My kids jump on beds. I allow it. They have so much energy. They could be doing worse things. They are old enough to be weary enough of hitting their heads if they land wrong. I may sound a bit odd. I want my kids to have no fear. I allow them to do some things that stretch them. They are merely testing their boundaries. I don’t allow them to jump on Aunt Marge’s couch when we are at Aunt Marge’s house. They can jump here.
This is a laboratory for them. When they can do things here that they are not allowed to do elsewhere, it helps build up their confidence. They know I trust them enough to not get crazy here. They can push the boundaries in a safe place. We don’t allow them to torch the house or anything like that. Within reason, we allow them to test their limits. I am not the Mom who tells her kids to be careful. I don’t want them to have a fear of stepping outside of what they know.
I want them to run, jump, play, experiment, mix it up, and make messes. I do expect them to clean up after they have their fun. The experimentation is more like learning new things. If I climb up the bunk bed, how will I get down? Will it hold all of us? Can I make a fort? What do I need? I do allow them to figure out what they want to do, and go for it. I want to lead them into a life where they are not afraid to go against the status quo and bounce higher than anyone expects.