MOMania

By DB

July 2, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

Under supervision, with proper safety precautions (spray down the nearby grass, a couple of buckets of water and a hose nearby), sure! My husband makes the kids wear clear safety goggles, like he uses in his workshop, for anything stronger than a sparkler. But if you’re sensible about it, no problem. Kinda like a gun — as long as you know how to use it, you’re good to go.

I grew up setting off firecrackers on the 4th and on New Year’s — they’re fun and just the other side of risky. While I respect the fears of anyone who is afraid of them, I’m not, and someone else’s fears shouldn’t dictate whether or not I’m allowed to enjoy them.

By DB

July 2, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

Just read the link in the blog — when I said, “be sensible about it” in my previous post, I did NOT mean give fireworks to toddlers!! I’m thinking of the 10-12 and over crowd, under strict supervision, not handing a package of Costco fireworks to the kids with a Bic lighter and telling them to go away and have fun! Just wanted to clarify that!

By JJ

July 2, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this

We used to have huge neighborhood parties on the 4th. The men would set of the fireworks, and the kids would help, though mostly boys.

Afterwards we ALWAYS cleaned up our mess. We would be out in the street at midnight, sweeping up our mess. Never once did we get any complaints, or complained against. People in the adjoining ‘hood would always want to know when we were shooting them off again and could they come to the party……..

But answering the question, yes, we have allowed kids to help with the fireworks, but they are heavily supervised. They are not given permission to run amok with fireworks.

By leigh

July 2, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this

Yeah let your kids set them off. Do not forget your insurance card when you come to the ER and be prepared to wait!

By nurse&mother

July 2, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

We allow the 11yo to use sparklers. She has used them since she was about four (with VERY close supervision).

By Jeff

July 2, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this

I grew up shooting bottle rockets and basic firecrackers.

Around when I was 18, dad, brothers, and myself started going up to TN to buy supplies to put on our own show, as the city one in Cartersville (at Dellinger Park) was getting WAYYY too crowded and not worth the headache.

So we started the show, inviting some friends from down the street. Over the years, it grew to include several friends and family members in the audience, with some combination of myself, middle bro, and dad being the ones setting off the entertainment.

The last year we did it (a couple of years ago), we discovered artillery shells. These things don’t go as high as nor explode as big as, but otherwise are the very same types of things used in the professional shows.

This will be the second year we haven’t done the show, though this year my parents and youngest bro are joining me, T, and T’s ENTIRE family (all 10 of them) at her grandparents’ house in Fort Walton Beach.

We leave after my interview tomorrow, and I can’t wait!!

By Kathy

July 2, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this

My child is 3 so no we will not shoot off fireworks….we will watch the professionals in Duluth tomorrow night and in Lawrenceville on Friday. Even if I did have children old enough I would probably say no. With my luck, something would catch fire and we would burn half of Gwinnett County!

BTW….anyone running the P’tree on Friday? I’ll be in Time Group 8. Pray for cool weather!

@Jeff….good luck tomorrow!

By JJ

July 2, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this

Jeff Good luck with the interview (I know you will LOVE working closer to home), and enjoy the vacation. I love Ft. Walton Beach. We always stay at The Breakers on Okaloosa Island.

By A&Z Mom

July 2, 2008 2:48 PM | Link to this

We won’t be shooting off fireworks. We’ll either go to Gwinnett Glows or to the Mall of GA and leave it to the pros.

By DB

July 2, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this

Kathy, yep, I’m running the Peachtree — TG-2. We’ll save you a t-shirt :-)

By Theresa

July 2, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this

Good luck on your interview Jeff! — Good luck on your trip.

By Jeff

July 2, 2008 4:49 PM | Link to this

Thanks for the well wishes guys… I REALLY hope this works out!

JJ: My parents are staying at the Best Western on Okaloosa. T’s grandparents are a couple of miles away from the beach, though the bay is at the end of their street. This time tomorrow, I should be on the beach!

By PRHS Band Mom Gone Wild

July 2, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this

NO! my family and I will not be setting off fire works!! I don’t care how many precautions you take the fact remains fire works are explosives and explosives are unpredictable!! Which is why the local fire departments all ask that you leave the fire works to the professionals. They have to deal with the aftermath the “amatuers” leave behind whether be a kid in the back of a Med Unit or a house fire because a bottle rocket landed on a roof with debris on it. I guess I just don’t get the excitement over shooting off your own fire works and I never will. Why play with fire? You’re only going to get burned! Maybe not this year or the next, but you will get burned.

