Do you let your kids climb trees?

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Equal-Tomorrow2442@reddit

Absolutely not. I can't imagine putting her at risk like that. Frankly if I did then it would be tantamount to neglect.

She's 3 weeks old.

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My only rule with tree climbing is that I won't help them down so they can only climb up as high as they feel comfortable that they can get down again. Works for us. Middle child has only slipped once about 3ft which shook him for a bit but he soon got over it.

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PresterJonny@reddit

Yep, I encourage it. Daughter 6 & Son 4.

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PapaJrer@reddit

FFS... yes

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cocainendollshouses@reddit

I'm 47 and if I see a climbable tree I'm going up🌲🌳

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BeardedBaldMan@reddit

I do but I'm the sort of person who'd send their child to a forest school and thinks seven is a perfectly appropriate age for a child to have their own knife

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

I was swinging axes by 14, as it turns out I can split an awful lot of wood in an afternoon

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Lopsided_Snower@reddit

14? thats not even nearly a flex

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

Ok, I’m only semi rural though

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Lopsided_Snower@reddit

I wasn't rural in the slightest and my Grandad showed me how to and supervised me building fires and chopping wood when I was around 10 or younger. I just googled it to make sure I wasn't far too young and if you'll forgive the AI overview, it says:
"Children can start supervised wood-chopping activities, such as using a small hatchet for kindling, around ages 7–10, depending on their maturity, physical strength, and attention span. Earlier exposure (ages 4–6) is usually limited to supervised, small-scale whittling or splitting small, soft wood with a small axe

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

Nice

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Electronic-Air2035@reddit

I work in a school and I have really reign myself in sometimes as I see no issue with them getting wet/muddy, digging around for bugs or climbing and falling (obviously not from a great height) but the issue is the parents, we got in trouble for letting some of them collect slugs and snails and making them a habitat as the parents said it would give them lung worm, they weren't eating them ffs! 😩

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Greedy-Nature-826@reddit

Our local school is great, they have the kids out in all weathers and have an onsite forest school and allotment the kids can help at everyday.

There's no such thing as wet play, they just put waterproofs and wellies on the kids and out they go - the head leads this and is strict about making sure that it happens.

The only time they stay in is if it's exceptionally windy due to the risk of flying tree limbs.

They also regularly take the kids out of school and they will walk to the local park or even the local churchyard to work in.

Their old school was nothing like this, I guess it's one of the benefits of living in a small village with a 0.5 form group entry!

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Electronic-Air2035@reddit

I specifically chose my youngests school for this reason too, the old head had a PhD in art and design and the school had an allotment/pond/chickens etc and once a term they had messy day where they came in old clothes and made art like chucking paint up the wall and hand prints, it was the furthest in the catchment but totally worth it.

Tbf with the parents where I work it's 50/50 but guess which half are the most vocal about their feelings on their kids coming home muddy and painty?

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tom-goddamn-bombadil@reddit

I was allowed to go fishing alone (with a knife for gutting which is what reminded me) at around that age, I can still remember the pride of the first fish I caught all by myself! A couple of years later I was in charge of setting the fires in the fireplace. Would have been sooner but I was scared to use the lighter for some reason 😂

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Greedy-Nature-826@reddit

I remember doing that, cleaning out the ash from the night before then balling up the paper, sticks and coal to light the fire.

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Obvious-Water569@reddit

I had my first pocket knife at 7 years old. My parents even had the blade engraved with my name and the date.

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bobaboo42@reddit

Just bought my daughter her first knife, she's 7, not near 8 either.

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JeffSergeant@reddit

NO knives here, but we each have our own ferrorod for when things gotta get burned.

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

Lock sport is a pretty good hobby, just make sure she understands that lock picking gear is not legal to have in public

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jingleson@reddit

I thought have them on you is not a crime, having them in you while breaking into a house or being found near break in is what will get you into trouble. Just make sure if the have lock picks they have a couple of practice padlocks aswell

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FlippingGerman@reddit

"Going equipped for burglary" is, as far as I remember, a crime in England. As with weapons I imagine a reasonable excuse (I just bought them/am taking them to a lockpicking event/am a locksmith etc.) would be a valid defence.

