Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums banner

Parents Won't Let Me Snowboard

12K views 50 replies 37 participants last post by  MountainMystic 
#1 ·
So on Sunday I landed badly off a jump and ended up getting a concussion (I was wearing a helmet too...) and I sprained my back. Now my parents won't let me snowboard anymore this season because they don't want me risking injuring myself and not being able to play volleyball (I'm on a club team). They also told me I'm an idiotic reckless teen who doesn't care about her health. Yikes :WTF:
But I really really really don't wanna stop and I'm trying to find ways to convince them to let me go. Help? I can't think of any good arguments besides saying I'll take it easy/not try park anymore.
 
#2 ·
Ouch that sucks! I'm sure you can understand from their point of view, especially with all the media hype about concusions that they don't want anything to happen to you. head injuries are serious business.

I wish I had an answer for you though...

Ironically I quit volleyball so that I could continue to snowboard... volleyball was wrecking my right knee.
 
#3 ·
Explain to them its your life and youre old enough to make those type of decisions:dunno: Anything in life has risks to it. I dont think that should stop you from shredding because the worry of getting injured for volleyball, just take it easy out there!
 
#5 ·
Are either of them doctors? I'm not sure how this works in the states, but up here a doc could "suggest" you avoid certain activities for a certain period of time. If there's any chance of damaging your back I'd stay off the board until it's healed.

This coming from a guy who bruised his ribcage and is entering a competition tomorrow anyway! :yahoo:

As for not letting you board, that's a whole other issue between you and your parents! I was lucky enough to have parents that let me try pretty much everything and get my scrapes, as long as it was a healthy activity (instead of getting into drugs, drinking, etc.).

The one line I said to my mom in my teens, when she was being overbearing was "Mom, you did a good job raising me, now let me to my job (and live my life)!" She still quotes it. Show them you're mature enough to think for yourself... Not sure how you're going to do that, I'm not a parent and it's too long since I was a teenager! lol :giggle:
 
#7 ·
How important is the park to you? Can you work a compromise and agree not do the jumps (or only small jumps)? Your parents are being overly reactive but there are some pretty big risks in the sport.
Park is really fun to me, but I'm definitely no expert at it yet. I guess I push myself pretty hard to get better and that's why I got injured. My parents are scared of the mountain in general - they think I'm gonna die out there or something.
Thanks for all the advice though! I'll try and compromise and say that I'll stay out of park for the rest of this season (maybe haha)
 
#8 ·
Start dating a massive douche bag (or cunt if that's your thing). After not too long it should be possible to use that as bartering power. You will dump the douche if they let you snowboard.
 
#9 ·
Explain to them that every activity in life comes with risk. You can be injured playing volley ball just as easy. You could be critically injured in a car accident going to the grocery store. Not only is it impossible to protect you with 100% certainty but it is morally wrong. You are a person and becoming an adult American citizen with freedom. If you are not allowed to start exercising freedom and taking responsibility for your freedom, how will you ever learn to function as a responsible adult?

Let them know what snowboarding means to you and how it fulfills you as a person. Let them know how being denied that fulfillment will create resentment toward them. Let them know all of the mental and physical benefits that you get from snowboarding and explain that the benefits far outweigh the potential risks which really statistically are far lower than many mundane activities. You are hundreds of times more likely to be killed or injured in a car than you ever are snowboarding. How do they propose to protect you from that; never ever let you drive or ride in a car again?

Let them know that you understand and even appreciate their desire to protect you but that the road to hell is paved with good intention. In their desire to do a good thing and protect you, they are causing far more harm to you at least psychologically. Let them know that you learned a lot from this and have an appreciation for slow, steady progression in and out of the park and that events like this actually make you a safer, more competent rider.

In the end though, the sad truth is as a kid under their roof, you don`t live in a democracy and you may have no choice other than to wait until out from under their control. Being able to accept unpleasant realities is a part of becoming a responsible adult. If they don`t give in, take it with grace and don't be a bitch to them about it. Quite possibly, they may relent if not this year, next season if they see that you handle it with grace and maturity. If you go apeshit, they will most likely dig their heels in and never relent. Argue your side rationally and with passion but in the end if you don't win, be mature and show them through you actions that they were wrong in their decision.

best of luck to you and whatever the outcome understand that you are young in in no time you will be free to make any decision you want as an adult. This too shall pass.....:thumbsup:
I would just like to take a moment to tell you that you are a god at advice giving.
 
#12 ·
Assuming you are in your teenage years... Just tell your parents you have something very serious to talk to them about... sit them down on the couch... look really concerned... and then read them what Wolf wrote.

They will be so excited you are not pregnant they will probably drive you straight to the mountain.
 
#13 ·
Heh. Was just about to suggest you should tell them you're pregnant, then say no, it's a joke you just want to snowboard (I used to do it with my parents all the time).

