Obviously I don’t know how this child will be, and OP said he was bleeding
But I will say that each of my kids have fallen 6-7 feet off play structures, including one landing on her back, and both were okay (pain, but no serious injury). The mulch or rubber really does cushion the fall.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

+100 There is a playground near us with a number of these openings in a crowded space - I'm constantly afraid that a kid will get jostled by another.

This post makes me ill. I wish there was some way to get an update on the boy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of hazardous opening is everyone talking about? Just the regular ones that open up to sliding poles, ladders, monkey bars, etc. or something else? Most playground equipment with these are marketed to 5-12 and I always remind my kids to not crowd the landings and watch where they’re going. My younger kids play on the equipment meant for them unless the park is deserted and I’ll let them on the bigger stuff with older siblings.

Yes, please if anyone can explain or show a picture of what kind of opening on a slide or elsewhere on a playground every one is discussing? I’m having trouble visualizing this too. I hope that little boy is okay. Please update us if you hear anything about him, OP. Thanks.

Any play structure that has a fireman's pole typically. At the top, there is no railing or wall, so kids can step off platform, grab the pole and slide down. I have wondered about those too. My kid loves climbing up and down it though so I let it go. But I have seen a lot of younger kids, like 2 and 3 who go up steps and are toddling around the top and I can't believe they haven't fallen off.

Im not sure how the child is, I wish I was.

We never got a name and don’t visit this park often.

Yes, the playground looked like this https://www.capebretonpost.com/news/local/its-all-about-community-at-sydney-mines-playground-216319/ (top picture)

The child was within the age range to play on the structure safely. Kids were running around playing tag or something and he didn’t pay attention and fell off the highest level and landed on us back.

Scary scary. Still terrified.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enormously sorry to hear about this - hopefully the boy is okay and healing. I read this when my kids were pre-school aged and it helped me relax a little (we've only dealt with one broken arm - so far) but managing my inclination to helicopter seemed important for their growth and development. This piece was super helpful: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/04/hey-parents-leave-those-kids-alone/358631/

Yeah, except for this is so arbitrary. We manage the "inclination to helicopter" only when the random process of social-media disapproval makes that particular helicoptering seem unacceptable. In other cases, I imagine you wouldn't be remonstrating with yourself for your instincts -- you don't have to restrain yourself from making sure your kid is buckled in, goes to the dentist, is doing OK in school, etc etc. People fixate on marignal issues like "playground are too safe! kids should be able to experience danger on playgrounds!" as a way of creating an in-group identity, not as a genuine assessment of risks and benefits.

uh, really? I'm not part of a clique or group that gets super jazzed about letting the kids engage in risky-seeming behavior on the playground. And actually - I'm less involved with their school work than I could be (figure it's their work to do, not mine). Taking calculated risks is part of growing up healthy. We're try to make decisions that help us parent our own kids well, not trying to fit in with the cool crowd.

+1. That PP is ridiculous I’m not going to shun car seats or dentist appointments, because... what are the benefits of that?? But sitting back while my child figures out how to play (that includes dealing with kids who may push or hit him) helps him develop in lots of areas - problem solving, creativity, physical strength/dexterity, independence and self sufficiency, etc.

Your kid can do all those things on safe playground equipment. It actually seems helicoperty to claim that your child's moral development will be irretrievably damaged by play equipment that tops out at 6-8 feet and has guard rails. If that's going to destroy your child's character, I think you have bigger issues ....

Ok, the play structure linked above IS safe equipment. Unless you want to limit yourself to indoor padded play areas and tot lots with 2 foot tall structures instead.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enormously sorry to hear about this - hopefully the boy is okay and healing. I read this when my kids were pre-school aged and it helped me relax a little (we've only dealt with one broken arm - so far) but managing my inclination to helicopter seemed important for their growth and development. This piece was super helpful: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/04/hey-parents-leave-those-kids-alone/358631/

Yeah, except for this is so arbitrary. We manage the "inclination to helicopter" only when the random process of social-media disapproval makes that particular helicoptering seem unacceptable. In other cases, I imagine you wouldn't be remonstrating with yourself for your instincts -- you don't have to restrain yourself from making sure your kid is buckled in, goes to the dentist, is doing OK in school, etc etc. People fixate on marignal issues like "playground are too safe! kids should be able to experience danger on playgrounds!" as a way of creating an in-group identity, not as a genuine assessment of risks and benefits.

uh, really? I'm not part of a clique or group that gets super jazzed about letting the kids engage in risky-seeming behavior on the playground. And actually - I'm less involved with their school work than I could be (figure it's their work to do, not mine). Taking calculated risks is part of growing up healthy. We're try to make decisions that help us parent our own kids well, not trying to fit in with the cool crowd.

+1. That PP is ridiculous I’m not going to shun car seats or dentist appointments, because... what are the benefits of that?? But sitting back while my child figures out how to play (that includes dealing with kids who may push or hit him) helps him develop in lots of areas - problem solving, creativity, physical strength/dexterity, independence and self sufficiency, etc.

Your kid can do all those things on safe playground equipment. It actually seems helicoperty to claim that your child's moral development will be irretrievably damaged by play equipment that tops out at 6-8 feet and has guard rails. If that's going to destroy your child's character, I think you have bigger issues ....

