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Sky15

"You're playing with fire." whuffo parent vent

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..."And you are just going to keep going until you get seriously injured or killed." That is what my mom said to me today.

It's sad to me that after my 15 years of skydiving with only a bad back from one bad landing and a hairline ankle fracture from climbing over a fence after landing out :S (sort of skydiving related but didn't incur during a skydive)...that my mom is still as paranoid as ever. Add to her education I've given her over these years my husband has been jumping 38 years and is still alive. WHY is she still so horrible about it? I swear she is the worst whuffo I've ever encountered, and I guess maybe b/c she's my mom she feels it's her right to really push her opinions. She is always reminding me that I have two small kids, one has autism...as if I forgot..? Yes something could happen to me as far as serious injury or death, but I am very conservative in my jumping and that small risk is worth what I get from this sport I still love. I do not think I could manage to get effective stress relief from my daily life without jumping occasionally and having that to look forward to on the hard days. I have contemplated quitting a lot since having kids...but I think I am just stuck in this sport. ;) Plus my husband is never going to give it up, and I have a fit on the days he jumps and I don't, not something to live with long term for sure.
This came up today b/c she found out my husband had a bad opening, has either a bruised or cracked rib.

Thanks for letting me vent. Figured only skydivers would understand my frustration. I just can't see how an EDUCATED whuffo after 15 years still sees each skydive as one step closer to impending and certain doom. Of course she'd think skiing or scuba was perfectly safe. :S

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Of course she'd think skiing or scuba was perfectly safe.

Funny.... I just read in the Dallas Morning news today July 18th about a scuba diver who drowned diving in local lake.....and there was a static in USA today that over 5,500 people are killed on US Interstate highways last year and 36,800 were killed on non- US Interstate highways. See I told you driving to the dropzone was dangerous! :P:P:PB|

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..."And you are just going to keep going until you get seriously injured or killed." That is what my mom said to me today.

It's sad to me that after my 15 years of skydiving with only a bad back from one bad landing and a hairline ankle fracture from climbing over a fence after landing out :S (sort of skydiving related but didn't incur during a skydive)...that my mom is still as paranoid as ever. [email]


It doesnt get any better. My mom is 75 and has been bitching at me about skydiving for 26 years.
Geez mom I only bounced once. :o)



bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

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...WHY is she still so horrible about it? I swear she is the worst whuffo I've ever encountered, and I guess maybe b/c she's my mom she feels it's her right to really push her opinions.



She does it because she loves you. Understand her bitching about it as an expression of her love for you not as an attempt to belittle you or run your life. It is the only way parents seem to understand how to express their love for their children.
"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

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I live with the EXACT same.

I took my two kids and moved 1200 miles away. Distance doesn't cure it but it sure helped~~:)



Ditto. I moved 1000 miles. They love me, and I will always be the little boy with the skinned knee in their mind. They worry about not being able to kiss it better. They were actually GLAD I had femured 19 years ago cos they thought I would "Come to my senses.."

t
It's the year of the Pig.

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Ignore it.

When I told my parrents I had this "don't say anything, I won't listen" look in my face.

Just tell her, that your not interessted in her oppinion about skydiving at all and that if she starts talking about it, you'll leave.

Tink about it as if it would be a boyfriend which your mother doesn't like, would you even listen to her in this situation?

You can not expect from her, that she'll like the idea of her daughter jumping out of airplaines. But she can not expect that you listen to her, or even stop with it.

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They were actually GLAD I had femured 19 years ago cos they thought I would "Come to my senses.."



I get the same feeling. I femured on Saturday during a mini meet and the look on my parents' faces were like:"Maybe this is a good thing, now you know what you put us through" :( Damn, I wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy, but there's no way I'll ever quit skydiving.
----------------------------------------------------------

-Chanti-

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Thanks for the replies and support. I knew I wasn't alone on this one.

I guess if she hasn't come around in 15 years I need to accept that she never will and just ignore her comments and not discuss skydiving with her at all.

We can't move away, and she's our only babysitter. That's why I've put up with it to some extent.

Shouldn't suprise me being an only child, no dad around, no siblings, she's always been overprotective.