Jokes aside, if my kid had a concussion I wouldn't want her out on the mountain for the rest of the season either. You see, with concussions the repeated head trauma has a cumulative effect and is in fact pretty dangerous. So if there's a chance of bumping your head again, however slightly, snowboarding right now might prove to be a bad, bad idea. So if I were you I'd cut my losses, end my season and allow for my head to heal and for my parents to calm down. That way your parents will actually see that you're treating snowboarding seriously and are not reckless in your approach to potential injuries.
 
#14 ·
You said you would tell them no park, then implied you would go anyway...

Not to sound like a parent, but, well I am one. When things like this happen (kid lies to me), it destroys trust and next time is not just no, but FUCK no and I'm taking away other stuff too...just a view from the other side. If you make a promise, keep it.
 
#15 ·
Your parents really care for you. They are looking out for your well-being. Yes, it sounds horrible in your point of view... but your parents probably have done stupid things back when they were your age.

After an injury like that... your body needs time to heal. Let it heal, or you can make it worse.

If they think you're reckless, how are you going to convince them you are responsible enough to drive? (ie the process of getting a permit, practicing driving, getting the license, etc)

Just wait until you get old enough to have your own teenager... your view on things will drastically change.... ask them how much the medical bill costs, how many did the pain meds cost, etc. Medical bills ain't cheap.

My cousin broke her wrist snowboarding... her clinic bill costed her $600 up front!!! You can buy a new board for that money. (she'll get reimbursed by her health insurance that she pays, less the deductible).

It's not the end of the world, missing out on the late part of the season.

Trust me, if you continue to put up a fight now... later, not that much later, when you want to do something.... they'll be hesitant to allow you do things.
 
#16 ·
Hey, I'm in the same boat. My parents are scared crapless that I'll hurt myself and break a leg (literally). I told them snowboarding isn't that dangerous. If your parents believe in facts here are a few that work tremendously in your favor:

1: You have a higher chance getting a concussion in soccer than snowboarding, and you're not wearing a helmet playing soccer.
2: If you fall on a snowboard, the board helps slow you down, which usually is safer. Compared to skis, if you fall, you can twist your knee, keep sliding down the mountain, etc. You can leave out the usually part ;)
3: You have a higher chance dying in a car crash today than getting hurt/getting a concussion while snowboarding.

Oh by the way I'm not sure if those facts are true but pretend they are. Hehe.

You can tell them that you'll stay out of the park or be a bit more careful. Continue as usual. If you get hurt again tell them you tripped in the lift line and the lift was a fixed grip so it didn't slow down and smashed into you, knocking you down a slope headfirst and getting you run over by the lifty reaching for the stop button.

But remember not to push yourself too far. I've tried not eating or drinking for a good hour while being tired just to get in a bunch of runs before the resort closes. That's just stupid. There's always next time. If you get hurt, next time will be in weeks, possibly months, possibly never. Don't do it. I fell and sprained my wrist so bad I could barely lift my board. Didn't tell my parents, though, but if I broke my bone, some serious shit would have gone down :eek:

OR you could get one of your parents to start skiing or snowboarding. Hopefully they'll see how fun it is and how much it means to you (and everybody else). Snowboarding doesn't get you hurt directly. Your choices get you hurt.

Sorry this is a lot of stuff from a fellow teen snowoboarder :laugh:
 
#24 ·
But remember not to push yourself too far. I've tried not eating or drinking for a good hour while being tired just to get in a bunch of runs before the resort closes. That's just stupid. There's always next time. If you get hurt, next time will be in weeks, possibly months, possibly never. Don't do it. I fell and sprained my wrist so bad I could barely lift my board. Didn't tell my parents, though, but if I broke my bone, some serious shit would have gone down :eek:
Know what you mean about this. Aside from one bad fall the beginning of this season, every one of my falls bad enough to be memorable occured at the end of the day when i was tired and shoulda have just called it a day or when ive gone out sick on cold medicine and advil.
 
#17 ·
Wow these comments actually helped a lot! I'm probably going to keep off the snow this season to heal and finish off my volleyball season. I guess I just want my parental units to understand that no matter the injuries snowboarding is my favorite thing in the world and I never want to stop... I know that my parents just want me safe, but being a teenager, sometimes it feels overwhelming and I just want them to lay off haha.
 
#18 ·
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but a concussion is not something to be taken lightly. Having had a concussion makes you even more susceptible to another, and multiple concussions are bad news for your long term health. If you were diagnosed with a concussion, no doubt the doctor also gave you some do's and dont's for the near future...I suggest you take these to heart and follow them.

Now I love snowboarding as much as the next guy(or gal in your case), and i will ride through injury here and there...pulled muscles, strains and sprains, etc. BUT the one thing you MUST look out for is your brain. I have had concussions in the past, and the effects can last many weeks or longer.

PLESAE READ THIS PART IF NOTHING ELSE

There is a reason you are seeing more and more athletes sitting out multiple games due to concussion/lingering symptoms from concussion; it's because re-injury before being properly healed causes long term effects (headache, vison problems, mood change etc...the list is long). DONT risk it.

That being said, once you are healed up as per you MD, get a NEW helmet, get back on the hill and spend your time doing what YOU love.
 
#28 ·
Mousy,
Quit acting like a mouse....step up and make it happen...its your job to figure out how.

