How young to light firecrackers?

[susiestar]

First off, please understand that we were never taken to a fireworks show by my parents. Many years, if the neighbors were lighting fireworks, my dad wouldn't let me off the PORCH. I am NOT joking. It was not as punishment, he is scared of them and that we would get hurt.

So now, I have a husband who LOVES fireworks. We don't spend a lot on them, but he does like to light a few.

This afternoon he was doing smoke bombs with the kids. He wanted to let 8yo thank you light smoke bombs and fire crackers. I am really uncomfortable with this, but am I unreasonably scared by it? husband thinks so, I am just unsure about what the normal safe rules are.

Thanks for any input.

Susie

 

[klmno]

I think a lot of Dad's do that with their kids. But I was never- and still am not- comfortable with difficult child lighting them. I did let difficult child light the sparkle things when he found some old ones in a garage once. I might be paranoid about it to- I do have a difficult child that caused a brush fire- and when I was growing up, a boy about 12 yo was lighting smoke bombs or something like that and the fuse was defective so it blew in his hand and permanently scarred his hand so much that he couldn't use it completely normally again. So, I have never allowed difficult child to have them or light them. He can watch them.

 

[Josie]

I have the same concerns. I also grew up with parents who never bought us firecrackers because they thought they weren't safe. I feel better with the professionals setting them off.

difficult child 1 is going with a friend to watch someone set off fireworks. At first, I thought it was a party where all the kids would have their own to set off and I was concerned. I was going to let her go but I warned her about safety. I thought it was my own anxieties about it and I didn't want to keep her home. I'm not sure that was the right answer, either. Luckily, it turns out only one adult will be setting them off.

I don't know what the normal safety rules are either, but I would be worried about an 8 year old with fire crackers.

 

[susiestar]

I talked husband into NOT letting the kids set off the fireworks. He saw I was really anxious.

 

[amazeofgrace]

here in NJ they're illegal. I watched my Uncle shoot a bottle rocket through his knee when I was 5! I was always terrifed of sparklers and I still am, I hyper ventilated 2 years ago when at a picnic they lit a bunch up and handed them to all the kids. I say let the Firemen do the lighting. But I am a nervous Nelly

 

[tiredmommy]

I don't think children should be playing with explosives, no matter how small and seemingly harmless. Leave it to the professionals!

 

[dreamer]

there is absolutely NOTHING I love more than watching fireworks, absolutely nothing- and all summer long I drive hours away, seek out ALL the professional displays, and often go and stake my seat many hours before the display, and simply sit in our "spot" Fireworks displays here within say 50 miles can be found every weekend from first weekend in June (For Milk Days festival) into Sept. The week of July 4, they can be found often 5-6 nites in a row....if you seek them.
I have not missed 4th of july fireworks my entire life, since I was born- my mother loved them, and we have an informal family reunion at one specific site. About the only reason anyone in my immed family has ever had for missing that show is -- my bro lived across country, so he was "excused" and my sister had both her kids the week of the 4th, now 4 and 8 yrs old. So she missed those 2 years. New babies go, toddlers go, everyone goes. Sadly my own husband has such serious combat PTSD he does not. He tried 3 yeears early on, but he cannot do it.

That said? I NEVER EVER EVER hang out anywhere where anyone is doing home fireworks, firecrackers, even sparklers. I have had the good fortune to never witness any "accident" and I very much prefer to keep it that way. Ironically my son has lost an eye, and somtimes he darned eye surgeon forgets it was NOT from fireworks or BB guns......
No, I like all my own fingers and toes and eyes, and I like all of them on my kids right where they are right how they are, even if mine do not always work pproperly.
I get VERY freaked when home ones are done, and my husband? if neighbors begin setting them off? we usually have to seriously and heavily sedate husband, FAST.
Even sparklers are illegal here where I live, but, it does not stop people in myneighborhood from going over the border to wisconsin and bringing them back-and I get so upset when I go out in my yard and fine half shot off ones all over my yard swings, cars, gardens, patio.......and I have found so many on the soft top to our jeep, on my shed where the gas for my mower is.......

Last year, IIRC I heard of a child who got ?hurt? innjured? by one that has many many hours past original liting? but the "dud" turned out NOT to be a dud after all, ---maybe I read it here at this site?
Seems to me someone here DID have a serious home firework injury last year?

