When you treat adults like children and children like babies, that's what you get. Who could have guessed?

My son had a friend who had the yard with the trampoline, the pool, and all of the fun stuff. The neighborhood kids were always welcome right until the older kids decided to take chairs and such onto the trampoline and mimic the WWE. Inevitable someone was hurt, not seriously, and lawsuits were mentioned. How could I ever blame those parents for wanting waivers signed. I do wonder if they hold up in court though.

I don't blame any parent/property owner that would ask for the waiver to be signed.

You used to have kids that went out, had fun and played sports and got mildly injured up to a some broken bones. But for the most part the kids were free-range.

Now you have helicopter parents that kvetch if their precious little Johnny has a scratch from playing in the yard.

Id get waivers if I had a trampoline or pool. They dont help a lot-you can never sign away your right to sue-but at least the parent can't claim ignorance of the dangers when you get to court.

We watched my nephew's football game today. 13 year olds.Iin the first 13 plays (which were the only 13 plays as it ended up) 3 kids from one team were hurt badly enough to not be able to get off the field on their own and one had to go to the hospital for a leg pointing quite the wrong way from the knee down. They ended the game then-one injury too late IMO. And parents pay money for their kids to go through this! That's the REAL insanity.

And parents pay money for their kids to go through this! That's the REAL insanity. -- momof4 at April 7, 2012 5:50 PM

Usually injury from sports comes from one team either trying to do deliberate damage ("I think he broke his fricken neck!!!") or because the athlete involved isn't in condition. There are hits that will brake an ankle or wrist, but those are usually incidental, not deliberate.

The body's conditioned musculature will normally have enough give to twist and pull along the frame, but at the same time not be seriously injured by simple misplacement of a step when walking.

I would look into this before I write it off either way.

The cause of the injuries was the fact that 13 year olds (and all teens) vary WIDELY in size. Unless they start filling leagues by weight, that can't change. Injuries in football are common and getting worse. Professional football players have an average lifespan decades shorter than the US average-52 years vs 78.2.

One could argue the NFL players make enough that the tradeoff is worth it to them-and either way they are adults. But putting little kids through that? I repeat-insane.

I'll have to check out the net worth of my cats. One tried to jump on the table last night and hit my mousing hand. Couple of bad scratches as she fell back. My mental anguish is worth at least $15k surely?

Rant time now - two stitches? TWO? Get a grip! I've got scars from injuries that would have been worse than that, if I hadn't refused medical treatment of course. Apart from "suck it up" and iodine. My father (obstetrician and gynecologist) used to stitch me and my brother up on a regular basis on the kitchen table. How can anyone sue over something so minor?

Most of us aren't shocked when we're asked to sign a waiver before a school trip or the start of little league season.

Maybe this is true, but I think it's silly and I would be shocked. I used to play in an amateur youth orchestra, and we had an annual rehearsal weekend away (you know, "this one time at band camp"). For those under 18, all we asked for was "in loco parentis" authority - which just meant if they injured themselves, say by falling out of a tree while drunk as a skunk, that someone in authority could make medical decisions if their guardians couldn't be contacted.

See the difference between absolving yourself and taking on responsibility? In that case, a legal transfer of authority is justified.

This is where social pressure should play a role. I bet that kid gets a lot fewer invitations to events when all his friends' parents find out his parents sue over bullshit.

Actually, I just thought of something regarding waivers. I took a science class last semester and when registering we were not told that field trips were a requirement and definitely not told in time to drop the class and not have any financial liability.

Second week of class, our professor hands us a form that we were required to sign to continue the class. It was a waiver stating that we accepted full responsibility for any accidents or injuries that happened to us while traveling to the field trip, we were responsible for our own transportation, and for any injuries that happened at the site or any sickness caused by exposure at the site.

I was surprised at how many students willingly signed this without even questioning or looking over the waiver. I refused to sign the waiver and because of a physical handicap was able to get a letter from my doctor excusing me from all of the field trips.

Had I been aware while registering or even during the period I was able to withdraw, I would have chosen another class. I wasn't willing to make it my financial loss however.

This is where social pressure should play a role. I bet that kid gets a lot fewer invitations to events when all his friends' parents find out his parents sue over bullshit.

I was just thinking that. What causes more emotional distress: two stitches or the loss of all his friends? Then I realized that the parents were thinking of their distress, not their son's when he's no longer welcome at anyone's home.

i feel bad for the kid here, he's not going to be invited to any parties or get togethers in the future

i'd certainly never allow him on my property