But where do you go that you find these playgrounds? We go all over Northern Virginia and all the play structures have openings like that. The only exception are many places like Clemijontri and baby only areas like Chestnut Hills that have no drops at all and rubber flooring.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enormously sorry to hear about this - hopefully the boy is okay and healing. I read this when my kids were pre-school aged and it helped me relax a little (we've only dealt with one broken arm - so far) but managing my inclination to helicopter seemed important for their growth and development. This piece was super helpful: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/04/hey-parents-leave-those-kids-alone/358631/

Yeah, except for this is so arbitrary. We manage the "inclination to helicopter" only when the random process of social-media disapproval makes that particular helicoptering seem unacceptable. In other cases, I imagine you wouldn't be remonstrating with yourself for your instincts -- you don't have to restrain yourself from making sure your kid is buckled in, goes to the dentist, is doing OK in school, etc etc. People fixate on marignal issues like "playground are too safe! kids should be able to experience danger on playgrounds!" as a way of creating an in-group identity, not as a genuine assessment of risks and benefits.

uh, really? I'm not part of a clique or group that gets super jazzed about letting the kids engage in risky-seeming behavior on the playground. And actually - I'm less involved with their school work than I could be (figure it's their work to do, not mine). Taking calculated risks is part of growing up healthy. We're try to make decisions that help us parent our own kids well, not trying to fit in with the cool crowd.

+1. That PP is ridiculous I’m not going to shun car seats or dentist appointments, because... what are the benefits of that?? But sitting back while my child figures out how to play (that includes dealing with kids who may push or hit him) helps him develop in lots of areas - problem solving, creativity, physical strength/dexterity, independence and self sufficiency, etc.

Your kid can do all those things on safe playground equipment. It actually seems helicoperty to claim that your child's moral development will be irretrievably damaged by play equipment that tops out at 6-8 feet and has guard rails. If that's going to destroy your child's character, I think you have bigger issues ....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thing that makes me crazy about the golf cart girl is how they keep praising Jesus. Apparently Christ can heal her but couldn't keep her in the cart in the first place. I wish them well but SMH.

Oh totally agree. Is the husband a minister? He speaks like one on their Caring Bridge page (yes, I admit to stalking them last night). It's one thing to be hopeful and wish for a miracle, it's another to be in denial and unable to face reality. I guess it doesn't hurt anyone except maybe their other kid, but yeesh it feels like "we love Jesus the most so we deserve a miracle more than everyone else in our situation."

I completely agree. Something about the tone of his posts bothers me. I mean I can understand they are devastated and in denial. However, he seems to think his child will get a miracle - but there are so many people who have accidents who never get that miracle. One woman commented on his post that perhaps she didn't have enough faith because her child didn't get a miracle. I felt awful for her.

NP Not sure that I agree. A parents obligation is to their child. In this case, the parent is choosing to put all the energy into faith for their child; not judgment from others on whether they are entitl s to it. It’s not the parents responsibility to worry about what others will feel about their faith. Who cares what the odds are, when is Hope for healing ever wrong?

I had faith for my child that eventually died, and certainly said, why wasn’t my faith enough. Maybe people did feel bad. So what. that was my path and journey - not someone else’s, and certainly not reason for me to be jealous of someone else’s good outcome. Life is life, and seeks to protect itself. We all have unique lessons to learn and apply in our path.

Hope that little boy is doing well, and hopefully no major injury.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enormously sorry to hear about this - hopefully the boy is okay and healing. I read this when my kids were pre-school aged and it helped me relax a little (we've only dealt with one broken arm - so far) but managing my inclination to helicopter seemed important for their growth and development. This piece was super helpful: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/04/hey-parents-leave-those-kids-alone/358631/

Yeah, except for this is so arbitrary. We manage the "inclination to helicopter" only when the random process of social-media disapproval makes that particular helicoptering seem unacceptable. In other cases, I imagine you wouldn't be remonstrating with yourself for your instincts -- you don't have to restrain yourself from making sure your kid is buckled in, goes to the dentist, is doing OK in school, etc etc. People fixate on marignal issues like "playground are too safe! kids should be able to experience danger on playgrounds!" as a way of creating an in-group identity, not as a genuine assessment of risks and benefits.

uh, really? I'm not part of a clique or group that gets super jazzed about letting the kids engage in risky-seeming behavior on the playground. And actually - I'm less involved with their school work than I could be (figure it's their work to do, not mine). Taking calculated risks is part of growing up healthy. We're try to make decisions that help us parent our own kids well, not trying to fit in with the cool crowd.

+1. That PP is ridiculous I’m not going to shun car seats or dentist appointments, because... what are the benefits of that?? But sitting back while my child figures out how to play (that includes dealing with kids who may push or hit him) helps him develop in lots of areas - problem solving, creativity, physical strength/dexterity, independence and self sufficiency, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of hazardous opening is everyone talking about? Just the regular ones that open up to sliding poles, ladders, monkey bars, etc. or something else? Most playground equipment with these are marketed to 5-12 and I always remind my kids to not crowd the landings and watch where they’re going. My younger kids play on the equipment meant for them unless the park is deserted and I’ll let them on the bigger stuff with older siblings.

Yes, please if anyone can explain or show a picture of what kind of opening on a slide or elsewhere on a playground every one is discussing? I’m having trouble visualizing this too. I hope that little boy is okay. Please update us if you hear anything about him, OP. Thanks.

I assume PP’s are talking about something like this :

https://www.featurepics.com/online/Play-Structure-Public-Park-842251.aspx

In that example, you could lean over the opening and go town the spiral ladder, but a younger child wouldn’t be long enough to reach.

Does anyone know if the child is ok?

Anonymous wrote:What kind of hazardous opening is everyone talking about? Just the regular ones that open up to sliding poles, ladders, monkey bars, etc. or something else? Most playground equipment with these are marketed to 5-12 and I always remind my kids to not crowd the landings and watch where they’re going. My younger kids play on the equipment meant for them unless the park is deserted and I’ll let them on the bigger stuff with older siblings.

Yes, please if anyone can explain or show a picture of what kind of opening on a slide or elsewhere on a playground every one is discussing? I’m having trouble visualizing this too. I hope that little boy is okay. Please update us if you hear anything about him, OP. Thanks.