Nope, I leave ALL explosives to the pyrotechnically educated and to the military etc. And nope, my kids are not allowed to go to any friends if I know they will be doing them.....
I did have an uncle who died as a small child as result of burns from matches........took him a few months to die......I have a huge respect and a grave fear of fire and explosives.

And I really do not get into getting any fines for breaking laws, LOL.

So- an age? um, maybe 130 years old?

 

[susiestar]

Fireworks are completely legal here. I ahve had neighbors setting them off for the last month, all around us.

I refuse to buy them, ESP when they are sold as a SCHOOL FUNDRAISER!! It blows my mind that they are sold as a fundraiser for various high school groups, but they make a TON of $$$ selling them.

husband bought them. I had a fit when husband was clearing the table and told Jessie to go light the thingie you light the fireworks with.

What did he expect a 12yo to do? Go light the thing and sit at the picnic table???

Yes, he really did!!! Of course, she got into trouble with ME because while she had permission, she was waving it around her and her (long) hair was down all around it. I made her put it totally out, not just "prop it between the boards of the picnic table" which husband wanted me to have her do.

Hello??? WOOD picnic table??

I swear the man has no common sense, and would be a pyro if I let him.

then he couldn't find matches to light the stupid thingie I made Jessie put out. It stays lit, and you light things from it. Not srue what it is called.

But it is better than having my father in law give the kids each a cigar to light them with (he has done this with our nephew, and did this with husband every year!)

We will be learning a LOT about safe handling of fireworks, my husband included. Because I am appalled, angry that he would endanger my kids this way (letting them light things outside with-NO supervision, pushing them to light firecrackers, etc...)

If ANY issue was going to become a major one in our relationship, it would be this.

I am going to have to be a witch with a b, but that is ok. Cause I'm the MOM!

Susie

 

[DammitJanet]

Well my kids were born and raised in the south and this seems a right of passage. They started out with sparklers and those Pop'ems that you just throw down and they pop loudly. From there they expanded to slightly larger scale things of those little army tanks that fizz and move and onto those hand held tubes that shoot out fire balls. Then it was bottle rockets and finally lighting those cones that shoot out sparkly colors in the air.

We dont spend a ton of money on them but they do know how to do them safely. I really dont like the plain jane firecrackers because I think they are more dangerous. Mine did use cigarettes or a cigar to light them with. Our rule was if it didnt light, it was a dud and you put it in a bucket of water...no questions asked.

We do the professional exhibits for the fourth of july but normally get home stuff for like NY eve sometimes. People here also fire off stuff for days afterwards on the 4th. I was expecting it all around us tonite but it rained.

 

[witzend]

Smoke bombs, I think are ok if the kids are supervised. Knowing what I know now, I would not allow firecrackers in my house no matter what. Hello! They explode!

First off, please understand that we were never taken to a fireworks show by my parents. Many years, if the neighbors were lighting fireworks, my dad wouldn't let me off the PORCH. I am NOT joking. It was not as punishment, he is scared of them and that we would get hurt.

So now, I have a husband who LOVES fireworks. We don't spend a lot on them, but he does like to light a few.

This afternoon he was doing smoke bombs with the kids. He wanted to let 8yo thank you light smoke bombs and fire crackers. I am really uncomfortable with this, but am I unreasonably scared by it? husband thinks so, I am just unsure about what the normal safe rules are.

Thanks for any input.

Susie

 

[dreamer]

