Recently, each of my kids was invited to birthday parties that came with a LIABILITY WAIVER attached to the invitation. WHAT? Now, when I was a kid, you partied at your own risk. No one cared if you came out with the same amount of fingers or toes as when you went in. And what's more dangerous than a pinata? It doesn't get much more chaotic than a bunch of blindfolded 8-year-olds swinging bats and broomsticks in a roomful of kids (if you've seen Funniest Home Videos pinata accidents are a regular segment!).
My son's invitation was for a paintball party, and my daughter's was for a gymnastics party. On my own, I wouldn't have thought much about dangers related to either party. I know the parents. If the parents feel it is safe enough for their kid, it's safe enough for mine. But when I saw the waiver I thought WHOA... WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!! And as I started reading the waiver, I started GETTING worries I never had to begin with! One line says I will not sue them for "negligent rescue operations." Seriously? So if my daughter falls off the balance beam and breaks her leg, it's OK for the party hostess to keep her feet propped up on her desk, munching Cheetos while watching reruns of "Dog, the Bounty Hunter" and not call 911? Ugh!!
I know, I know.... we live in a litigious society, and these things are a facility's attempt to CYA. I get it. It's just another stark reminder of how different things are from back in my day (you know, like how we all chewed happily on lead toys and car seats were a luxury?).
I'll sign the waivers... after all, I don't want to be THAT mom (and I know you know what I mean!)....
Enjoy the day!
Cindy
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3 comments:
LOL! You are so right, Cindy! Today's world instills unnecessary worry into our lives! Super silly! I grew up making faces out of the back window of my parent's woody station wagon with no seat belt. When I started to get car sick, I would dive over the back seat, and squat on the hump in the middle between my parents, while my two sisters continued their wild antics and faces in the backwards seat!
I understand the need for safety, but I think every kid should experience a "backwards" seat!
What has the world come to if we have to sign a waiver for our kids to attend a birthday party! When we lived in El Paso my ds was playing with my one of my friends kids and the kid pushed him causing him to fall and break his arm. My friend was afraid I was going to sue her, I said "for what, they're just kids, accidents happen - it's not like he did it to be malicious"!
Ohmigosh, I never thought I would see the day when you needed a liability waiver to attend a birthday party! I love your approach to this.
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