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

I’m not sure tbh, but it’s generally safer to leave it at home

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jingleson@reddit

I mean sure , but when I worked in kitchens I had to transport knives about the place sometimes on public transport, as long as they were secure and I wasn't doing anything malicious with them it's completely legal, even a full on meat machete and cleaver. If decide to get a bit stabby there would be problems Same with lock picks, be sensible go to meet ups and Training sessions but don't decide to test yourself on the local bank when you go home

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

Yeah, true, it did feel weird though when I walked through town with a bag of blades of various types, I was taking a batch of tools to sharpen, I had several axes, a scythe and some knives all packed in a towel in a big bag secured with cable ties

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JeffSergeant@reddit

Well technically she's below the age of criminal responsibility, but regularly refuses to help me monetise this fact. We raised her wrong!

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

Yeah but she won’t be forever, if you teach her to be responsible young it’ll stick better

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markvauxhall@reddit

Our kids went to a forest nursery from age 2 and were doing (supervised) tree climbing from that age, using manual drills to make holes in wood, etc etc.

At age 3 my son was climbing up to the 10m high ceiling of our local climbing centre.

Honestly it's amazing what young kids can do if you give them a chance.

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BeardedBaldMan@reddit

Unfortunately we didn't have one within a reasonable distance. But we try to make up for it.

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Scarred_fish@reddit

Completely agree!

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therealhairykrishna@reddit

My kids love climbing trees. What kind of forest school wouldn't let the kids climb?!

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Greedy-Nature-826@reddit

A local forest school nursery had the rule that the children weren't allowed to climb higher than the adults shoulder which seemed very fair as the kids were all under 5!

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highlandcow75@reddit

I am 38 and have never climbed a tree.

Please don't let your kids be like me.

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Greedy-Nature-826@reddit

There's still time, go to a park and do it.

If you're too nervous, find a local climbing centre with a wall they can teach you on and have you with a harness and safety line.

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KiwiNo2638@reddit

I'm not stopping them

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nininora@reddit

I'm a teacher, and before I got my current role I worked in supply.

Just before the summer holidays (so June/July), I worked at a primary school covering a teacher who had to be on bedrest for a pregnancy. The school field (where the kids spent their breaks and lunch times) is surrounded by trees. I was so surprised to learn that the school allows the children to climb them - I had worked at so many schools where the children weren't even allowed to be sat on the roots of the trees, it was really nice to see!

The main rule is that staff are not allowed to lift you to get you in and out, at most they can talk you through it. You got yourself up, you can get yourself down!

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richardathome@reddit

Just you try and stop the little buggers! <3

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thespanglycupcake@reddit

Climbing trees is absolutely allowed in our house...our only rule is she has to be able to get herself down (ideally, not only gravity assisted). This seems to temper the height she goes to, at least for now. Bigger issue is she insists on climbing trees in pink dresses which is extremely impractical.

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Cauleefouler@reddit

My kids school do forest school. They come home absolutely filthy telling me about the birds the saw, the trees they climbed, the bird watching den they build, the marshmallows they roasted after they set the fire. They love it!

I remember climbing a tree when I was younger and getting stuck up there and I was too scared to jump down so my friends all left. Mine won't have that problem 😂

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CR1SBO@reddit

I hope you get down some day! Can't be easy being a dad up a tree

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Cauleefouler@reddit

Or a mum, you know, either or.

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Organic_Reporter@reddit

Yes and my 18 year old will still do so any chance he gets. We recently went to Northern Ireland and he climbed something nearly every day!

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Illustrious-Eye1673@reddit

I was born in 1949 and my late brother in 1942. His idea of looking after me when our parents went out was chasing me up the small apple tree and he'd go up a bigger one and we'd lob fruit at each other. The windfall went into pies our mother made. Once he turned 14, he moved on to other interests, but I treasure those years. And I still climb trees when the opportunity comes round.

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conustextile@reddit

At age 77 (or thereabouts), that's really impressive!

