Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm not really one to scan the playground on a regular basis, however, it's probably a good idea to do a quick scan (not going overboard with it).
IME, a kid we know found a syringe in a field where my kids play sometimes (very picturesque). This was in a nice, suburban neighborhood near a highway. Another time we saw a used condom at a "city" park (within city limits, but suburban-style neighborhood).
There's a park near my parents' place where drug deals happen. It's shaded and secluded in a city suburban-style neighborhood. You don't know it's really there unless you're practically on top of it. So, I think a lot of it depends on the area you live (or are visiting), how visible it is, how much it gets used, is it patrolled, is closing time enforced, do you know who uses it, etc.
To be perfectly honest, I freak myself out about ticks and mosquitoes more than syringes or other dangers. But we can't worry about every little thing - that's just not living.
When my kiddo was small, (NYC, 1980s) that was a legit concern! Parents scanned the area, and disgusting things were found daily. Now, not so much.
Put your mind at ease with a quick check, and then enjoy playtime!
I dont know why but for some reason if you google playground and syringes, a ton of articles come up of instances of such occurences. I dont even know how they would end up there in the first place. Maybe a scan of play area before would make the most sense.
That's sort of the way google works. If you enter any two terms it will find tons of articles mentioning those two items, whether it be playgrounds and syringes or playgrounds and puppies.....
I am farily sure you won't follow this advice (as my wife never does when I give it to her), but for your sanity, STOP GOOGLE-ING everything. Sometimes ignorance is bliss and you should use your common sense (and your children should learn common sense) and trust it.
Even if there were no instances of a syringe at a playground where you were going, it doesn't mean it couldn't happen at that location. If your children are young, you should be there with them, if they are older, you need to teach them what to touch/what not to touch, etc. As others have stated I would be more worried of larger kids, wild/dead animals or those crusty "deflated balloons" than syringes....
Scanning the playground has never occurred to me. Don't worry, I'm not about to start. I am far from a worrier.
On that note, am I the only person who finds today's playgrounds to be utterly boring? They're all the same. They leave nothing to the imagination and can mostly only be used in one way.
Scanning the playground has never occurred to me. Don't worry, I'm not about to start. I am far from a worrier.
On that note, am I the only person who finds today's playgrounds to be utterly boring? They're all the same. They leave nothing to the imagination and can mostly only be used in one way.
You would be more likely to find syringes,drugs,broken glass, used condoms where the tables are under the roof if your park has one. I would be more worried about pee being on the slides than anything else. Growing up in my neighborhood, the park was where we went to do drugs, drink under age and occasionally have sex. Drunkin, high teenagers love peeing down slides lol. That was 15 years ago though when kids actually went out side, I'm not sure how it goes these days with teens.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.