Climbing trees (Full Version)

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PrincessDonna -> Climbing trees (6/17/2008 8:41:53 PM)

Do you let your kids climb trees? At what age do you let them, if you do? Do you have to watch them the entire time, chewing your fingernails the whole while?

Inquiring minds want to know.[8D]



garsyt -> RE: Climbing trees (6/17/2008 9:20:45 PM)

We don't really have a lot of great climbing trees around here and I won't let the kids climb the apple trees because I don't want them to do any damage to the tree itself, or break branches. BUT when we go hiking I do let the kids climb within reason and when we are in Minnesota they are free to climb the same trees I climb as a child as soon as they are able to pull them self up to the first branch! I fact - If I was not pregnant on our visits I would climb with them! None of the kids seemed to care about climbing all that much til they hit about 6 or 7 and it was always done with supervision til they hit about 8 or 9! I was climbing alone by the time I was 7 or 8 and would sit in the trees for hours with a good book!

Blessings,

Garsy



Karaboo2 -> RE: Climbing trees (6/17/2008 9:28:51 PM)

My sil's niece is a constant tree climber ... one day she was climbing in her grandparent's backyard ... ended up stepping on a dead branch which gave way -- she fell about 20 feet. Ended up with a broken rib which punctured one lung, and a shattered arm ... she was in ICU for a few weeks. Parents also ended up being fully investigated for neglect by CAS/CPS. May I add that this gal was 12 when it happened, and has been climbing since she could pull herself up. It was just a freak accident, which resulted in a year of misery for the parents due to the involvement of social services.

As for us, we don't have any trees on the property, other than my cherry saplings.



garsyt -> RE: Climbing trees (6/17/2008 9:38:42 PM)

And my siblings and I climbed for YEARS and my kids and nephews and nieces, have climbed for years with very few injuries, bumps and bruises and the occassional scrape or cut.

I guess I'm saying that pretty soon if we keep cutting out things we allow children to experience because they MIGHT get hurt, pretty soon there's going to be nothing left.

Blessings,

Garsy



Karaboo2 -> RE: Climbing trees (6/17/2008 9:40:06 PM)

I should have added that SIL's niece is back climbing trees ... she just checks the branches first!!!



DreadPirateRandy -> RE: Climbing trees (6/17/2008 9:42:58 PM)

I climb trees to this day. I turned out somewhat normal.



PrincessDonna -> RE: Climbing trees (6/17/2008 9:47:16 PM)

I grew up climbing trees and don't think my parents ever once told us we shouldn't. Not sure what age I started. The only injury I ever had was when the neighbor girl pushed me out of the tree (I said something she didn't like) and it set off my already simmering appendix. I was 8. My siblings never had any injuries either, other than a scratch here or there.

We have one good climbing tree at our house...a maple. It's a pretty young one, but the main branches are strong enough to climb. The lowest branch is too high to get up on, so the kids bring a chair over to get to a branch they can reach.

I ask today because I looked out the kitchen window and my 3 year old was half way up the tree. She was roof level of the garage behind the tree. I admit I panicked a bit and told her to get down, then sent my husband out to help or catch her if need be. I really don't know why I'm worried...all of my children are born little monkeys. This is the same child who climbed onto the kitchen table at 8 months old, when other children are merely starting to crawl.[8|]



Ellie-Mae -> RE: Climbing trees (6/17/2008 10:05:00 PM)

My kids have always climbed trees since the began to be able to reach branches.

At one point, a very pregnant me had to climb up after David and Caleb to help them down. After that they were only allowed to climb trees when there was someone available and able to climb up after them if need be... meaning Russ. The understood and were very good about it since they didn't want to be stuck and have to wait until daddy to get home to get back down.

When they were little little we used to ask that they let us know if the wanted to climb trees, but didn't really set limits on it.

Now they have that one pine tree that they all love to get up in. They only get in the apple trees when there are apples to eat.



sunshine4God -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 12:00:51 AM)

When me and my brother were little we had a bunch of pine trees in the backyard that we climbed daily.It was soo much fun and I don't remember us ever getting hurt,but one time I climbed too high and my brother had to help me down.



Jenny-Fair -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 12:38:26 AM)

I allow tree-climbing within my tree-climbing rule: If you cannot get up the tree without assistance, then you are not ready to be in the tree.

It has pretty effectively kept tree-climbing to only the children who are ready for it.



isaacsmom -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 2:05:41 AM)

My brothers and I climbed trees growing up, and we never injured ourselves. We had a most awesome pine tree in our front yard that was just like a ladder. The branches started way at the bottom and we could get up pretty high.