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Illustrious-Eye1673@reddit

Thank you! 🥹 💕 Will be 77 later this year. We are old grandparents as son did not start a family till in his 40s. Have to keep up with energetic grandkids! 🤪

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conustextile@reddit

You're doing fantastically! I hope I'm just as adept when I get to your age (:

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Marcvambe@reddit

My first memory is of being up in a tree, I loved it! That being said my wife would never let our kids climb a tree, she can’t let them climb the steps to a slide in a playground without hyperventilating. Probably some childhood trauma

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StereotypicallBarbie@reddit

Parent anxiety is real… especially mothers! our instinct is to not let them get harmed in any way..

Meanwhile dads.. throwing kids in the air and shit

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Old_Bat282@reddit

The "especially mothers" bit really doesn't ring true in our household. My husband worries about everything. Meanwhile, I'm letting my 2 year old climb to the top of the climbing frame at the park. He needs those experiences. Some of it appears to be connected to upbringing. My parents expected us to be quite independent from a young age, whereas his were a lot more cautious.

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TheMagicTorch@reddit

Hear me out, a generation of women who've had their anxiety and self esteem battered by the internet and social media are now parents with actual anxiety disorders, and it shouldn't be normalised as "parent anxiety".

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TotalBananas1@reddit

I'm a mum and I'm all for my daughter exploring. Developmentally, 'safe risks' are important.

That being said, I will not buy a trampoline or take her to a trampoline park. If my partner wants to take her, fine, but I will not be there!

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yellowsubmarine45@reddit

As a mother, I have to disagree. I am up that tree with her.

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weatherwaxs_broom@reddit

Lol same. I revel in my little monkey and her rough and tumble play. Seeing her get filthy and grazed up is amazing. Even better when I join her!

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sockeyejo@reddit

Except for my friend's photo album of baby's first winter holiday abroad where the whole family are photographed throwing baby (dressed in a teddy bear snowsuit) into the air and catching her. Except for dad. Dad can't catch thin air. Dad threw a teddy bear dressed in the teddy bear snowsuit for his contribution. Dad did not catch the teddy bear.

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LettusLeafus@reddit

When my eldest was a baby I read a study that said children who were allowed to take (small) risks when young are less likely to be injured as teens and adults e.g. they learn to assess risk early when the stakes are low

So my hormonal self immediately went and bought him a climbing frame. It was a nerve wracking time!

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Hunter037@reddit

I guess I'm missing that instinct. I wouldn't want them to get badly hurt but a scrape or bruise in pursuit of having an enjoyable childhood is a risk you take. I'd rather not wrap them in cotton wool

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phil24_7@reddit

You don't learn how to manage big pain without learning how to manage little pain when little. My lad used to be an absolute softie but now he often comes home from school with ugly grazes and doesn't moan about them much.

Last week, I walked into the hall to see him sat in the floor, silently breathing. He had proper clobbered his funny bone on the bannisters...then stubbed his toe. Previously this would have been the cue for tears and an angry meltdown. Now he quietly seethes, and breathes, until the pain becomes bearable. Progress!

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StereotypicallBarbie@reddit

Yeah I’m not saying it’s some kind of perfect parenting.. sometimes that anxiety is really strong and you do wrap them in cotton wool.

I agree.. kids need to play outdoors and sometimes knocks and scrapes happen!

Fully remembering the time my son flew right over the handlebars of his bike! and it’s like I was watching it happen in slow motion! Got up again without a mark on him and laughing.. while I had a full on heart attack!

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uncited@reddit

That went downhill quickly

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ExpressTruth76@reddit

Sounds like they didn't get up the hill in the first place

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Beer-Milkshakes@reddit

Yes of course. I'm there if he goes too high and a few times he has slipped his footing and dropped down maybe 3ft, no harm. He loves the challenge. But thats the idea; let them challenge themselves how they want and let them fail.

