Are "sparklers" dangerous?

[Skywalker]

I handed out those sparkler thingies (you know that kids wave around near fireworks and stuff?) to some boys that were over for my son's birthday. The boys are 9 and 10 years old. They waved the sparklers around for a bit, got bored and moved on.

Then I got a phone call from one of the mothers.

How dare I hand out dangerous toys? Don't I know that her little boy could have burned his hands? Set his hair on fire? How could I be so irresponsible and and and....

Now I wouldn't hand out sparklers to 2 year olds but at a certain age aren't they harmless fun? Sure, if someone wanted to be an idiot with them they could be, but if they had I would have taken them away.

Of course, this was the same mother who will not use the "kiss & ride" drop off lane to take her younger son to school because he is "only in grade 2" and therefore needs to be walked to the door. (I guess he may become disoriented and wander off between getting out the car door and walking the 40 feet himself. I'm surprised she doesn't come to the school and personally supervise his recess time). But I digress.

Do you consider these dangerous? Would you be mad at me?

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

They burn quite hot - I have burned myself on them - after they quit sparkling I accidently touched it to my hand.

The sparks can also burn holes in clothes - but they usually don't burn the skin.

Found this on a website: http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1024078264.html

Sparklers burn as hot as 2,000 degrees, hot enough to melt gold. For children under the age of five, sparklers account for three-quarters of all fireworks injuries

 

[kimmikayb]

I wouldn't be mad at you. I think they are a little dangerous, but that's what makes me fun

 

[HelenePA]

Only time I hurt myself in my 29years playing with sparklers is when I steped on one that was done sparkling. I think I was 15.

 

[Shutterbug]

Sparklers are dangerous and as posted above burn very very hot.
Having said that, when used with proper caution and supervision are okay.

I would think 9 and 10 year olds would be okay using things under supervision which they were....unless these 9 and 10 year olds were over-sheltered and helicoptered over

 

[puffkin]

It is kind of a rite of passage to get burned by a sparkler as a child

I don't think you are a bad mom and I think the other mom needs to lighten up (if her children were younger I would have responded differently).

 

[AprilShowers]

Sparklers are dangerous and as posted above burn very very hot.
Having said that, when used with proper caution and supervision are okay.

I would think 9 and 10 year olds would be okay using things under supervision which they were....unless these 9 and 10 year olds were over-sheltered and helicoptered over

I agree with this poster. 10 year olds should be able to handle them with supervision without any danger.

When my DD's were very little, I had a teenaged babysitter give them sparklers! I was HORRIFIED! The girls were maybe 4 & 6!!!
You can bet she was called and never was asked to babysit again.

OTOH, now that they are older, I have no problem with them using sparklers.
I think that mother WAAAAYYY overreacted. (insert eye roll smilie here - smilies still not working for me)

 

[douglisa]

How sad for that boy. My son is 7, he is only allowed them if I am right there and if he throws it on the ground then it's over. I have him put used ones on a pile next to me because when I was a kid a nieghbor girl stepped on one that somehow her parents missed. It was rusty...you can guess the rest. I would not be angry with you OP if the kids were that age. In my case I believe 7 yrs old needs more one on one w/ them. Had the children been my sons age I would have wondered if you had been able to watch him enough...but if he came home unharmed I would not have called you.
Sparklers are a part of childhood for cripes sake.

 

[shortyK]

Sounds like the mom has issues.

If I have a problem with something another mom allows at her house, I don't freak out about it - I either talk calmly about it the next time we're in person, or just don't let my kids go there anymore - I try to live by the "my house, my rules, your house, your rules" theme, and if the two are too far off, just meet on neutral ground, like a playground, or don't meet at all.

 

[nhrenee]

The mom needs a serious chill pill.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Sparklers are dangerous, and 9- and 10yo boys are just at the age to do something stupid with them.

However, if they were being supervised, I don't see the big deal.

And yes, I do walk my DS7 to his classroom often; he likes it that way, and so do I.

 

[Angelhalo]

I wouldn't have an issue. She's overprotective.

 

[Caitsmama]

Yes, sparklers are dangerous, but i also think at age 10 they should know enough not to touch them if they are hot.. and if you were there supervising them, i don't see a problem.
Now, if you handed them the matches and a box of sparklers and sent them out to the backyard, then i think the mom should be worried.. LOL

My dd is 7 and she has been using sparklers for at least 3 years SUPERVISED.

 

[golfgal]

Yes they are dangerous if used improperly but that is the key. Most 9-10 year olds should be fine. Now, had you given them bottle rocket launchers and had bottle rocket wars across the street, that might be a different story --not that I know that from experience or anything .

 

[Lintasare]

While sparklers are dangerous with supervision they can be fun. Heck last year at a 4th of July party we had 4 and 5 year olds playing with them. But they were supervised and they knew not to touch the sparkling par and when they were finished to give it to an adult to dispose of.

I think that mom is a helicopter parent and overreacting. I hate to say this but I think...and this is just my opinion...her son is a mama's boy in training.

 

[PlainJane]

I would be upset if my kids were given sparklers to play with(I don't have any kids btw). I had a very bad incident when I was ten that left me with a 2nd degree burn that covered half of the top part of my arm. I'm very cautious around things that are hot now, wether it be fire, fireworks, sparklers, ovens, even steaming drinks.

I know two people that were burned by sparklers; one of them only had a minor burn on their hand, and the other had a more severe burn on their chest.

 

[ckay87]

Sparklers are dangerous, but I'm of the opinion that a little burn now and then does a kid good. My son touched one once, after it was out, despite my CONSTANT warnings. So...you know what? He won't be doing that again!

 

[freckles and boo]

Yes, they can be very dangerous. They burn at the same temperature as a blow torch. Yes, I would be pissed if I didn't know about it beforehand. However, I grew up with a father in the fire service who had no qualms about sharing the horrors he saw with us. Nobody ever thinks it will be their child who is hurt.

 

[FigmentFinder]

They must be dangerous. Sparklers are illegal in New Jersey.

 

[ZachnElli]

Yeah, they can be dangerous. But I'm of the same camp as most, 9-10 year olds should know how to handle them and it sounds like they did fine. We always keep a bucket of water when we do sparklers. All sparklers that are done sparkling get put in it and they cool down real fast, no accidently stepping on one.