Banning Fun!

Doctors and safety experts want to ban private trampolines because kids are hurting themselves when they fall or jump off.

When I was five, I managed to fall from play equipment at a public park and break my wrist. (Look closely at my photo on the right - you can see the cast on my right forearm.)

I've broken bones in my fingers, ribs and hands playing rugby. And I broke a rib when a horse I was riding was startled by a stray possum and bolted. (And I rode on for an hour in agony, then more agony while I was driven for two hours to Wellington Hospital.)

I ended with a nasty gash (requiring eight stiches) on my right elbow when I was playing in long grass at school, right where some idiot had left a broken bottle.

Not to mention hundreds of small cuts, bruises, sprains and strains over the years from activities kids, teens and adults do ranging from cricket, soccer, softball, running, jumping, playing, bicycling, etc.

(Quite a catalogue of injuries over the years!)

So, if this is a typical list, (and I'm sure it is) we should then ban:

Public Playgrounds;
Sport;
Horses;
School;
Physical Activity.

These are all the rough and tumble of growing up and doing things kids and adults like to do. If we were to ban everything that could cause injury, none of us would be able to get out of bed in the morning.