Keep safe children;Don’t copy Mum!

We had a fabulous day on Thursday. It was not without it’s drama though. Firstly, anyone that knows me knows I am very anxious when driving somewhere I am not use to. Infact, my comfort zone is around a 20 mile radius, if that. I definitely hate motorways and I doubt that will ever change. To do the best for my children though, I regularly step out of my comfort zone and drive a good 40 minutes out in most directions. The SatNav is improving my confidence for unknown areas at least.

I did quite well and drove to a distant iJump. iJump is a chain of trampoline parks with a number of exercise equipments available, such as climbing walls and trampolines. We are in Home Ed groups that have negotiated a discounted session, every two weeks. Even though it’s out of the way, there were people I knew going and also it was a great chance to meet new Home Ed families, which is one of the bonuses of home educating.

So, after feeling very proud with myself, we entered the building. We watched a safety video…ahahaha how I laugh thinking about that. My friend sat with me and warned me “Hun, don’t worry but this video is very morbid. It’s “Don’t do this or you’ll break a bone…or die!”

I was so good. I watched with due diligence, even if I was laughing at the cartoon of a bone snapping every 10 seconds. I’m surprised my suspected Aspie didn’t just get up and walk out but instead she used her anxiety levels to upset her older sister. Don’t you just love sibling squabbles? Urgh!

So cool, paraphrasing here but “Don’t be an idiot or you’ll break a bone…or die!”

With that in mind, I followed Lukey around and made sure he didn’t go full on “Lukey crazy” until everyone was use to him. He did of course try and dive into the foam a few times. The foam is there for people to land in, so I had to instruct him on why that was dangerous a few times. I then moved on to Noodles. She was walking around calmly but anxiously. A friend noticed she was wearing ear defenders and informed us he was an Aspie also and that he recommended a different version that were more discreet. We have known this child through meet ups for almost 2 years now and he is absolutely lovely, extremely clever and very helpful. I was so grateful for his recommendation.

There is a tall tower at most iJumps. I’m guessing about 20 feet but I’m not an Architecture so could be different. My daredevil son threw himself off at least 3 times with no hesitation at all, landing securely on what can be described as a parachute style landing platform. As I have already stated, my daughter has anxiety in places she has never been and definitely with activities she has never done. Wouldn’t we all though?! So Mummy to the rescue. How do we show children there is nothing to fear? Why we do it first of course!

Did I mention that I am scared of heights? Halfway up a 3 step ladder I’m shaking and sweating. I confidently went up the staircase but immediately upon seeing the drop I froze. “Go on Noodles, you can do it, look your brother just did it!” A quick reply of “Not ready!” came. “If I go first will you do it after?”. To be fair, I don’t remember receiving a reply. I was by that time wondering what the hell I was doing. I soon realized that the longer I stood there, the more likely I would bottle it, so I told my inner voice to shut up and I ran. Now, I haven’t done anything like this for years…years and a few stone lighter. What was today’s lesson kids? Gravity! Gravity pulls heavier things down to the ground faster. Whilst my little lightweight son had flown off and landed in the middle, I went down like Wile E Coyote! Due to the surprise of the speed I descended, I did nothing to position my hands and out of natural instinct I must have placed them out and down as I landed on one, bending it.

Apparently I didn’t move very fast. That was probably due to the agony I was in but my children were watching so as us parents do, I sucked it up and rolled out with my hand in torturous burning agony. I also couldn’t be bothered with the martials checking me over with their first aid so had to smile whilst going past them…Noodles didn’t jump after that either and to be fair, which of us looks stupid now?!

I sat down for a while, thinking not too much would come of it and it was probably just sore from the immediateness of it all. I then drove for almost an hour, back home, to where I arrived, almost in tears. I had Mum duties though and soon had to go back out to collect AJ from the cinema.

The day after, my finger was becoming extremely tight and the bruising was discolouring the whole finger. I had to remove the ring from my finger with cutting pliers. I have since been to the doctor’s who sent me for an X-Ray but nothing is broken. I am just badly bruised and the swelling still isn’t dissipating after almost a week.

Safe to say it won’t be an experience I forget in a hurry and it somewhat changes a simple “Our Home Ed day out” story. Gave a few people a giggle and in a few weeks I will be back to normal.

Have you ever had a mishap on a Home Ed Meet? Share in the comments. It would make me feel better.