Argh- dangerous

campclose · 01-22-2011, 10:02 AM

My son went snowmobiling at a friends house a couple of weeks ago and now he wants his dad to buy him a snowmobile! I hate them – they go way too fast! I love to ride 4-wheelers, but not snowmobiles. My hubby used to go a lot when he was a kid, he sold his snowmobiles when we had kids though. There just was not any time to go. He is pretty excited that my son wants to go riding and is all set to buy another one.

I think that my son should take some kind of safety course for snowmobiling riding. Is there any such thing? How old do you think your child should be before they ride alone? My hubby tells me I’m crazy and they will be fine!

dinosaur · 01-22-2011, 10:19 AM

You know, It's a pretty simple thing to put a clamp on the throttle cable so the snowmobile won't go over whatever speed you deign safe for your child.

GPER · 01-23-2011, 09:52 PM

I like something with a full roll cage and seat belts so that leaves something with tires on it. Now since it has tires on it you can ride it all year round and would ride more during the summer.

**CozInCowtown** · 01-24-2011, 08:31 AM

If the family budget allows get him a snowmobile, let him have some fun and if he breaks an arm or leg, so what? Kids will be kids, let them be kids....with quality parental guidance and supervision.
Either that or lock him in his room where it is safe and never let him out.
I have a 15 year old barrel racer in my house, that is allways good for a broken something.
DC

dinosaur · 01-24-2011, 08:51 AM

I totally agree. The key words in CozinCowtown's post are "parental guidance and supervision". You have to let them grow up. If you restrict them too much it leads to rebellion.

In my second year of college, I befriended a freshman who was a minister's son. He had never tasted any part of life other than the straight and narrow of the church world. He went wild. I had to hold him back or he'd surely have killed himself. It may not have been my place but I was the one who taught him the difference between taking chances and taking calculated risks.

YogiBear · 01-25-2011, 07:04 AM

Dinosaur, you did a good thing, I have seen to many kids get out in the real world and go nuts.
As far as the snowmobile goes Dinosaur also had a good idea maybe if you talk to your husband about containing the speed until your son shows you he can be responsible. I broke my arm after I was in my thirties on a three wheeler. First broken bone I had ever had and doctor said if I was younger it would have healed faster.

tentmom · 01-25-2011, 04:03 PM

Wait a minute? I don't really agree with many of these posts, let him grow up? If he breaks something oh well. What about if he runs through a barb wire and it tears off his head? I say find a safety course before allowing him to go.

jloomis · 01-25-2011, 04:15 PM

I thin the best safety course is one taught by a responsible experienced parent. If your husband is responsible and experienced have him take your son out on several trips before you let you son go with anyone else. Besides gaining valuable skills, your husband and son will have quality bonding time together.

GPER · 01-27-2011, 09:31 PM

I agree with the parent thing, I take my daughter out to teach her what I think trail eticate is. I don't approve of how some people wheel.

**CozInCowtown** · 01-30-2011, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tentmom

Wait a minute? I don't really agree with many of these posts, let him grow up? If he breaks something oh well. What about if he runs through a barb wire and it tears off his head? I say find a safety course before allowing him to go.

If you are not going to take control of your child, set the ground rules and stick to them, then lock him up and don't let him out.
You can "what if" everything concerning kids and worry yourself to death. What if lightening strikes them in the head? What if the school bus has a wreck? What if the church camp is taken over by terrorist? What if he gets his head cut off? What if? What if? What if?
Quality parental guidance and supervision are the key words here. Be in control even when he is out of sight.
My kids do everything but motercycles, I hate the things. We are hunters, barrel racers, calf ropers, football, wrestling, snow skiing, now a 15 year old "student" driver, and the list goes on. The key point is as parents we set the parameters and the consequences of misuse.
I expect my kids to get "banged up" some but we never take a risk with them. They learn from cuts, bruises and breaks even though we do everything possible to prevent them. I will never put my child in harms way though, we will never let one of the kids take any sort of unnecessary risk. Stupid stunts can not be prevented though but there are alleays consequences.
Jumping off the top of the house onto the trampoline over my new George Foreman into the pool got everybody involved, and some not involved, grounded and beaten.
Parameters and consequences for leaving the parameters.....
There is a differance between turning them loose and running wild and having some good ol' dirty kid fun.
JMO,
DC