By Jeff

July 2, 2008 7:15 PM | Link to this

PRHS:

Fireworks, like guns, are FINE as long as, like guns, appropriate precautions are taken.

For example, my parents have a very long yard that is perfectly clear. No trees, power lines are a couple of hundred feet from the house, etc.

We shoot the bottle rockets pointing up at around a 60 degree angle down the length of the yard. The fountains/artillery/etc are shot from a level spot in the concrete driveway, with a hose at the ready in case anything tries to catch fire.

In all the years we shot, the worst injury I had was a mild first degree on the inside of my elbow from where a (cheap) bottle rocket fuse kicked back on me. Stung for about 5 minutes, no permanent damage.

Again, with appropriate precautions, there is ZERO danger from commercial amateur-grade fireworks.

Treat them like a firearm, and you’ll be fine.

Treat them like a 3yo’s toy, and even I agree that you are asking for trouble.

By FCM

July 3, 2008 6:54 AM | Link to this

My neighbors growing up would do them from time to time…over Altoona was pretty cool.

The one I didn’t get was the kid in HS who bragged he and his sibs (most of them MUCH older than he) would have bottle rocket fights.

We never did more than sparklers…bought them in MI and used them whenever. They are pretty to look at.

I have purchased some of the light weight stuff they sell here. The kids like them but are too young to do more than watch. The stand well back or on a deck while I or my Dad take care of the lighting.

We have seen the ones at Stn Mtn but the kids think they are too loud. They don’t like the noise. We will likely watch the TV where volume control will keep them from being bothered.

By JJ

July 3, 2008 7:53 AM | Link to this

FCM I’ve been with a group out at Stone Mountain, and we had two babies sleep through the entire fireworks display…..one baby was a bit startled, but only “jumped” a bit, and stayed asleep. The other one never moved. They were about 2 years old……

That’s funny about the noise bothering your kids…..most kids think the louder the better.

When I was a kid growing up out in Boulder, CO, we would go to the University Stadium to see the fireworks. Upon entry, everyone was given a stick match. All a chosen time, everyone would strike their match, and the entire football field lit up. It was really cool to see. We did this for 9 years. I have very fond memories…..

Have a safe & Happy 4th Everyone!!!

By Let 'er rip!

July 3, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

Hey, it isn’t the 4th of July without someone’s famous last words being, “Hey y’all, watch this!”

By Joyce

July 3, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this

Some kids (adults too!) are sound-sensitive. Noise doesn’t bother me, but my sister has also always been sensitive to noise, so I’m a little more conscious of it. My son is as well. We saw fireworks from nosebleed seats at Turner Field last month and he was fine with that. We’ll see how he likes the Lawrenceville show. We’ve never been, but I’m hoping it’s not as loud as I remember from Stone Mountain.

By CP

July 3, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

After having children, the 7/4 & New Year’s Eve are my least favorite holidays. It’s very noisy with fireworks going off in a neighbor’s yard while the kids are trying to sleep - still shooting off the explosives after midnight is a bit much to me. Luckily since we moved last year it wasn’t bad for New Year’s. Wasn’t here for the 4th.

I guess I’m more of a party-pooper or whatever, but I just don’t it as much as when I was a kid. But since my kids do like the pyrotechnics, we’ll do something probably with sparklers only. If 12/31 was any prediction for our new neighborhood’s fireworks, there will be enough in the sky to see.

If there was a show that wasn’t so crowded we’d probably do that. But we’ll wait until I don’t have to pack a diaper bag anymore.

By Jesse's Girl

July 4, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this

I have absolutely no plans for the 4th. The girls and I just returned from CampKidJam…Christian summer camp…and require some extensive recovery time (especially me). This little nuggett of a trip only reinforced what I already knew….in general, I do not like other people’s kids. Come to think of it, perhaps a premature 4th celebration would have come in handy at camp. I could have used a bottle rocket or 20:)

No…my brood will stay home and watch the neighbors get shcnookered while they set off fireworks way too close to our house. Maybe they’ll get really crazy and set the trampoline on fire again!! Good times!