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Current_Fly9337@reddit

Mine climbed too high when he was around 4/5 and started crying because he was scared. I tried to show him how to get down but he was panicking. I ended up having to climb the bloody tree in a summer dress and sandals to go get him. The park was packed 🙈

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Foshiznik23@reddit

I didn’t climb trees as a kid but I had the agility, balance and strength of a biodegradable napkin in a monsoon so it was more a skill issue than prohibited.

I’m a millennial so it’s law that we know at least one person in our friend circles who broke their arm from falling out of a tree.

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MJ-Franklin@reddit

Damn when I was a kid we built absolutely lethal rope swings in the middle of the local woods! Like a 75ft drop at the end.

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Curious-Term9483@reddit

Climbing trees is what childhood is FOR!

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what_katy_did@reddit

I don't think we should stop kids doing dangerous things carefully.

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Veenkoira00@reddit

Why would you send your child to a forest school without one of the common forest activities ? Of course, not all children want to climb, it's not safe for everyone to climb. But it's a quite normal activity.

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Psychological-Plum10@reddit

Just let kids be kids.

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SpongeFixation@reddit

Of course, why wouldn't I?

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BambiiDextrous@reddit

I'm confused about how a parent could choose to send their child to a forest school yet object to tree climbing. Something tells me they don't have a strong grasp on the concept.

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Most_Kiwi3141@reddit

Sigh. There are some "forest schools" which would be more accurately described as "day camp in a field." They do "forest crafts" (bullshit involving acrylic yarn and sticks), play organised games, and watch a leader make a fire, over which they may carefully toast one marshmallow. I'm sorry but "getting in touch with nature" doesn't mean "wrap a stick in rainbow plastic and apologise when they come home with muddy shoes."

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jilljd38@reddit

As a beaver leader I have noticed a massive reluctance in parents letting their kids do anything that might be remotely adventurous, noticed it more with the younger ones that I have the just turning 6 covid kids , don't want them to camp don't want them to do anything that is away from the safety of the hut , no camp fires because they smell it's not safe etc , don't want them doing anything that doesn't involve screens in anyway shape or form , but the parents don't want to get a dbs and come on the camps with us either

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charlytune@reddit

It sounds like that parent isn't a good fit with a forest school, but their kids absolutely need to be in a forest school.

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lookhereisay@reddit

I was never a big tree climber as a kid. We had a nice apple tree in the garden I would sit in though. Sadly it got rot and is now gone from my parent’s garden.

Done a bit of tree climbing with my 4yo but it’s a struggle to find decent climbing trees where I am or the park people tell you off.

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Obvious-Water569@reddit

I don't have them, but if I did, I'd actively encourage tree climbing, bike riding, skinned knees and busted lips.

It's all part of being a kid.

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will8981@reddit

Im 35 and I climbed a tree this weekend. My 2 year old gave it a good go but I won this time.

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phil24_7@reddit

Keep up the good work. They will beat you eventually, but don't let the mantle pass easily!

47(m) here, and I can still out spring my 12 year old...just. When he learns to keep going, he'll soon realise he's not far off surpassing my stamina! 🤣 🤣 🤣

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will8981@reddit

Yeah ive climbed this tree in the past and this weekend I was like fuck me im not going all the way up its terrifying. Time catches up to us all eventually

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penny_lab@reddit

I climbed a cherry laurel with my 8 year old last night, she loved it!

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JennyW93@reddit

I don’t have kids, but on the weekend my 6 year old niece said it’s impossible to fall out of a tree and hurt yourself. And I’ve never fallen out of a tree and hurt myself. So I don’t know, it seems pretty low risk to me.

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nineteenthly@reddit

Yes we did let them, in the '90s and the noughties. Helicopter parenting was in full swing during their childhood so I'm sure there are still plenty of parents who still do.

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Rexel450@reddit

Absolutely let them climb.

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weatherwaxs_broom@reddit

Absolutely, my daughter is actually really good at it. I used to pick her up and place her in the lower branches within reach when she was about 3 and it's carried on since! It's good for them, kids need risky play (obvs within reason).

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Motor-Command-2680@reddit

My kids where not really into that sort of thing. I used to. We used to make swings and I'd climb trees to collect birds eggs as well.

