porque Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Would you consider letting your ds12 go to a 4th of July party where you know, or strongly suspect there will be illegal fireworks? Let's say there will be adult supervision, but also a lot of 12 year old boys running around. If you have a problem with this would your issues be with the safety or the legality? We are in California, so I think fireworks that are illegal here are brought across the border from states where they are legal. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 4th of July.....my kids are with me. Period. We live in Washington where large aerials are legal, and fireworks are Everywhere for the week before hand. Our neighbors have a huge show (they sell fireworks) in our neighborhood. I have seen many fireworks misfire over the years, and I won't chance allowing my kids to be in an environment where others are watching over them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandragood1 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I do not know what makes particular fireworks illegal in your state. In our state, if there is something which can fall back down (hot, glowing metal bits) that makes it illegal. Also over a certain level of power. I have been present when a neighbor set off some illegal ones. There was a bit of "dodge the glowing bits" and a little damage to a car. There is a chance for someone to get ER-level hurt, so I'd want to be there or ds wouldn't go. If it is illegal b/c of power, I'm Ok as long as my ds isn't lighting it (and will stay back). Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 My guess is if they are shooting off illegal fireworks and get caught the adults would get a stern talking to and a fine instead of being hauled off to jail. Is there major concerns with real dry conditions like in Colorado and other parts of the midwest? If yes, then it would be a no go. Do you trust the adults to supervise the children around them? If no, it would be a no go. Otherwise, I would probably let a 12 yo go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I don't have a problem with it. Our neighborhood hosts a "Cul-de-Sac of Fire" every year, and all the pyromaniac dads and boys set them off. It's a lot of fun, and everyone is careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I don't have a problem with it. Our neighborhood hosts a "Cul-de-Sac of Fire" every year, and all the pyromaniac dads and boys set them off. It's a lot of fun, and everyone is careful. Oh my gosh! My dh would think he'd died and gone to heaven! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ. Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 It depends on whether I felt the children would be properly supervised and how dry it is where you live. If I felt the children would be supervised and if it wasn't so dry that there was chance of erroneously starting a serious fire, then yes I would allow it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristineW Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 No. I would not. I was injured by a legal bottle rocket at a family 4th of July when I was 13; another inch or so and I could have lost an eye--the burn on my face was bad enough. Also, it was a dry winter in CA. I live in the burbs and have already witnessed two brush fires on the hillside. If the kids are setting off fireworks and something catches fire--you could be partly liable for the damage not to mention the guilt. I grew up in the midwest where fireworks can be fun if properly supervised (we bought fireworks many times after I was injured but the grownups were a little more careful about who and how the fireworks were used), but I suspect that there are few places in CA where they could be used safely. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 4th of July.....my kids are with me. Period. We live in Washington where large aerials are legal, and fireworks are Everywhere for the week before hand. Our neighbors have a huge show (they sell fireworks) in our neighborhood. I have seen many fireworks misfire over the years, and I won't chance allowing my kids to be in an environment where others are watching over them. Same here. You should SEE the things we blow off :lol: No chance in this life I'd leave my kids with anyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I would be much more concerned about rather the adults are heavily drinking. As long as they are not letting the children set them off and the adults are competent, I guess it wouldn't be too bad, but honestly *I* wouldn't. I am more of the paranoid sort. :blush: I will say that my father had a bottle rocket go rogue on him once. The bad thing is that they are not legal here, and he was in his police uniform at the time. It pierced through his uniform under his arm pit. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I value my child's ears too much. We were at a cul-de-sac firehouse once. Two children got burned and my son was not happy a great day out was ruined by screaming children and such loud noises. I'd never been to one, and we had to leave. My ears rang for hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I would not for legal reasons. I try not to put my kids in situations where illegal things are going on especially if I know they are going on. Obviously I cannot protect them from everything, but allowing them to break the rules once gives them permission to do it again. Laws are laws even if I do not agree with them. If I trust the adults they are with, then safety is not a big concern. My kids shoot bows and guns with friends though, so maybe I have a different outlook on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porque Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 I will say that my father had a bottle rocket go rogue on him once. The bad thing is that they are not legal here, and he was in his police uniform at the time. It pierced through his uniform under his arm pit. :lol: Interesting, we recently had an off-duty sheriff's deputy injured by some sort of fireworks, he apparently was helping the daughter of a friend light it, and I believe she lost part of her hand. I guess I am concerned with setting a precedent of ok'ing illegal activity, but I tend to be a stickler for the following rules, maybe too much so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Would you consider letting your ds12 go to a 4th of July party where you know, or strongly suspect there will be illegal fireworks? Let's say there will be adult supervision, but also a lot of 12 year old boys running around. If you have a problem with this would your issues be with the safety or the legality? We are in California, so I think fireworks that are illegal here are brought across the border from states where they are legal.thanks! Not all counties make it illegal by the way. We are in Northern CA and it's currently legal in our county. It would depend on who is with him. Can you all go as a family? