Afraid to Let My Kids Ride the Rides at the Amusement Park!

You live in California? The rides at the amusement park will be safer than the ride there on the freeway.

I am absolutely terrified to go on any rides myself, yet my boys love them. They have been going on the big rides for a couple of years now. I just can't watch. I try to bring a friend along to distract me.

As long as you stay within the height and size restrictions, the children should be perfectly safe. I felt the exact same way as you the first year we did the amusement park rides at Six Flags. :-)

I know how hard it is but please do not strangle your kids with constant worrry.
My Mom did that to my brother and I. Her list of what ifs was so extensive ---- nothing was safe. Mom never learned to swim or ride a bike and was never active or liked to be outdoors so.... When we did what typical kids in the '60's did like ride bikes and swim she worried and worried and paniced if we got hurt. It got to the point that if I fell off my bike and scraped my knee I didn't tell her because she would shake so bad she could hardly clean it and put a band-aide on it. I just did myself.
I couldn't go to summer camp because I might get hurt. I couldn't ride my bike off the sidewalk until I was 18 because I might get hurt. Yes, I said 18 and a legal adult. I couldn't get into a car with friends because I might get hurt. The list was endless.
Please do not do this to your kids. Let them live their lives and have fun.

Just remember to breath.

They have a bigger chance of getting seriously injured riding their bikes around.

I hope you won't be freaked out when they ride bikes now!!

Seriously, they have safety inspections and rules for a reason. Because, the last thing they want is anyone to get hurt. They will be fine.

Like others have said, they are very securely fastened into those seats and they do safety checks every morning before the park opens - so it's highly unlikely anything is going to happen.

Besides, they could end up being like my stepsons - couldn't wait to go on "The Super Death Plunge of Terror" or whatever it was, couldn't wait to be old enough, tall enough, etc. And then when the time came, they wimped out!

Think about it this way.
It's like plane crashes. You hear on the news about the ONE plane that crashed into the ocean today. What you don't hear about are the thousands of planes that made it their destination without incident.
Yes, a ride COULD malfunction, but the odds are that it won't.
Kids (or adults for that matter) can get hurt doing anything from crossing the street to taking a shower.
Sometimes you just have to bully yourself through your own fear and let them be kids.

Girlfriend - do you know that their wiggly little butts won't be able to move in the roller coaster rides?

I was just at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg on May 3rd, there was NO WIGGLE room on ANY ride I was in. The ride didn't move until EVERY person was checked and the alarm showed the harness secure....

Please don't live your life in fear. You are being ridiculous. You are wwwwwwaaaayyy overthinking and waaayyy over reacting.

Which park are you going to? If you really live in South Gate - I will assume (and I really hate to do that) you are going to Disney Land. They really do have a great track record of safety. If they didn't? They wouldn't be in business....
GO!! HAVE FUN!!!!

This is really a metaphor for life. I think the alcohol anonymous prayer is a good one. Grant me the power to change the things I can, accept the things I can't, and the wisdom to know the difference. Although it doesn't seem like it, we can all die doing seemingly safe things. You can't control freak accidents so don't even try or life will pass you by. You are a great Mom to think of your children's safety. Just remember that part of being a great Mom is letting your kids go, bit by bit, so that they can become mature, fun-loving adults. Living in fear is not really living. From one worry wart to another.

Not to add to your anxiety but my SIL's friend died walking up a flight of stairs. She tripped and hit her neck on the edge of a step.

Put this in perspective, there is probably a much greater chance of being injured or possibly even dying driving to the amusement park.

Perhaps it would help if you went on the rides with your kids though.😱

Believe me... Amusement rides are nothing compared to teaching your child to drive!!

The hardest part of my parenthood so far has been teaching my daughter to drive at 15. She's 18 now...... I still don't ride in a car with her unless I have no option.

My baby, driving, heading to college now.. MANY more worries worse than an amusement ride!!!

I just tell myself that if there was a big risk of kids falling out then they would not have the rides because kids would be falling out!

As an attendant told my husband's parents when he was embarking on his first solo ski lift, "He doesn't want to fall off this thing – he'll hang on!" He did, and survived to tell about it.

Isn't parenting interesting? We bring these precious beings into the world, then spend the rest of their lives learning to let them go. You'll be okay, mama, but maybe better after the day is over.

By the way, I'm not "comfortable" with heights, but I love some of those rides, and even went skydiving once when I was 49. Falling is really fun when the whole point is to fall.

I don't like amusement park rides either. Especially the traveling carnival rides!
When my daughter was about 3 or 4 we went to the amusement park and she went on the teacup ride - the one that the tea cups spin. When the ride came around and I spotted her she looked white as a ghost and I freaked out - I started screaming "Stop the Ride, Stop the Ride!" the kid stopped the ride and I jumped in the tea cup and pulled her out. Everyone looked at me like I was a crazy lady! Really, I think she would have been fine - I just panicked over nothing!