Fell more than once but bounced with out any breaks. Worst fall was from about 15 foot. The branch broke , i fell hit the floor and spooked a load of ground wasps. They stung the hell out of me all over my head , it felt like molten hot rivets being driven into my head ,i ran flailing and flapping across a dual carriageway.

Just as i reached the furthest lane i heard a massive horn. I looked and was probably ten feet away from being hit by a massive 18 wheeler wagon. I threw myself like a goal keeper onto the grass verge as it thundered past horn shrieking and spraying dirt and rubber as it locked its wheels up. The driver got out and came over and belted the shit out of me for running out into the road. I stopped climbing trees after that.

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TheGnomeSecretary@reddit

Yes, I let them climb trees. It’s a great way to teach them about all sorts of things. In a little under 1 hour this Monday mine learnt a lot about nature, exercise, gravity, and first aid.

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Fine_Cress_649@reddit

I actively encourage it

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Lowermains@reddit

Was at an English overpriced family resort place.
My grandkids decided to climb a tree. The father of a child they had befriend almost lost his shit when he saw them up the tree.

Yes of course let them climb trees.

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mightypup1974@reddit

I never did, so I instinctively disapprove of my kids doing it, but my wife did and she encourages it

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carbsandchaos@reddit

Yes. I was never allowed to do anything that might be dangerous or get my clothes dirty as a child. I was born in 1994. I wanted my son to have a different upbringing... he's practically feral and climbs every tree he can. He's been attending forest schools since he was 2 years old and he's now 10.

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Budget-Insect-3111@reddit

Absolutely. These days we under protect kids in the online world and over protect them in the real world. Let them climb, let them have some risky play and maybe get a few scrapes along the way. Let them face adversity!

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yellowsubmarine45@reddit

Yes of course.

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Phenomenomix@reddit

There’s a small tree outside of my son’s class at school, every day at pick up he’s straight up it. We’ve been talking about ways he can go to get higher up.

Every time we go to the park he’s in the trees trying to climb them, he’s getting good but for 4 he’s maybe more ambitious than his ability

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PolarLocalCallingSvc@reddit

I'm a scout leader so perhaps a bit biased.

But yes we let scouts climb trees.

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DMMMOM@reddit

I was talking about this a week or so ago. Turns out about 80 kids used to die a year back in the day from falling out of trees and many more injured, some paralysed etc. I myself had 2 pretty nasty falls as a kid climbing trees, once only saved by my trousers snagging on the way down. I think it's really about the degrees of it, would you let a child scale a 30 metre oak tree? Nope, but what about a 10 foot apple tree, yes of course. And then you're into the middle ground, I do get why some parents are risk averse, Tarquin mustn't hurt himself as he has piano lessons on Thursday, but then getting out of bed is a risk these days.

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Poo_Poo_La_Foo@reddit

"let" lol.

Wild to think it is something you'd need to sanction. Turf em out, let them play.

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riwalk55@reddit

Yeah we all did. But modern UK society is very risk averse and your risk assessment won’t stack up when a kid breaks an arm and the parents go running to the bank. Hope you’ve got good insurance but fair play to you

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spynie55@reddit

I told my kids that if they fell they might break a bone and that would be really really sore. And that branches can break. They climb trees, but carefully!

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Legitimate-Dream-111@reddit

That brings back some memories, i remember a childhood friend falling from a tree, we had climbed quite high, probably 7 meters or so, tall trees and he fell back first onto a branch near the bottom. he was pretty much folded in half, broke his back.

Maybe rephrase the word sore if you ever talk to your kids about it again 🤣

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bumbleb33-@reddit

Yes but what I won't do is help you up. If it's too high or you can't get a good purchase, that's not the one for you so go find another one. I'm the same with playground equipment and my kids will either persevere and find a way up that works or go play on something they can access easier. We've(touch wood)never had more than a few falls because they're within their own capacity and limits.

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quite_acceptable_man@reddit

Mine are teenagers now, so aren't interested in climbing trees anymore. However, they certainly did when they were younger.

We live where I grew up, so I know all the best trees for climbing.