UG, I was outside makeing homemade ice cream tonite. difficult child and easy child were sleeping, easy child is still not feeling good...son was at local prof display with friends. The entire neighborhood looked and sounded like shock and awe.....and still does. I went in back yard by ice cream maker and got hit by a neighbors um.....bottle rocket? (round cylinder with a long stem?) there are at least 4 of those on my bug, at least 6 on my durango, and 3 on our soft top jeep. I picked up 15 from my 8 ft by 8 ft patio that is attached to my garage by my kitchen window.
easy child was crying, cuz she is trying to sleep, she has to work in morning. I shoved husband into basement with a TV on very loud. I have no idea if these people "know" how to do these or not- but, seems to me, how can they control where they land? Son came home from professional town display holding a peice of ?shrapnel? the size of my hand- said it landed on him, and he was sitting where authorities had them sit as spectators, and yes, there is a brown scorch mark on his shirt. GRRR.
I find it rude, unfair and unsafe to be IN town, houses close together, and people setting these things off all over the place. Yes, I love fireworks, but, not everyone does, and some people get really really freaked by them (like my husband)- actually hen we bought our house, our town at that time did NOT do a professional display, and that had a little to do with us buying here, and we bought far from anywhere where it would be possible to do a professinal display, becuz yes, it triggers my husband back to when he was recon and machine gunner in Nam......not pretty. I find it unfair he is inside our house, but it looks like we are under fire....and I also find it unfair I have to cleanit all up......and I find it scary that what if one of their bottle rockets sets something of MINE on fire? So many people are setting them off, who can even know where any specific one came from? Makes me want to go turn a stereo on full blast to some very weird station and blast it the rest of the nite, faceing all my neighbors windows. ALL these are illegal here. and they are disrupting and disturbing my household. and makeing a mess I will have to clean up. If I want to watch and listen, I will GO to the professional display, the prof displays are totally FREE here......grrr grumble.
Hmm, I feel patriotic, now, I think I might go plug in difficult children boombox, after all it IS a holiday......and maybe I will pop in her "Patriotic songs" CD- and BLAST it so I can hear it while I pick up the darned mess the neighbors created in my yard. Maybe they will enjoy that as much as my husband enjoys the shock and awe in our living room tonite?
My dog is not scared, BUT...he hasa LOT of hair and I am nervous one of those darned things might land on him and burn him, so what am I supposed to do about my dog needing to go outside to do his business?
OK, I know some people do not live IN town, and thats different. Some people do not have neighbors on top of them......and in some places these are legal. BUT we are in a state and community that made them illegal. We ARE in town, and our houses are on top of each other.....and hey some people do still have to WORK.

And when I was out, it looked to me like a LOT of the people out setting them off also have been doing some serious drinking or partying. Makes me worry if they still have their common sense?
What age? Hmm, maybe no special age, maybe just go get a pyrotechnics degree, and then I will not be so nervous?
husband is freaking out, bless him, easy child is crying now, wants to sleep for work.....and dog is paceing cuz he has to pee. and I just keep praying noone sets fire to anything here.

 

[KTMom91]

I would not want Miss KT lighting fireworks. And I do not want to do it, either. But the boys? OMG...right after Hubby and I got married, #2 asked if he could explode watermelons. I said yes, not really thinking it through. Turns out he and a friend were shoving Piccolo Petes inside melons and rolling them out into the street. Miss KT was having a great time watching the show. Then Hubby got home...and the next thing I hear is..."but Mary said we could!" Based on that, 16 is not old enough!

 

[Suz]

When I was a kid, one of my brother's friends was allowed to light some sort of firecracker, which exploded in his face and the boy lost an eye.

Just hearing about that was enough for me so I never let Rob near them.

Suz

 

[dreamer]

I am wondering who it was I think last year whose child was at a home fireworks display when a tragedy occured from them?

Yeah, I am still awake here...the home fireworks havd been going nonstop, like a long long grand finale until about 330 (started in earnest about 830) but, they are still going, just not quite as many. easy child and dog are both hooarse, gofy dog decided about midnite that the world should all go to sleep- and he began to complain, LOL. Poor easy child is supposed to be off to work soon, here. But the whizzes, spinners and bangs and whistlers etc have just not stopped. and neither have the bright flashes of light.
It is sorta funny, usually we do not see or hear neighbors....never see anyone outside at all.....town rolls its sidewalks up early. Like 7? But they are still out there now, going strong. <sigh> I wonder how many of them will be at it again tonite? 2 adjoinning towns to ours have their fireworks displays tonite, and 2 more on Sun nite. Our town had them Friday nite and we went where I grew up on THurs nite for theirs.
<yawn>

 

[meowbunny]

I think it might be okay for a kid to use firecrackers somewhere around the age 65 or so and even that's questionable. Personally, I prefer to leave them to pros and go ooh and ahh.

I love sparklers. Loved them as a little girl, love them today. A group of us used them last night as we wached the shows from a very far distance. One of the women managed to get a pretty nasty burn on her thumb. So, if something as innocent as a sparkler can burn someone, imagine what a fire cracker, which, when you get right down to it, is an explosive can do.

 

[Andy]

There should be a time limit to the fireworks (none after midnight or 1:00 am).