ETA: Chanti, sorry to hear about your recent injury. Hope you heal fast and have good meds so the pain isn't too bad.

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Wow...:o
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones!

My folks were / are always supportive on pretty much anything. I started jumping at 18 and didn't tell them until a couple months after I started, when I sold my motorcycle to buy a rig...;)

Once they KNEW...they would come out to the DZ on a VERY regular basis always bringing food and a couple cases of beer to share with the club.B|

There are several framed 'memorable' jumping pictures of me in their house along with the pics of grand kids etc.:)
In fact the last time I was home my mom now 76, reminded me that I had several rigs in plastic bags in the basement that I 'might want to air out' to make sure they are still okay!:ph34r:










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Funny thing, with my Mom, is that she got off the "when are you going to get married, settle down & have kids" routine, once i started skydiving regularly last year

B|

that was a pretty cool unintended effect. the skydiving she pretends doesnt exist. either way, i dont hear much about anything anymore....
-Rainier

Sparks Brother #1 // "I vaguely heard someone yell "wait!" but by that point i was out the door." Quote from dz.com somewhere

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Sorry she feels that way. My parents are proud of what I do or so they say. I actually took may 69 yr old father out for his first tandem last mo. and he hit the gound saying that he was ready to do it again. Mom wants to go but had 3 valves replaced in her heart 4 yrs. ago so we will let her Dr. make that decision. If he says OK then we are all over it. But back to your case, she is only worried about you and loves you.


I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands.

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My parents or should I say my mom used to be that way....not as bad but almost comparable.

She's starting to get to the point where she can talk about it with me and likes to hear about my progression and even wants pictures of me in freefall....so shes making progression

My dad and stepmom have been cool with it. My dad even said the other day that if there was ever a day when I decided that I didnt want to skydive anymore because I was sick of it, that he would say "Are you out of your damn mind? With all the money you just spent, you better get your ass back on that plane and do some jumps."

Direct quote. And my dads a preacher :D

They're actually coming out next week to visit and watch me jump and fly in the tunnel here....

So my situation was similar but my parents are getting better at accepting it :)
Puttin' some stank on it.

----Hellfish #707----

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My Mom doesn't really like me skydiving and never have, she was even less thrilled with me when I got a few sisters involved.

Then, I started scuba diving...she said she would rather have me skydiving. I have been in and around water (fresh water) my whole life so she isn't worried about me drowning, but getting eaten by a shark.:S

Judy
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

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I had a gear up landing...compression fracture of my tail bone and right pelvic fracture.

YEP!!! Been there. When I was healed...14 weeks later I moved to California. I had all those looks I could take. :o
IF you are going to be Stupid - you better be tough!


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I'm so greatful to have my mom, who not only tolerates my risk choices but can also answer the question of why risk sports are worth it in 30 seconds. She just came back from an expedition that historically has seen a fatality rate of 1in 500.

I thinks she's leaning back in the direction of willing again, so I may get her in the air this fall.

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WOW!!!

I;m jealous! The only people who support me are my friends who jump~~

I know that my kids will have a whole other world for them than I do.



Just be careful what you wish for. I'm seeing certain kids who are friends of my children that are an incident waiting to happen. Their parents simply aren't firm enough in the right areas. Simple stuff like Yes Sir, No Sir, etc.
We are all engines of karma

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I debated whether to share the following or not..I decided to do so as its been a growing concern.

So far I haven't gotten any such rants, but what kind of concerns me is the 'silent reaction' I've been getting from my sister and father whenever I mention how an AFF jump went. Its difficult to read into. Its like they believe something bad is going to happen, but both of them realize that nothing they can say or do will effect my decision.
So far its one of the most difficult factors in staying the course, I don't have the support from them as I did while in the Marines..and lord knows while I was deployed they went through some tough times. After getting back, an immediate family member came down with cancer and passed away a year back. I don't intend to post anything negative but...for me its a tough situation.

If...such an incident were to occur. I hope my family would understand that I went doing what I loved most.
_________________________________________
trance/house mixes for download:
www.djmattm.com

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I was referring to me supporting them in the sports/activites they will do.

Not in how I am raising them. Manners are important no matter who you are or where you are... I agree!
IF you are going to be Stupid - you better be tough!


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