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phil24_7@reddit

Only if they intend to commit. I need to see them bear the top, and then struggle to get down...or they need to drop branches to get down.

How I'm not dead, I don't know! 🤣

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soulsteela@reddit

We used to go for long bike rides looking for the best climbing trees, it’s totally normal for kids to climb trees.

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BellendBuilder@reddit

I do pal and I actively teach how my half American kids (my wife’s American) to get to higher branches

Not a forest school leader just a Yorkshireman who had a grandad as my dad wasn’t around who taught me how to climb trees

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CurvyHotwife_uk@reddit

Yes I would let them. They've never attempted it so far but they're only 5&2.

Husband and I let our kids figure out their own abilities and limits. We ensure they're not going to do anything really silly but we've always let them figure things out and stay nearby in case they fall.

We have family who are the opposite. Don't let their kids do anything in case they hurt themselves and as a result their kids tend to hurt themselves more. We are maybe a bit too lax but I think being the complete opposite is also bad.

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Potential-Ordinary-5@reddit

Last summer I took my niece and nephew to their local park and my niece decided to climb a tree. Long story short, she got stuck. I was laughing so hard. I was like, what do you expect me to do about it, I'm 4' 11".

She was fine. A lovely young man, half my age but twice my height offered to help her but I managed to talk her through her steps until she got low enough for me to lift her down.

Kids definitely still climb trees.

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elbapo@reddit

Yeah man kids.have a right to climb trees

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gettin-swole@reddit

Used to love climbing trees as a kid. Great times.

Can’t avoid everything forever! I recently dislocated my finger riding enduro bikes, and a very risk averse person in my family went nuts that I’m back out again.

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MeasurementDouble324@reddit

We had outrage in the village recently when some kids (mine included) were spotted 5ft up a tree in the park. There was a whole drama on the FB page and the long and short of it is now kids aren’t allowed to climb trees here unless they wanna hear about it for days after. 😒

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

In forest school I’d imagine they’re supervised so lower risk

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Sparky1498@reddit

Ran a cub group until it folded during covid despite best efforts on zoom 😞 risk assessments obviously undertaken before activities but honestly some free time climbing trees and playing in woods (aged 8-10) plus supervised (at a distance) for 6/8 was normal practice. Learning to light fires, cook simple (age appropriate) meals from simple chocolate cake mix in oranges or baked potatoes in embers to gutted stuffed fish wrapped in wet newspapers or soaked banana leaves along with the obvious marshmallow toasting was a normal activity. Supervised wood chopping, learning how to safely use different knives for different activities (food prep to whittling wood) again perfectly safe and acceptable activities. The kid’s experienced everything from group activities ran at an evening session to trying their hand at abseiling, rifle shooting (pellets and paper targets obviously) archery, zip wires, assault courses and a whole load more along with photography sessions, digital communication nights, stop motion video nights, chess competitions, a whole host of games and silly activities from I’m a Cub Scout get me out of here to Christmas plays etc. so climbing a tree? Dear Lord if a parent has an issue with that I have to question whether they were ever a child themselves!

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Personal-Visual-3283@reddit

Mine are 7, 5 and 2. All climb trees to an ability-led height

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Creepy-Albatross-588@reddit

I’m a 50 yr old woman and I climb trees so do my kids.

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Difficult_Bad1064@reddit

I'm not going to pay for them to get into Legoland.

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crgoodw@reddit

Superb

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Sensitive_Fly_7036@reddit

Hahaha

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ramapyjamadingdong@reddit

So when I run trips to the woods for 30 kids, as a voluntary youth leader, I do not allow climbing. That is because my ratio of adults to children is often 1 to 6 (6-8yrs) or 1 to 8 (8-10yrs) and I am not willing to take on that liability.

With my own children, where I am supervising on 1:1 or 1:2 basis, they can go ahead. My husband will often go up with them, depending on the tree, else I limit how high they can go.

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tcpukl@reddit

Totally yes. I climbed trees as a kid. My kid also does forest school and want them to also climb trees.