I have allowed difficult child to do smokebombs, sparklers, and pop-its. I am really surprised the neighbor mom allowed her son, same age of difficult child, join in. She also allowed her daughter (7 years old) to join us. We had to ask her son not to throw the sparklers and to stay away from the other kids (he would walk past them with sparkler behind him like he was pulling a wagon with it - and not watch where the sparkler was - which was usually too close to my difficult child's and his sister's heads). He doesn't pay as much attention to what he is doing as my difficult child and his sister does - that is why he is not allowed to do much of what I allow difficult child to do. The lighter wasn't working for these and lighting matches just didn't seem the safest, so we brought out a few candles to light the sparklers from.

I like doing sparklers in the winter when there are snowbanks to put them out in - since that is part of the fun, they get put out before they burn down too close to a finger.

I totaly understand where those that are 100% opposed to this are coming from. Growing up we never had fireworks until I was an older teen and then we only did sparklers on New Years Eve. I always said I would never allow my kids to do these and am not sure how this was allowed to start. I do trust difficult child - he does understand and follow the safety rules and of course, he is supervised when doing this. He is not allowed to do anything that shoots anywhere. Smokebombs, sparklers, and pop-its are the least dangerous and that is all we do. And as always, kids need to be supervised because they don't always think of what the possibilities are - they only see what they think will happen, not what can go wrong.

 

[dreamer]

uh well, LOL, there IS a limit here, they are simply illegal. Some are illegal for my state but the rest are illegal by my county or town. So- the limit is that they are not allowed AT ALL. BUT it can be difficult for the police to keep up with tracking down offenders. Most people do not call and report them (I don't, becuz it does little to no good) and even when people do complain to police, by the time the limited police respond, the offenders are done and noone can "prove" it was them. and when you add in that the police were busy directing traffic out of the park from the professional display, the police really could not get to ALL the people that were shooting them off, anyway. I think last nite was the most I have ever seen going off here in town, tho, EVER. And many of them were rather large and elaborate. Thankfully, my paper did not report any injuries or fires, altho my patio has scorch marks on it today.
If caught and if convicted, I am not sure just what the fine or consequences are here. I'm thinking Occupational Therapist (OT) could be like $500. That alone is deterrant enough for me, I have lots of other things I would rather spend $500 on, LOL.

 

[witzend]

Anything that flies or explodes is illegal in our state, but we are about 10 miles from the border where they are. That didn't stop them from going non-stop in our neighborhood from 9:00 PM until 11:30, then off and on until 1:30. They say that in poor economic years there are much more home fireworks lit because people aren't taking the family out someplace expensive. But let me tell you, $50 will last about 15 minutes. So groups get together and everyone spends $20 - $50 and then you have these things that go on and on and on.

Thank goodness they don't scare our dogs! Last night as one of the worst nights I can remember for fireworks.

 

[dreamer]

witzend- thanks, I did not stop to think about that maybe dureing lean times more people might do home fireworks. Since most of our prof displays are free, and a good majority do not charge to park, either, and most permit you to bring in snacks, I assumed people would find it cheaper to go to the prof displays than to buy ones to set off at home. LOL- I think thats one of the things I have always liked about this holiday- it can be fun and can cost so little if you are careful. And I love to go to the places that also have music etc.

Yes, I am also 10 miles or so from border, and they are legal in the state I border.
I know in the "panic" thread I was thinking that the increased violence around here is due to the economy. ANd last year I had read in our paper that many local festivals are thinking they want to reduce how many people come to their festivities from surrounding communities becuz they felt things were getting sorta out of control at some of the events etc. (drawing more people than they could effectively handle- etc) so some places around here HAVE scaled down with what they are haveing and what they are doing. There are becoming less publicity, less big names to draw spectators, and smaller fireworks displays.....and yeah more places are starting to charge- for parking, for "gate charge" but, still the majority around me are still free.

I am wondering how loud and late it might go on tonite in my neighborhood.

easy child did wind up coming home from work early and within 5 mins of getting home, she fell asleep- and she has to work tomorrow in the early morning again. My son is still sleeping.....and husband is now up, but cranky.

My thoughts are going towards something along the lines of OK I like to have fun just like anyone, but, I also am considerate with my haveing fun. And I do not hurt anyone or anything when I have fun. And I do not put others out. I spent 2 hours cleaning my yard today after everyone. Yeesh. NOT my idea of fun.

 

[tinamarie1]

Last night we came home to find that the crop field across from our subdivision was on fire! Really scared the **** out of me. There were probably a dozen fire trucks there and an ambulance. We found out this morning that they arrested a teenage boy for starting the blaze with fireworks. I can't help but think sometimes when things like that happen that it could soooooo be my difficult child doing something accidental like that when he gets older.