To roll or not to roll – is this a sign of our times?

To slide or not to slide…..

Having just turned the big 4-0, I am shocked at how quickly time has passed, but like many from my generation I still remember riding my bike around the neighbourhood and playing street cricket with the neighbours. I also remember taking a home-made go-cart (no brakes, of course) down a steep incline to the bottom of the hill then wooshing underneath a fallen red-gum branch with a clearance of 40cm. How on earth I survived, I’ll never know. How on earth my mother survived watching me, I’ll never know!

Cathie Morris of Stirling was taking a leisurely stroll around the Mt Lofty Botanic Garden this week when she came upon this sign:

Cathie, a good friend of Play & Go, told us,

I first noticed the sign yesterday while doing my semi-regular walk in the Garden.  I just couldn’t believe that the world has gotten so ridiculous that the simple pleasure of rolling down a hill is now considered too dangerous.  Kids have loved rolling and sliding down that hill for years.  A friend then sent my Facebook rant on to the media and it’s struck a chord with people it seems. I think everyone is just fed up with the madness!

If you have visited Mt Lofty Botanic Garden with your family, the chances are high that your kids took one look at that steep hill and proceeded to roll safely to the bottom before you could even get the word “stop” out of your mouth. What’s a few extra grass stains after all? Earlier this year, my two kids found some cardboard and before I knew it they were sailing down the hill having the time of their lives. Of course, part of me was wondering if this was safe and I even intervened several times to ensure they gave each other space. The other half of me thought ‘they are kids and they should feel free to take some risks as long as they are not endangering their lives or someone else’s’.

Picture: Play & Go kids rolling down the slope at Carrick Hill

So, what does Cathie think of the sign?

It will probably bug me every time I walk past now!  To be honest, I go there more on my own than as a family as bikes, ball games and now sliding down the hill is not allowed.  We will still go there and enjoy it as it is certainly a lovely place..

The signs were erected in response to an injury sustained on the hill.

I understand the Gardens need to cover themselves legally.  It would be nice to throw the signs away, but that isn’t the world we live in anymore.  They say the signs have been there for years, but myself, and many others I’ve spoken to, have never noticed them.  The latest sign is bright yellow with CAPITAL letters and, although it is not strictly a “ban”, it makes it very clear they don’t want you sliding down the hill.  A child was apparently injured a few years ago, but that can happen in your own backyard.  Life is a risk and kids need to learn to take them!  It is our responsibility as adults to help them learn resilience.  Anyway, I think the sign could be worded differently as in “slide at your own risk”.

So, will the signs stop people from doing what they’ve done for years? Cathie replied,

Well, from the comments I’ve seen on social media, I think it’s made people more determined to ignore the signs and slide/roll down the hill anyway!  The Botanic Gardens are lovely and the staff do a great job, it is just a sad reflection of the times, unfortunately.

Cathie got us thinking after she suggested a Nature Play space be built at Mt Lofty Botanic Garden, wouldn’t it be great to see a dedicated kid-friendly Nature Play space where kids can be free to roll, slide and play?  It would increase the number of regular visitors to the Garden and be a fabulous attraction for tourists. With so many families who live in the Adelaide Hills who would benefit from it; Mt Lofty Botanic Garden being a short drive from the city; and plenty of space there –  it would be a perfect place to have it. Especially as we’ve recently seen the huge excitement and interest the new nature playspace at Morialta Conservation Park has attracted already.

So, it seems that these signs are simply a sign of our times. I love the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden and understand that there is a need to protect visitors legally. However, should we, as parents ignore the signs and let our kids continue to roll or slide down the hill? Are we teaching kids to ignore safety guidelines and showing disrespect for authority? Or should we take the signs under advisement, make our own decision, take the risk and bear the consequences if it results in injury?

One thing I think we all know is that kids seem to have less freedom than we did growing up and we need to allow them to take risks (calculated and supervised) so that when they go out into the big wide world on their own they have the confidence to make great choices, take necessary risks and avoid unnecessary risks.

Let us know what you think by commenting on our Facebook post related to this story.

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