Playground Accidents – A Baptism of Fire

Accidents happen, even to the most vigilant parents. SPOILER: Everything is fine!

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It was only a matter of time. My older son (age 6.5) is quiet, thoughtful, introverted. He does move through the day in constant motion, reminiscent of the Duracell bunny adverts – a fact that always perplexed his nursery teacher, who couldn’t understand why he never managed to use up his energy, no matter how much he powered through the day – but I wouldn’t call him wild. My younger son (age 2.5), on the other hand, is more of a risk taker. A bit of a daredevil. My wild child. I’m sure a lot of it is just down to his nature, but some can also be accredited to what I refer to as ‘younger sibling syndrome’. Whatever his four year older brother can do, he can do too. Or he thinks he can. And more! “Mum, look at me!” he shouts, from the top of an 8 foot climbing frame, having followed his brother up while I had my back turned for just a short moment. Or “Mum, I’m coming!”, seconds before he throws himself down a fireman’s pole in reckless abandon, confident someone will step in to break his fall, whilst his older brother still sits at the top of the pole silently quaking in his boots, before retreating. So it was only a matter of time, before something happened. Except he wasn’t even being reckless this time. And the climbing frame he was on, was age appropriate.

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It was supposed to be a nice, quiet morning in the park for us. We’d just dropped his big brother off at school. The weather looked promising. We headed to our local playground, armed with snacks. It wasn’t busy at all, despite the sunshine. Lots of space to climb about, without being jostled. Without the anxiety (on my part, not his) that someone would knock in to him and send him flying to the ground from great heights. He’d navigated the climbing structure by himself at least half a dozen times in the past, since this is the nearest playground to our new house. Always with me hovering next to him, trying hard not to be a helicopter parent but failing miserably. But he never needed me. So, in the name of not being too overprotective, this time I sat on a bench close by. I watched him as he very carefully navigated his way up a ladder. As he sure-footedly ran across a bridge. As he confidently picked his way across the balance beam platform, just as he had done many times before. And as he suddenly lost his balance – did he get distracted? was he over confident? I don’t know – and stood teetering on the edge of the platform, arms flailing, unsuccessfully trying to grab one of the side ropes and then falling right between them, in slow motion. Of course, it wasn’t in slow motion. It just seemed like that. The whole incident took just seconds. But despite sprinting off my bench the moment I noticed him faltering, I wasn’t fast enough. He landed with a thud, face down, smack on the ground below as I was still running towards him shouting “Vorsicht!!” (Engl: careful).

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After a sickening moment of silence, the screaming started, which I took as a good sign. At least he was alive and hadn’t broken his neck. By this point, I was by his side, pulling him in to a big Mama Bear hug. All first aid training had obviously gone out the window, because I know I should have checked him before moving him. We sat there beneath the climbing frame for what seemed like hours – it was minutes – him crying, me trying very hard to stay calm and not cry. I finally managed to check him over. There was an imprint of the rubberised playground surfacing on his forehead which, by the way, is a lot more bouncy than it looks, thank goodness for that. If it had been tarmac, it may have been an entirely different story. And luckily it was the 5 foot climbing frame and not the 8 foot one. But there was no blood, no broken bones. He could move his head and neck okay. He had dirt between his teeth, but the teeth were still all intact and accounted for. Two other mothers came running over to check if we were okay, to offer water, cookies and reassurance. He didn’t want water or cookies, I gladly welcomed the reassurance. That he would be okay. That I wasn’t a bad mother. I found myself justifying why I’d been sitting on the bench instead of hovering near the climbing frame, ready to catch him if need be, and one of the other mothers said she had been taking a step back that day for the first time too, just like me. It didn’t make me feel any less guilty though.

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We transferred back to the bench, and there I sat holding him until the crying died down to a whimper, and eventually stopped. I phoned our doctor’s surgery to explain what happened and ask whether I should take him in to be checked over. They said if he showed signs of being sluggish or started vomiting, I should take him to the hospital. Otherwise I could just monitor him, as with no other physical injuries that’s just what the hospital would tell me anyway. After a quick consultation with my husband, who said pretty much the same thing, I decided to spare ourselves hours of waiting only to be told what I already knew. By this point, my boy was asking me to put him down, and no sooner said than done he was off again, ready to get back on that horse. The experience hadn’t put him off climbing, and moments later he was shouting “I can do it all by myself!” – this time I was ready to catch him as he threw himself down the fireman’s pole. With reckless abandon. My little firecracker.

The whole incident left me a bit shaken, but although he complained of a sore forehead and knee for a couple of days, the fright we both got seems to have been the biggest and most lasting injury. It’s a baptism of fire I could certainly have done without, but it also most certainly won’t be the last time.  When we were telling daddy in the evening, about what had happened, my boy said “I fell off the beams. At the playground. Mummy catched me.” Except I didn’t. But in his mind, I did. I may not have caught him as he fell, but I was there fast enough to hug him, and comfort him, that for him, that’s what he remembers. That for him, I did catch him. That mummy was there when it mattered. Maybe I can start feeling a little less guilty now.

Comments: 10

  • reply
    5 September 2017

    Aww, you poor things! It must have been so terrible at the time. My nephew (13 at the time) lost control of his scooter going down a hill and I saw how high he flew through the air, then how high he bounced off a rock…and I raced to get to him, first aid scenarios rushing through my mind. A few hugs, a wet wipe or two to clear the blood from his bitten lip and luckily he was fine.
    We can’t and shouldn’t stop them exploring or dampen their enthusiasm can we?!

  • reply
    5 September 2017

    It’s so hard when you want to give your kids the space to be kids and play but you also want to keep them safe and when they hurt themselves we make ourselves feel incredibly guilty because we weren’t right there hovering over them. You did good though mama! And I’m glad your boy is okay. He’s probably going back to being the little daredevil that he is, lol. My youngest was the same way at that age:)

  • reply
    5 September 2017

    I have had one of those moments with my Daughter, she fell head first from a climbing frame. luckily my Mum was with me and we were near our GP surgery so I scooped her up and we drove straight there. Luckily she was fine but scared me. I am glad he was ok x

  • reply
    5 September 2017

    Argh! Every parents worse nightmare. You want to give them the freedom but equally it just takes one faltering move and they’re down. So glad he came away unscathed. These new bouncier surfaces are just fabulous. Worth every penny.

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    6 September 2017

    Oh, you must have felt awful! I’m glad the other mums could reassure you that it happens to all of us and that everything was okay xx

  • reply

    Vicky

    6 September 2017

    Aww it’s always so nerve wracking trying to give them independence but also being there for them as well. I love that he said you caught him. How lovely xxx

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    6 September 2017

    Oh my goodness, that must have been terrifying. My 2.5 year old is the same, just so full of energy. I’m dreading the first big accident, but it is inevitable that at some point he’ll fall off something and hurt himself. Dreading it!

  • reply
    6 September 2017

    Aw bless you that must have been so scary but at least he is ok hun. Glad he still loves to climb x

  • reply
    7 September 2017

    A scary experience for you both. Little ones are so adventurous that they don’t understand the risks that they take.

  • reply
    8 September 2017

    Defo don’t feel guilty. Easier said than done I know. My little one had an accident whilst on holiday and unfortunately ended up having to have stitches. It was awful and I still feel terrible about it now almost a month later x

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