense I was passing out in the grocery store! The doctor tells me that toboganning is one of the most dangerous winter activity because of the risk of brain injury and hemoragge... Shall I put my child in a bubble?? Seriously!
ok so no climbing trees, no sledding, no picking your nose past your bedtime...blah blah blah... LOL
@jal1948 (1359)
• India
5 Mar 08
It is natural to try and protect them selves and their children from every harm and guide them through the stages of life by sharing our experiences, our trials,tribulations,pain and suffering with them so that they do not go through the same.
@MommaOfAllTrades (969)
• Canada
5 Mar 08
Trials and tribulations, yes I agree that good parenting would assist and teach the child not to cross certain bridges and the proper way to deal with the consequences in the event they do.
But I'm talking about a 5 year old playing on top of the monkey bars instead of just swinging on them. Or the 11 year old who tries to ride his bike without holding on to the handle bars.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
6 Mar 08
a recent discussion about growing up in the 50's and 60=s says it all. I am 51 and never had a broken bone...lord only knows why because I took so many chances as a kid. I think it is wrong to overprotect your kids. I as a parent understand why a parent would want to...we never want anything bad to happen to our children but you have to let them live. Teach them safety as you obviously are and let them go! Punishment should only be a concequence of a crime but never a concequence just being a kid.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
6 Mar 08
As someone who seemed to always be in the emergency room as a child, I am somewhat cautious about what my children do..Though I do not exclude them from climbing trees, but I do strictly warn them to be careful and so far, no broken bones for them...:)
@x7heavens (365)
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
As a parent of 7 young children, apparently, I am constantly worried about their safety at the same time wanting them to learn the ropes of life. Discipline, good education, faith are important because they makes us better human beings. We must also show them love, care, attention and impartiality for emotional stability. I know it's easier said than done, but as a parent, we have to shoulder this responsibility so as to avoid them making the same mistakes.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
5 Mar 08
I'm somewhere in between. I don't stop my son from being a little adventurous...but I prefer him being safe. I've had my share of scrapes when I was younger...and expect the same from my son.
In fact, he's home now with a fractured leg...and the funny part is that he wasn't even being adventurous when it happened...he just ran and fell. How can you stop a 7 year old from running? (though I've seen parents do that!)
Sounds like we are alike on the parenting part:)
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
5 Mar 08
I'm for the most part a very laidback casual type mom....I have rules but not major ones..I demand certain things from my kids but nothing heavy..I'm very honest and open with them about everything....NOW..as far as playing rough etc goes...I pretty much let them beat the snot out of each other (playing) and do retarded things BUT not without putting myself into a bit of a panic every time LOL for example..when they do flips on the trampoline..it scared the crap outta me the first several times LOL to the point that I wouldnt look LOL..My husbnad thinks its funny that I'm so paranoid like that but Ive never broken a bone in my body (oddly enough all things considered LOL) and really dont want my kids to either..so when they are climbing fences or doing flips etc..yea I get a little freaked;-)
@dfinster (3528)
• United States
5 Mar 08
I just let my daughter do everything that kids do and if she gets injured I deal with it at that time. Don't misunderstand me, I teach her safety and common sense and it seems to stick with her so far. She's 91/2 and hasn't broken or sprained anything. I guess the best way to put it is that I just let her be a kid and do what most kids do. We have like a 40 acre woods that's running around the border of our backyard which she was never allowed to go into when she was younger. But last summer I took her walking in there a few times and showed her how to follow our paths and how to find her way out. I don't allow her to go into the woods alone though. Other than that I just let her play and have fun as long as it is not something that would be considered dangerous for anybody else. ~D
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
5 Mar 08
I never really had any problems with my kids breaking bones. I guess they were lucky. My oldest daughter broke her front tooth while riding her new bike. I on the other hand was the kid that broke bones. I have broken my elbow, thighbone and ankle. When I grew up I realized that my childhood was a mother's nightmare and an orthopedist dream!
@celia4evr (209)
• United States
5 Mar 08
I don't really know yet because my only child is just turning 1 in two weeks. But I get terrified if he falls at all, or nearly hurts himself. Hopefully I can grow out of this through the years. It's not the most comfortable feeling to have.