Lol-I couldn't wait for my kids to be big enough to ride the big rides with me since my husband is not a fan. We have a habit now of going to a new park each year (or trying to anyway). We loved Cedar Point in Ohio-best ever!! We are thinking of going back this year instead of something new :) And they have a new ride this year too!!!

Panic Plunge is great-Cedar Point actually has a ride that shoots you up and one that drops you down-love them both.

We were out in Colorado last year and they have a park there with a big swing. It swings right over in to the canyon-very cool and a little scary. Even my hubby did that one.

I've been anxious with some things for my daughter and now my grandchildren. I learned to hide my fears and let them do it. I stand and watch with my stomach in a knot but I doubt that they know it. Sometimes I would tell them that makes me anxious but I know you're safe so OK, do it.

I let them know that I have fears but that I also know that they're irrational and I bite my tongue and let them do them. This can be a learning experience for everyone. You learn that you can manage in spite of your fear and they learn that everyone has fears that they can manage.

those type also have a seat if i am remembering correctly.

they'll be ok. think of the MILLIONS of people that ride those things.

now travelling local carnival type rides...i feel ya there lol. i almost had a panic attack with my husband and 4 year old on a ferris wheel - after that i let hubby take him.

I think it might have been Robert E. Lee (among others) who wrote, "Never take the counsel of your fears." That is, find out the facts and act on those instead. Don't be ruled by emotions.

You ALWAYS hear about the few bad things that happen. You NEVER hear about the many children who go on the rides, stay safe, and have a good time.

I would not ride those things. I am a first-class chicken. But I'd let my grandchildren go on the rides if they wanted to, and tell me afterwards why they were so cool!

If it is at a permanent amusement park I have no problem. I was never allowed to go on the "roller coaster" types rides at the temporary ones as a kid because my dad didn't feel safe about it. He didn't like them getting put up and taken down so much. We could go on some rides, don't get me wrong, but he had limits. At the permanent ones though, we went on them ALL.

If it is the size thing you are worried about, go and sit next to him or at least go in line so you can be sure you feel comfortable with the fit of the seat.

Sorry, sweetie, you're a mom of boys. You have to just suck it up and let them be boys...

My oldest one went on the little kid's train "roller coaster" (hardly a roller coaster LOL!) when he was not much older than 2. He said "roller coaster" in his sleep, he was so excited. I laughed and laughed about that!

You'll be worried until you go home for the day, but it will be alright. Go over the rules before you allow them to get in line. Explain the height requirements and have them watch the ride in its entirety (walk around the sides so they can see the twists and turns.) Tell them why it's important to keep their hands and arms within their own space and any other safety concern. I'd do this sitting down with a drink so that they are actually paying attention to you, if I were you.

They are pretty old now. It's really time to let them do this.

Have fun!

I just say no and tell them in a few years they'll be big enough and old enough. That right now they're can't.

I hear you! I had a dream about my son falling out of a particular ride and I still can't be told when he is going on it. But he did and he was fine. I prayed a lot

:-)

I had the same worry with my 6 year old, on some smaller rides last summer. One jumps a little and I was convinced he was going to "jump" right out of the coaster. I told him repeatedly to hang on tight and told his cousin to hold onto him. He was fine and loved it. I have to say, I was happy he was too short for the really big one! I always scope out the other kids in line, that seem like they have done the ride before. Fortunately I have big kids, so I figure if that slim little thing handled it, then my sturdy boy can. It's normal to worry, I hope. I also worried about the ski lift, but they made it through that too. Fwew!

I feel the same way, I'm such a worrier. My son went on the glider ride where you lay down and it spins around on it's side. I nearly wanted to throw up because I was so worried. Thank you moms for all your words of advice. I really should just let go and let them live life. I have a 10 year old son and 4 year old daughter.

Actually you should make sure that all the rides are regularly inspected and as safe as possible. Many of the carnival rides that travel are set up and pulled down every week, rarely if ever inspected and run by high school kids who have little or no training.

Commercial planes are regularly inspected, checked out EVERY time they fly and fly with a licensed pilot AND co-pilot. I fly commercial very regularly. Small planes might be flown by someone who goes through a safety check list EVERY single time - or maybe not. They are nowhere near as safe and I don't fly them. Same thing for amusement rides - is your park a little fly by night operation or is it a Disney type park? And yes commercial planes crash (rarely - they are still safer than driving) and people die at Disney parks occasionally as well.

Follow the rules. I for one won't even go to those places. Not saying I am justified. It's just me. I worry about slipping. A 3-year-old died on a kiddie coaster in our area and it haunts me. But again, she was 3. No grown up there, and she slipped out on her own will. Sad.

7 and 9? That is different than 3.

I am so glad you guys went and conquered your fear. I am the same way. You give me hope. :):)
many blessings