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IsUAkunt@reddit

same job etc etc... it was, what, like a few decades ago when this was becoming a thing and taking shape after years of being overly paranoid - there was a touring set of consultations, presentations even, where some colleagues got sent abroad (i think holland?) and came back with footage of little bibbles maybe 5 years old stacking milk crates and other risky play with the idea to use that footage and experience to spread the word. it's having the messaging to educate everyone where us involved are beyond that and find it confusing or disjointed when others aren't more readily aligned with us. there's a whole lot of branches of working with people were we should consider circling back regularly to raise knowledge across the encompassing community

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Hamsternoir@reddit

I would but my kids are far too boring to do the dumb shit I used to get up to.

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littleduckcake@reddit

On one of those horrible days when your divorced parents have to spend time together my mum saw a tree and said "ah if I was younger I'd have loved to climb that tree" and dad said "with any luck you'd fall and break your neck" :-)

Dad didn't used to let us climb trees

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Broccoli--Enthusiast@reddit

I absolutely would if I had any

Did you even have a childhood if you didn't fall out a tree once or twice.

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justdont7133@reddit

My boys loved climbing trees when they were younger. It made me nervous but I tried very hard to be cool, and not keep telling them to be careful. My eldest did lessons at a climbing centre and one week he really didn't want to go because he was too tired for climbing. He asked to go to the playground instead and he spent the whole time there up a tree

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mr_P0Opy_Butth0le@reddit

Yes I tell my son "dangerous things done carefully" . When he is climbing to check the branches are not dead before putting on weight on it. And don't get higher than you would be willing to fall.

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Sensitive_Fly_7036@reddit

Thank you for this. It wasn’t even a possibility to climb trees growing up so checking for dead branches wouldn’t have occurred to me.

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Supergoose5000@reddit

This must be rage bait.

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PipBin@reddit

When I was a kid we had a huge walnut tree in the field. My dad put horseshoes into the trunk so I could climb it like a ladder. Spent most summers up there.

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bars_and_plates@reddit

When I was about 10 or so we used to play outside unrestricted, the concept of not being allowed to climb a tree is hilarious, who's going to stop me?

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Odd_Knowledge_2146@reddit

Yes and my daughters joined cubs so they could make little rockets etc. I was always plucking them out of trees and bushes where they had made dens

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Arieldli@reddit

Obviously... As a mother to 4 children, they spend most of their time up trees if they can!

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SdanoG@reddit

Remember as kids 4 or 5 of us up a tree, or ontop of the bonfire we were building……… such wet nellies parents of today are…….. the 1970’s rocked

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SorbetOk1165@reddit

Yep.

My 3 year old is trying to work out how to scale our oak tree. He refuses to listen that it’ll be impossible.

I then guide him to our magnolia tree as the branches are perfect for climbing even at his age.

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CategorySolo@reddit

What tf is she doing sending a kid to forest school and not expecting a tree to be climbed

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Sensitive_Fly_7036@reddit

I’ve never climbed a tree so I’m really nervous about this with my child. He’s still too little to try but I feel a bit out of my depth as I’m not sure how to instruct him so that it’s safely done. Will definitely be allowing him though as I do think it’s important.

I was reading something the other day that was saying parents often reframe things that personally scare them into being dangerous activities. It worries me therefore it’s dangerous. It was talking about kids playing out alone, or walking to the shop, but I can see how it fits in here too. I really struggle to know what’s objectively dangerous as a tiny bit of risk freaks me out where my child is concerned

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msbookworm23@reddit

Last time we were at the park, my mum climbed a tree. A nearby teenage boy felt shown up and climbed higher lol.

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Impressionsoflakes@reddit

I used to be a teacher and helped out in forest school although there were "proper" forest school teachers leading it. Indeed, the kids were allowed to climb trees as long as they were sensible.

Safety is self-selecting to a point as the ones who weren't safe climbing a tree didn't want to anyway. However, I can't see this lasting long considering what parents, schools and education is like generally now. E.g. I had to do a risk assessment to take my class on a 10 minute walk to the local church, including assessing the trees in case a nut-allergic child might be in peril from them.

