To Tramp or Not to Tramp
Posted by Lori | Posted in Frickin Blog | Posted on 28-07-2010
Tags: jumping, safety enclosures, tramp, trampoline
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I did it. I bought a trampoline.
Is it a blast? Yes.
Do our children love it? Yes.
Am I a complete moron? Frick. Yes. Yes, I am.
I grew up on a trampoline. Literally. We jumped, got sunburned, drank Diet Cokes, and slept on that bad-boy all summer long. Some of my first relationships started and ended on that trampoline. (What can I say? Relationships don’t last long when you’re a teenager. Think about your teenage romances. OK, that’s enough. Come back to me.)
When we were at Primary Children’s Medical Center with Jon last year, we vowed to protect our children from anything that could cause sickness or injury. We never wanted to see a child struggle to live again. This means no trampolines, four-wheelers, wave-runners, skateboards or breathing for our children. A year later we have eased up on the germaphobeness (Yes, that is a word. OK, fine. Maybe not.) and are becoming a little more normal.
Like most husband/wife discussions, our trampoline talk went like this:
Lori: The kids really want a trampoline.
Tim: Hmmm.
The next day
Lori: Sadie was asking for a trampoline, again. There is a tramp at Kid’s Camp and she loves it.
Tim: Oh.
A couple days later
Lori: Trampolines are ugly and will make our yard look like white trash. I am having such a hard time deciding whether or not we should buy one.
Tim: Yeah.
A week or so later
Lori: Corinne wants a trampoline, too. She has been begging for one. I loved jumping on our trampoline when I was a teenager.
Tim: Yeah.
Later that day
Lori: I think I am going to buy a trampoline.
Tim: I thought you said they were dangerous.
Lori: They are. There are the same number of admissions to PCMC for trampoline injuries as skateboards, bikes, and four-wheelers combined. We shouldn’t get one.
Last Saturday
Lori: I am on my way to SLC to buy a trampoline.
You didn’t buy the enclosure?
Not yet, Lee. That will come next. We bought the tramp used (another family purchased it new in early summer) for a killer deal. We will be adding an enclosure this weekend.
I know! All this talk of the dangers of a trampoline and no enclosure?
After months of debating one we ordered one last night….hopefully there will be no broken bones in our future
Ramee, Ahhh, you too? Awesomesauce.
We bought the enclosure and the kids usually rip a big hole in it by the end of summer, so I end up buying another new net the next year. I think it’s worth every cent – the way my kids fly into the net, I figure I’ve saved a couple million dollars in medical bills. That is worth $75 every summer for a new net to me.
Thanks, Lee. All of these comments are making me feel like I made a good decision. We’ll definitely move forward with the enclosure.
One question. Why did you drink Diet as a kid? You’re young you should have had the real stuff then.
Great question, Malmborg. It has nothing to do with calories. Diet Coke tastes way better than Classic Coke.
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I was against the trampoline but DH was all for it. So glad I caved! We have the enclosure, which is nice and helps ease the stress of worrying about injuries. The kids LOVE it and it is a great way for them to burn off some energy! You’ll be glad you made the “jump”!
Hey Em, Good to know! Question- with the enclosure on, do you feel like you need to supervise the kiddos, or are they OK alone?
Oh no!! I swore, after breaking my foot while jumping on my friend’s tramp that I would NEVER BUY ONE!!! I know now why parents make other parents sign release forms. Just a thought. They are super fun though. GET THE ENCLOSURE!!! And you are right. Diet tastes way better than classic coke. Good luck!! Have fun!!!
Shoot, Jalyn! You broke your foot? That is no good. How old were you?
Thanks for the back-up on the diet coke. Just thinking about how yummy it is makes me want one right now.
I think that I was about 9 or so. I broke the growth plate in half and had to have pins put in. Not very much fun
And, I am enjoying a diet coke right now!
I thought long and hard about it because my kids always wanted one too, but I’m too much like my Mom – totally overprotective, so we never ended up getting one. No guns or motorcycles either. I’d wrap them in bubblewrap if I could figure out how to wash it!
Now that Blake is in Jr High, we’ve pretty much outwaited him and he’s already had 3 or 6 broken bones (depending on if you count incidents or actual bones), so I’d hate to think what the total would have been if we’d had one. I swear his bones are made of Legos or something!
I can now see the benefit of having the enclosure. Yesterday the 4-year-old flew of the tramp and landed on the grass. It knocked the wind out of her, but no broken bones or lasting injuries. If only her wish to have fairy wings would have come true…