I don't know if I want to make a rule that my people can't jump on trampolines anymore, but I have been hearing some stories about them since Julia's accident. Yesterday, when I picked up Julia's books from school, her teacher told me of her brother breaking his neck and becoming a quadraplegic forever after a fall on or from the trampoline. A woman in the waiting room of the surgeon told me her son broke his leg in two places on the trampoline. Our scout leader told me she, a sister, and their friends jumped on their trampoline all together all the time and survived with no injuries. Her telling me that and my recalling how often I jumped on a trampoline and never got seriously hurt make me think that I don't want to over-react because of this or the other stories I have been hearing; broken arms, ankles, neck... I have been hearing from many that they have a rule in place about "No Trampoline-jumping". I wonder if I should make that rule with my children. It was a freak accident and there should only be one on a trampoline at any time.
I vacillate. Sue jumped off a trampoline and landed on her back. I will never forget her silent scream look - staring up at the sky. She wasn't intentionally jumping off the trampoline; it just happened that way. That was the end of Grandpa Ferrara's taking us there for a fun interlude during the holiday gathering. Before that incident, Grandpa was talking about getting us one for our home. Grandma said, "yeah get 'em one, and you'd better get 'em a doctor too." It confirmed my feelings of her being a spoil sport. Now, I am getting in touch with my inner grandma. Hmm. What do y'all think?
I don't know. If it's not the trampoline, it's the skateboard, the roller skates, or the bicycle. If it's not playing football, it's playing baseball, basketball, or soccer. Injuries happen. Do either of them want to go back on the trampoline?
I had a couple of friends that had trampolines and I can honestly say I don't recall any injuries and I know we used to pile on. When you mentioned the quadriplegic however, that's a little scarier. I'm sure I'll have a definite opinion when Murphy comes to me for the first asking to go on one. Check back with me in a couple years.