Child risk taking behaviours can cause a lot of headaches for parents. From struggling to know when to step in to the guilt-ridden trips to Accident and Emergency. We have all been there and as our kids get older and they need to be taking more risks, it can be hard to step back and watch. Here is our story…
This story is part of our Growing Up series
Why Child Risk Taking Behaviours are Good for the Whole Family
Tomos (Aged 10)
“Mum! Watch me!” I yell across the park at her. “Look, no hands!”
I quickly take my hands off the swing rope – just for second and feel my body fight for balance as Luc pushes the swing round and round.
It’s not one of those boring backwards and forwards swings. This one just has a flat base that you can stand on, with three vertical ropes for you to hold on to. And you can push it in circles and get really dizzy.
Well, you can when Dad pushes you. Mum says she’s not strong enough any more to push me properly because, let’s face it, I am pretty much the same size as her now.
But Luc likes to push (he doesn’t like to spin around really fast) but he’s only 8 so it still gets a bit boring.
Hence my new trick – no hands!
Mum watches us from the bench a few metres away. She raises her eyebrows a little – which is Mum code for ‘I don’t think you are being very sensible, but not quite dangerous enough for me to get involved’.
“Try it again!” Luc shouts as he tries to push the swing a bit harder. I spread my feet a bit wider this time and let go. This time I don’t grab hold of the ropes again until I actually can feel myself starting to fall a little bit.
“Careful!” Mum warns from the sidelines.
“Luc, push harder!” I tell him. I spread my legs even wider now and as I feel the swing lurch, I hold my arms out wide to the sides.
This time I hold my balance for a whole rotation until Luc pushes again and almost makes me fall off.
“Mum, are you watching?” I yell again, doing it again.
“I don’t want to.” But she is watching. And wincing. Mum is such a wimp.
“Try jumping!” Luc encourages me from below.
“No!” Mum shouts over, rising slightly from the bench now.
“Excellent!” I yell. I hold on to the ropes for the first jump because I’m not stupid. “Did it!”
Mum is perched on the edge of the bench now, watching intently.
“I’m going to try no hands this time. Luc push!”
“If you break something, I am not taking you to A&E!” Mum says, but she always says that and doesn’t mean it really.
“Ready?” I shout down to Luc.
“Ready!” He pushes, I feel the motion of the swing beneath my feet and I jump. No hands!
More Information on Child Risk Taking Behaviours
This article helps parents to understand the difference between risk and hazards and how you can teach your children to learn to recognise them as well.
More Stories
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