I am a parent of a snow junkie, she's 18 and has a rather impressive list of accomplishments that she has earned/owned, along with some injuries to which I won't bore you with...but she is living the dream that most of us only dream of.

Sit down with your parents, speak with them as an adult with a PLAN of what you will do to make it happen...no magical unicorn bs and then do it.
 
#29 ·
At the risk of sounding like a miserable old bastard...do as many runs as you can now.
Someday you'll be pushing 40 and it'll be sooner than you think. Fuck healing. Do as many days first to last chair as you can fit in now. Because someday you are gonna have to work to go past 3 PM. And it doesn't come back. Once its gone, its gone. You really are only young once so drink it up. As John Prine said, the years just flow by like a broken down dam.
 
#30 ·
Due to the increased risk of concussions right after the first one it makes sense your parents are very hesitat to let you I back out again. Tell them you will follow the doctors orders and my go back out till the concussion has fully healed, then when the dr gives you the ok to go you would like to be able to go board again because of how much it means to you and how much you enjoy it
 
#31 ·
To argue with the parents right after such an accident is useless. They're in shock, that's why they're overreacting. You're their kid, the most important treasure, thus they want you to be healthy and happy. Give them some time to settle down and overcome the initial shock.

Then sit down and discuss your plan calmly. Plan = don't argue, don't tell them lies, don't diminish the risk. By doing that you would reinforce their impression that you're still a reckless teenager oblivious to the risks and wouldn't trust your assessment. But if you admit that there are certain risks, and you've thought of ways to avoid them, eg. stay away from the park this season, ask your physician when it's save again to ride groomers and FOLLOW his advice, you'll earn a lot of "trust-points" like "Oh, our little romp is getting mature, she is THINKING and not only feeling (I want this I want that)". They might slacken their reins.

Good luck! Hope you'll be fine soon
 
#35 ·
I know it's sexist and my wife gives me crap all the time but when I see my son burn in while riding I tell him to suck it up and try harder. When my daughter catches a heal side and does the slam I want to cry. Of course this doesn't help the OP but I just had to get my feelings out. Does anyone have some Midol?
 
#36 · (Edited)
Yea its a fine line with gals...ime you got to start early, the reaction to pain is learned. I tried to model and teach my daughter even as a baby...pain...ehh no big deal..."ehh yer not going to die today...its far from you heart". Anyway she turned out to be a tuffy and has a high pain tolerance...if she cries...you know something is wrong...now trying to tell her to back off and take it easy can be a whole nother matter...cause she'll get pissed and just become a bulldog and not let go til she is done...and I cringe...going fuck you are going to do more damage. Eventually she'll listen to a doc and then faithfully do any and all therapy to somewhat an extreme so that she can get back out there as soon and hard as possible.
 
#37 ·
I agree with just listening to what your parents say and being done for the season. It's not like they said you're not allowed to snowboard ever again! Now, that would be something to try to change their minds on.

Injuries really do need to heal. I haven't yet gotten a major snowboarding injury (and hopefully never will) other than a bruised & swollen knee that is now healing up well.
I once sprained my ankle twice within a month because I refused to sit out of dance rehearsal to let it heal fully. Well guess what... it comes back to annoy me every so often to the point where my ankle hurts so much I can barely walk, even with one of those intense lace-up, velcro braces on... and this was about 9 years ago. Whereas the ankle I actually sprained badly and within the last 1 or 2 years, I actually sat out of my ultimate frisbee games, let it heal, and it rarely ever hurts now, if anything its a faint pain while running on a treadmill or something.
 
#39 ·
As someone who has had both multiple back injuries and concussions, it's not worth pushing it. My back has never been the same after the first car accident I was involved in and I am usually in a good deal of pain for no good reason. Likewise with concussions, the head aches can get pretty brutal and having problems with short term memory problems sucks. I also have a myriad of other memory problems related to the couple of concussions I have.

As for your parents telling you you're an idiot reckless teen, they are scared and are worried about you. That's just what parents do. It's their job to be worried about you, as annoying and sucky as it is.

Take the time to do the right thing and let your body heal. There is always next year to go snowboarding.
 
#40 ·
All good points so far plus I am sure you might have said some things to your parents in the heat of the moment also. Before I left home I had fights with my dad where I said stuff I did not mean and got in more trouble at the time.

Back in 2010 I had two concussions with in 4 months both with loss of conciseness. I had really bad vertigo and would forget where my car was park all the time along with other stuff. Listen to the doctor and have your parents ask all the questions they want also. Once you are cleared by the doctor talk to your parents again about how you going to stay safe when snowboarding again.

Parents are always going to freak when they have no control and something goes wrong it is normal. Plus how shitty would it feel if they did not care at all and just told you to stop bugging them with your shit.
 
#42 ·
baby steps my friend, not sure how long you've riding, but most of the injuries I see are newbie playing one too many video games or watching the X-games and trying those trick far to soon. I've been riding for 27 years, 4 years competitively and have only had one injury in that time. Just slow down a little, constraint on being smooth and not just landing, but stomping your landings.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top