Anyway! We don't have any good climbing trees on our property -- but we'll definitely let DS and DD climb trees in the near future. I wouldn't mind if DS tried to climb one now. He's 3. DD would love to climb one now if I'd let her, but I wouldn't at this particular point in time. She's 18 mos. [8D]



creationtalk -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 6:59:14 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: PrincessDonna

Do you let your kids climb trees?


Yes

quote:

At what age do you let them, if you do?


as soon as he was able (1-2 yrs)...live oak at the zoo--branch touches the ground so he could climb pretty easy.

quote:

Do you have to watch them the entire time, chewing your fingernails the whole while?


When he was very little, I would stand under him where I could help if needed (or catch him as the case may be). Now I keep an eye on him from the house or where ever I'm working.



Consecrated2God -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 8:04:04 AM)

My oldest two like to climb trees. The others haven't really tried yet. I've never stopped them and I don't watch them when they do it, either. I climbed trees a lot as a kid, so it just seems like a normal kid activity to me.



PrincessDonna -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 8:10:46 AM)

quote:

they were only allowed to climb trees when there was someone available and able to climb up after them if need be...

When they were little little we used to ask that they let us know if the wanted to climb trees, but didn't really set limits on it.


That's pretty much what we have decided...only when Daddy is home and let us know you're going up before you do, so we can keep an eye out.



Roberta_ -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 8:59:42 AM)

Tree climbing was great fun. However, my now 22 yo ds decided to climb a tree when he was about 4. He had climbed that tree many, many times. However, a few days earlier he fell off his bike and broke his arm. I told him time and time again to stay away from the tree until his arm was all better. He learned his lesson, but broke his leg. CPS had a fun time with us! [:@]



stampinlady -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 10:30:33 AM)

Ds has always been a trees climber. He fell out of a tree on to his head when he was around 8 or so. It wasn't a very tall tree, but he did have a knot on his head for awhile. He seemed to graviate to trees when he was young. We would go to the park with moms from church and they were shoked that I let him climb on top of those jungle gyms at the park. I just figured that they're for climbing right? I also let my kids go up the slide and would get looks from others. Oh, they wouldn't be mean and not let kids go down, but they just wanted to climb out it. I always thought it was odd to not let them climb up![8D]



PrincessButtercup -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 3:04:41 PM)

My parents have always let us climb trees. Although my mom would tell us not to go any higher when it started to make her nervous. Haha!



cindybode -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 3:38:34 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: garsyt

I guess I'm saying that pretty soon if we keep cutting out things we allow children to experience because they MIGHT get hurt, pretty soon there's going to be nothing left.


Preach it, sister!

Yep, my kids climb. My rule has always been similar to Jen's - you gotta be able to get up there without help.

When Jesse was about 2, he climbed up one of these huge pines that lined the driveway. The kids had made a fort under them, and when I went to call them for lunch I only saw 4 kids. I said, "Where's Jesse?" and a little voice replied, "I up here," from way, way up the tree. I remember thinking well, this is probably good for at least one broken arm. I asked him if he could get down. He said, "Uh-huh," and scampered down the tree like a little monkey. He has never fallen out of a tree, although it recently came to his attention that since he's finally growing a little bit, he might want to test those branches before putting his full weight on them. [sm=icon_smile_roll.gif]



Covaan_Meshuga -> RE: Climbing trees (6/18/2008 11:38:10 PM)

Oh, I was a tree-climber. How I was! The loveliest trees for climbing were in Mississippi! Old, wonderful trees, some with the most spectacular malformed limbs.

In California, I would climb as high as I could in the redwood trees, which was only possible when several were in a bunch or when one had fallen.

In the part of Kentucky I lived in, the trees were scrawny and non-consequential, so the only ones I bothered with were apple trees.

In Missouri, there were some lovely trees, but I thought I was getting too grown up. I did enjoy the peach tree in the back yard, though.



Roberta_ -> RE: Climbing trees (6/19/2008 12:02:00 AM)

I climbed trees until I was in my early 20s and already had kids. (and I'm afraid of heights!)

There was a tree not far from here that I'd climb all the time. It had a great branch for sitting on while journaling, day dreaming or whatever. That branch hung out over a creek. After getting married, I'd bring the kids to visit my dad and I'd take them to that tree.

I was really disappointed when I moved back here 7 months ago and found out they removed the tree to put a bridge and a walking trail in.



Covaan_Meshuga -> RE: Climbing trees (6/19/2008 12:05:57 AM)

That is always a heart-breaker. I am sorry.



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