mamajumps 0 #1 November 10, 2008 Im going to start this by first saying that I am a mom of 3 wonderful kids, all who have spent ample amount of time at various DZ's. Now on to my issue - UNSUPERVISED kids at the DZ... I was recently working a boogie and there was a young child (maybe 6 at the oldest) who had free run of the DZ, while mom was jumping (alot) and working manifest some. As a parent, I love kids, but when I take mine,(and its usually only my oldest) I make sure that I have a designated person to help watch them (if I am jumping), and that they are not running free. This child ended up coloring all over one of our banners and caused a myriad of other chaos as any unsupervised child would. Then when the after dark boogie festivities started, guess what... the child was still there... and any skydiver knows that what goes on after dark at a boogie is no place for kids. I am not against kids being at a DZ, as long as they are supervised... It was very obvious that the child was thinly working the nerves of several other boogie goers.... what do ya'll think and what if anything can be done (the child even ran out in the landing area while jumpers were landing on several occassions....) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrwrong 0 #2 November 10, 2008 Keep the kids on a leash then the problem is solved (handcuffs work quite well to) Parents just need to realize they STILL have a responsibility and shouldn’t let the young ones roam free at any DZ! “The sum of intelligence on the planet is a constant; the population is growing.” - George Bernard Shaw He who dies with the most toys, wins..... dudeist skydiver # 19515 Buy quality and cry once! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #3 November 10, 2008 kids and dogs are ok at the DZ as long as they are kept on leash.scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mamajumps 0 #4 November 10, 2008 Quote kids and dogs are ok at the DZ as long as they are kept on leash. Yeah there was a big prob with dogs running free too, peeing on stuff, jumpers walking in poo in the landing area etc etc.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #5 November 10, 2008 Parental responsibility doesn't end once you get to the drop zone. Sounds like this mom didn't really want to be a parent while she was at the drop zone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #6 November 10, 2008 This topic has been hashed and re-hashed many times here. I'm sure if you confronted this gal... did you ?... anyway... I'm sure if you confronted this gal, she'd have a myriad of excuses why her little angle was "okay". You mentioned she was also working manifest, some. Then she was in some way in the employ of the DZO. My point being, its hard to believe the DZO didn't know this was going on, at least at some level. Thus, what are you gonna do about it if the DZO knows its going on, but doesn't care... NOTHING. Anyway, like I said, we've talked about this over and over again around here. If the DZO or the majority of the jumpers at any given DZ aren't willing to stand up and tell folks to leave their &^%# kids and dogs at home, about all you can do is grin and bear it... keep an eye on your stuff, be careful where you lay your gear down, ignore it and have a good time. I wonder if the day will ever come when some unsupervised kid on a DZ somewhere will get involved in a serious accident or lost (kidnapped ?) before something changes. Unfortunately, it will probably be the DZ that takes the heat when it really shouldn't. Maybe its already happened, but hasn't gotten any press? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #7 November 10, 2008 I haven't heard of an incident where a free-roaming kid caused an incident in the landing area, but there was a demo jump involved a big flag bearer where a kid ran straight out into his path, forcing him to take evasive manuevers and hurt himself badly. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #8 November 10, 2008 Yeah I've seen kids running across the ladning area or riding their bike across the landing area while folks are landing. I've never seen a kid on the landing area taken out, but I have seen dogs running loose on the landing area taken out. Unless the dog is exceedingly stupid, getting pounded by some jumper usually cures them of wanting to run after folks landing... kinda like a dog that likes to chase cars usually quits doing that if one day they get run over by a car. Anyway, I was thinking of something more serious. Like a kid walking into a prop. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #9 November 10, 2008 I think I know which child you're talking about. It was definitely inappropriate for her to be at the costume party. Many skydivers don't pick rated G costumes! Parents need to learn to find a babysitter or that sometimes they need to miss out on the adult fun. It's part of being a responsible parent.She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fff3 0 #10 November 10, 2008 I like having some kids around to keep me from talking the usual filth and unlike dogs most don't shit in the landing area. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mamajumps 0 #11 November 10, 2008 Quote I think I know which child you're talking about. It was definitely inappropriate for her to be at the costume party. Many skydivers don't pick rated G costumes! Parents need to learn to find a babysitter or that sometimes they need to miss out on the adult fun. It's part of being a responsible parent. Yes, i am sure you are thinking of the right kid... She ruined our TDS banner from not leaving our markers alone... The costume party that night was far from child rated...., I can't even count the number of time that I have had to miss out on the fun becuase I had no one to watch my kids. But I don't regret it, it is instilling good practices into them as well. The fact that I often can't afford a babysitter is another reason why I have low jump numbers, Im not going to go to the DZ and jump while my kids are free to do God knows what get hurt or God forbid kidnapped.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #12 November 10, 2008 Quote It's part of being a responsible parent. ... and there in-lies the crux of the matter. The responsible ones do, and the irresponsible ones don't. To paraphrase something The Ranch said in one of their adds with respect to kids on the DZ, "We're not responsible for their safety nor their corruption." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtnesbitt 0 #13 November 10, 2008 Quote kids and dogs are ok at the DZ as long as they are kept on leash. Just strap them into a suspended training harness and that will keep them entertained (and tied up) for hours. That's what my parents did at least and I turned out okay "If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #14 November 10, 2008 QuoteAnyway, I was thinking of something more serious. Like a kid walking into a prop. Yeap, that would seriously fuck up the prop and thus everyones skydiving - selfish parents piss me off. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #15 November 10, 2008 QuoteQuoteAnyway, I was thinking of something more serious. Like a kid walking into a prop. Yeap, that would seriously fuck up the prop and thus everyones skydiving - selfish parents piss me off. Yeah, I saw it almost happen once. You'd think it would shake some sense into the parents. It didn't... but that goes back to what skymama said. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #16 November 10, 2008 Quote *** To paraphrase something The Ranch said in one of their adds with respect to kids on the DZ, "We're not responsible for their safety nor their corruption." Awesome! Every DZ should have that disclaimer posted in a prominent place at the DZ, where it's impossible to miss it."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #17 November 10, 2008 Quote Quote *** To paraphrase something The Ranch said in one of their adds with respect to kids on the DZ, "We're not responsible for their safety nor their corruption." Awesome! Every DZ should have that disclaimer posted in a prominent place at the DZ, where it's impossible to miss it. I figure if I ever had a lapse of sanity and found myself a DZO... something like that would be on the waiver. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catfishhunter 2 #18 November 10, 2008 It comes down to the parent. I take my son to the DZ all the time. He is 2 1/2 and knows to step over the lines, not to cross the caution tape and wait to run out to me after landing until His Step mom says it is ok. He waits very patiently for the plane to shut down then he puts his hemet, my gloves and altimeter on and says Baby's turn to skydive and we walk out to the plane and he gets on puts his seat belt on waves bye bye. Then unbuckles and 1-2-3....and jumps out to me. He now has a 182, Grand Caravan. Otter and King Air in his "log" book :) He even runs the lines and makes a great packing weightThe difference is we include him in the fun of going to the DZ. He LOVES being there. If it ever comes a time when he is bored (thats when kids get in trouble) then we'll take a different approch but i'm more then ok with Kids at the DZ as long as the parents are including the kids in the "fun" and not just dumping them and expecting them to make their own fun. MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sapplegate 0 #19 November 10, 2008 I never bring my young kids to the DZ. This has been brought up in the other replies but being honest, the language at the DZ is just not appropriate for kids. Also brought up is that it is really easy for a young child to go running in front of a plane, or towards a parent in the plane and hit the prop. I saw it happen to a dog once. Just not worth it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #20 November 10, 2008 I saw a 'teenage' kid at the DZ a couple years ago with a camera 'just like mine'...a little checking showed IT WAS MINE! It was in a camera case, in my helmet bag, in my gear bag, in a duffel bag...in the packing room~ I was a bit pissed to say the least.Some kids add to the experience, some 'take away' from it...either way they should be monitored by the parent(s). ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skittles_of_SDC 0 #21 November 10, 2008 Quote Keep the kids on a leash then the problem is solved (handcuffs work quite well to) Parents just need to realize they STILL have a responsibility and shouldn’t let the young ones roam free at any DZ! I'm sure most of you have seen them but for those of you that haven't. Here's one. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me on the day I saw an entire class of kindergartners leashed up in the park. I couldn't stop laughing. 10 kids all leashed to the child in front of them is hilarious. I couldn't even find that pic without laughing my ass off in the middle of the computer lab. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mamajumps 0 #22 November 10, 2008 My now 6 yro had one for going out in public... he is the baby and was a tee total terror out in public, not becuase he was "bad" per se, but becuase the excitement of stores etc seriously over stimulated him... You would not believe the looks and comments I got for using one on my son, too me however it was better than him running out in front of a car, or getting snatched because he wondered off... and any person who has had an over active toddler knows just how easily and quickly that can happen... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
debussyschild 0 #23 November 10, 2008 I have a younger sibling (significantly younger than I am) and if she were around while the after hours shenanigans were taking place, I would not be able to believe what kind of an example I am setting for her. Smaller kids don't know any better, which is why they need parental supervision. I'd say if you aren't going to be able to keep tabs on your kid (which is your responsibility, not anyone else's) perhaps you should hire a babysitter and keep them at home. Running out into the landing area is just flat out dangerous and the parent of that child needs to be talked to. The child could get hurt as could the jumpers if they had to make a low turn to avoid hitting the child in the landing area."For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hausse 0 #24 November 10, 2008 Quote Quote *** To paraphrase something The Ranch said in one of their adds with respect to kids on the DZ, "We're not responsible for their safety nor their corruption." Awesome! Every DZ should have that disclaimer posted in a prominent place at the DZ, where it's impossible to miss it. We also have an "unsupervised children will be eaten" sign. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #25 November 10, 2008 Quote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Reply To -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- kids and dogs are ok at the DZ as long as they are kept on leash. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just strap them into a suspended training harness and that will keep them entertained (and tied up) for hours. Thats awfull! Poor little things... Can you imagine how tired of bouncing they would be after a few hours, not to mention they may get motion sickness! That's no way to treat a dog!Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