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Alive_Forever_9541@reddit

Yes, and I show them how! I'm 50 and they're 20 and we still climb trees!

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WitchyRedhead86@reddit

That’s brilliant! I spent so many afternoons climbing trees in the woods as a child. Nothing like it.

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Browneskiii@reddit

Anyone saying no is an awful parent. Part of growing up is learning first hand what does and doesnt work. If you're so sheltered that you cant physically or emotionally get hurt, whats going to teach you?

It sucks to get hurt, but you have to do it somehow. Have fun, do stupid shit, be free while the world lets you, behaving like an adult your entire life sounds like a world of hell.

Learn from your mistakes, not (necessarily) from others.

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snarkycrumpet@reddit

Not if the tree is young or looks delicate. I saw some kids swinging off a sapling the other week and I could have cried.
But otherwise climbing trees is one of the last fun, free things left. I love trees.

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Snoo_23014@reddit

My nephew and I were playing football in the garden and he kicked it into next doors garden. Fence about 3 feet high.

I said "right buddy, I'm off to the loo, you nip over and get the ball"

Came back 5 mins later and he is standing confused.

"What's up?"

"How do I get over?"

"Just climb over. It's only a fence"

"But how?"

He was 11... I was heartbroken that he hadn't ever played out.

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Maxi-Moo-Moo@reddit

Hell yeah! Well I did when he was little not so much at 22 lol I was constantly climbing trees as a kid and constantly having to have my dad help me down 😂

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HeartyBeast@reddit

I positively encouraged the little blighters. Was incredibly proud of my 5 year old daughter’s ability to scramble up anything.

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unbelievablydull82@reddit

When my kids were younger they were always climbing trees, particularly my daughters. Now they're teenagers, I'll be lucky if I can get them off the sofa

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LucyThought@reddit

Mine are three and two (and a baby who can’t yet walk) and YES, I encourage it. It’s great for them and they have the biggest smiles when they’re in trees.

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StereotypicallBarbie@reddit

I never actively stood there and watched my kids climb trees… but they probably did in the park.

I know my son definitely did… at any given time he was climbing something.

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dible46@reddit

We used to climb trees an then try to knock each other off with sand bombs (weeds) that we took up with us. Wasn't much to do in my village, so we found ways to amuse ourselves. Like who can outrun our mates randy dog an get over the barb wire fence first.

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Difficult_Bad1064@reddit

We should all climb more. We're built for it. It's a link to our animal ancestry we seem to deny.

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roddz@reddit

My kid is 1 so I'd be surprised if he could but when he's older hell yeah I'd let him

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Epic_J2338@reddit

Yeah I loved doing that as a child

I sometimes still do as an adult

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Floz1989@reddit

I actively encourage my daughters to climb trees.

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Airurando-jin@reddit

Yeah when they were younger.

Need to have the obligatory broken bone

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Comfortable-Fall1419@reddit

Yes. Some of the best days of my life climbing trees. My kids too.

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TheLoneEcho@reddit

Of course. They don't go too high. What's the worst that can happen? The break a bone and get mended.

The liklihood of something bad happening is tiny as long as they're supervised

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Matchaparrot@reddit

I was allowed to climb trees as a child. I went to quite an open minded school though and the next school I went to was not happy about it at all.

There were never any accidents in my first school from tree climbing. Just the usual grazes and cuts from kids being kids. We learned to only climb to our capabilities.

I still love climbing as an adult but nowadays I do indoor bouldering

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HuntingTheWren@reddit

Yeah definitely. But I have been around parents who’ve raised an eyebrow as mine shot off into the branches like a monkey with its tail on fire.

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Greedy-Nature-826@reddit

I have three boys and they all love climbing trees.

We've only had one broken bone so far so not doing too bad!

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Scarred_fish@reddit

Absolutely!

Some of my favourite pictures of my daughter are her and her mates building a treehouse!

Whenever my neice and nephew visit they can't wait to get out to the end of the garden and climb up.

I worry about any parent who doesn't want their kids to have fun in nature.

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