Here is a shortened, clean version of your prompt with the same meaning:
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As an ER doc and a mom. Here are five things I don’t let my kids do because the risks are too high. In her unique dual role, a physician shares her insights and experiences on mitigating preventable risks for children, drawing from her professional and personal life.
Refraining from Trampoline Parks
As an emergency doctor, she views commercial trampoline parks as a significant risk source for children, leading to head and neck injuries, spinal trauma and fractures. These injuries often occur due to the physics of a double jump where a heavier child jumps next to a lighter one. The doctor recommends controlled risky play, such as using completely enclosed backyard trampolines, where children are less likely to get hurt.
No ATVs or Dirt Bikes
Dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are other activities the doctor restricts in her household. Despite helmets being life-savers, they cannot prevent all injuries when an accident with a heavy machine occurs. As an alternative, she encourages her children to engage in safer outdoor activities like biking, skiing, camping and hiking.
Preventing Choking Hazards
Choking is a significant concern for the doctor, both as a mom and a professional. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining a safe eating environment for young children to prevent choking hazards. This means not allowing children to walk or run while eating and avoiding certain foods until the child is old enough to manage them safely.
Sleepovers with Exceptions
The doctor acknowledges that not all risks are physical, some involve emotional readiness and personal boundaries. She advocates for ‘sleepunders’ instead of sleepovers for younger children. As her children grow older and are more capable of advocating for themselves, the doctor revisits this rule.
Smartphones and Social Media Limitation
Given the increasing concerns about the impact of smartphones and social media usage on children’s mental health, the doctor does not permit her children to have smartphones or social media accounts. Instead, they use shared devices in public areas to connect with friends and relatives, preserving the benefits of technology while reducing potential harm.
The doctor’s decisions aren’t about eliminating all risk or shielding her children from the world. They’re about using the vantage point she has, shaped by years in emergency medicine, to identify the situations where a small adjustment can meaningfully reduce the chance of preventable harm.
Dr. Shazma Mithani is an emergency physician working with adult and pediatric patients in Edmonton. She is also co-host of The Doc Talk Podcast. Recently, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, reflecting growing global concerns over the impact of social media on children’s health and safety.