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I don't think it has anything to do with legal vs illegal or adults present or not. just because they are legal doens't make them safe. just because an adult is present doesn't mean common sense safety rules are followed. I think you need more information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I value my child's ears too much. We were at a cul-de-sac firehouse once. Two children got burned and my son was not happy a great day out was ruined by screaming children and such loud noises. I'd never been to one, and we had to leave. My ears rang for hours. what is a cul-de-sac firehouse? (I know what a cul-de-sac is) reminds me of the chem prof/dad whose kids were at the same elementary school as my olders and would come to do science demonstrations. one time, things went awrey resulting in a particularly loud explosion. by the time he could hear again the kids were all screaming "Do it again!". he did not humor them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I would never allow it but I have some additional baggage when it comes to illegal fireworks. I have family members who were killed in a fire started by illegal fireworks. Someone in the neighborhood was shoot off fireworks and one landed on the roof of the house and began to smolder. They tried to get out but were overtake by smoke. We have someone close to us who shoots off fireworks every year and it freaks me out. Dh has to go and check out the house before we go to bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Some years ago a woman we went to church with had an adult (but young) son who didn't let go of some kind of small firework quick enough (maybe a black cat) and it exploded in his hand causing, huge, huge damage. It's just too easy to have something happen quickly when the adults aren't paying attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 No way... Our idiot neighbor sets his or someone elses yard on fire annually...with the occasional roof smolder. And I've seen way to many horrible fun fireworks people injuries and burns. Would you consider letting your ds12 go to a 4th of July party where you know, or strongly suspect there will be illegal fireworks? Let's say there will be adult supervision, but also a lot of 12 year old boys running around. If you have a problem with this would your issues be with the safety or the legality? We are in California, so I think fireworks that are illegal here are brought across the border from states where they are legal.thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kricau Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I am from the South, where bonfires and fireworks are pretty much part of every celebration LOL So I am cool with it :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 what is a cul-de-sac firehouse? (I know what a cul-de-sac is) Same as a cul-de-sac of fire: pickup trucks with the back FULL of explosives, and hours of booming, screaming, flaming, shooting, etc. You fire things "down" the cul de sac. 3/4 of the people are out there and the other quarter has washed down the house/lawn and gone away for the evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Nope, not a chance. 12 yo boys don't always have the best judgement, especially when they run in packs :D. Plus, I think that most holidays should be family time. BTW, fireworks aren't illegal statewide in CA. They are illegal in my county, but I know for a fact that one of the next counties over allows them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kricau Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 OH MY!!! :w00t: Same as a cul-de-sac of fire: pickup trucks with the back FULL of explosives, and hours of booming, screaming, flaming, shooting, etc. You fire things "down" the cul de sac. 3/4 of the people are out there and the other quarter has washed down the house/lawn and gone away for the evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenbrdsly Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 We have no-fireworks policy in our city, and in our house! I just wrote my weekly parenting column about this in fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 No. We live in NorCal and fireworks are not legal in our town. We visit family in a nearby county where it's legal and we have a great safe time. To my mind, if someone is willing to break the law in order to have fireworks, they're less likely to act safely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 No way. Fireworks are illegal here in MA, but legal right across the border in NH. Yesterday someone in NH who puts on a big show in his backyard every year (so you'd think he'd have this down by now), blew the whole thing up. A number of kids were severely burned and had to be airlifted to Boston hospitals. In another news story from today, some teenage boys stuffed a bunch of some kind of firework (it might just have been sparklers) into a glass bottle. It exploded, and one of them might lose a hand. I know someone else who has permanent hearing loss an tinnitus from having a firecracker go off to close to his head as a kid. I like watching the legal shows from my blanket in a field. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I am from the South, where bonfires and fireworks are pretty much part of every celebration LOL So I am cool with it :) Yep me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Nope. Saw a neighbor's hand get blown up when I was a kid. I can't stand them. I especially can't stand the cavalier attitude that many adults have towards them, even more so if they have been drinking. I always pray for the professionals when they are doing the municipal fireworks. I will probably spend the night praying as we listen to them going off till all hours of the morning - even though they are illegal here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I was about to say "no, and I'm surprised at you guys." Then I remembered that I do attend an annual Divali party with my kids where the hosts (mature adults) set off fireworks that are "probably" illegal. :blush: I figure it is up to them to know and follow the laws in their jurisdiction. I personally would follow the laws at my own home, especially if there were kids around. But as far as sending my kids where my kids know that I know the fireworks are illegal - and knowing there are going to be a bunch of 12-year-olds there - I would be very hesitant. First, because of the message it sends to my kids ("stupid law, wink wink, who cares"). Second, because I know kids of that age have blown their hands off in similar situations. Heck, my kid brother burned the heck out of his hand on a sparkler at age 7 - at someone else's house. They apparently assumed he knew more than he knew about sparklers. Kids around fireworks require a high level of mature supervision - which means either I'd say "no," or I'd want to be there at least at the time when they have the fireworks out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susann Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 (edited) No, you would be condoning illegal potentially dangerous activity. Also,because of the drought, it's even more dangerous here. Edited July 4, 2012 by Susann left off word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Even someone with fireworks experience can have an accident. Some years ago our local show was stopped because a rocket went straight into the face of a 7-year-old girl (who was sitting with her family "safely" watching the show). She was blown apart. Fireworks are nothing to mess with. I assume there's a reason most of them are "illegal." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Also,because of the drought, it's even more dangerous. I was thinking this too. I wonder if they should even be having the "legal" shows where it's been dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I was thinking this too. I wonder if they should even be having the "legal" shows where it's been dry. I think if you DIDN'T have legal shows, carefully organized & supervised, where it is dry you would be far more prone to having random people light them off & start fires. I have lived for the last 20 years in NM in areas where it is very dry, and I believe that the legal fireworks shows are all that keep large numbers of people from doing their own illegal ones... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I'm totally not a helicopter mom but I wouldn't allow it. I've seen too many stupid people. Around here they are nearly all legal asfaik and if someone is going out of their way to find illegal ones then their judgment generally in line with my own. I wouldn't mind my dh shooting off legal fireworks if I wasn't so cheap but I wouldn't want dc's with someone shooting off legal or illegal ones unless I greatly trusted them. I know a local person that helps put on shows that lost a hand and too many stories of other injuries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.