There's a lot of life events that feel almost necessary for you to become an adult.
Maybe it's an accidentally or intentionally experiencing something before you're "old enough."
It could be lying about something you really shouldn't be lying about. And maybe it's breaking a bone having so much fun you don't care.
Over on the subReddit, "Today I F'd Up" (TIFU) people tell the story of how they messed up by doing something innocuous.
In this case, user Deanothedino tried to be a fun dad, but ended up breaking his daughter's ankle.
Don't worry though.
Everything is pretty much fine now.
"Let me start by saying the happened last night around 6:48pm and I still feel awful and have just made a $125 get a well better package purchase to be shipped here so she can sit in her cast and be entertained/feel better, even though she is super excited she can just sit around and watch TV all day."
Also, before you ask, your instincts are right.
A trampoline is involved.
"I take a lot of pride in being a hands-on, do activities, play around, fun dad. Well, when my 5-year-old and 2 year old wanted to go outside and jump on the trampoline after dinner I was all about it!"
From there the story becomes almost a suspenseful thriller, as you wait for the inevitable realization of what will happen.
Dean shares just how much he and his daughter love playing on that trampoline.
But little chases and light jumps give way to a great/terrible idea.
"We took a brief break and began jumping again, I asked her if she wanted to pop up high again she said enthusiastically "Yes!", so I took it upon myself to really go for the launch, you know kinda like trying to send her into orbit, she would love it!"
"I timed the jump, I put about 85% force into it, and next thing I know the doesn't pop up but instead crumples to the trampoline and immediately starts crying."
Who could have possibly seen this coming?
From the sounds of it, Dean's daughter was not launched into the stratosphere, but rather the drop in the trampoline made her land on her ankle wrong.
He tries to comfort her, but starts laughing when she suggests she broke her ankle, which uh, isn't really a thing to laugh about?
Dean stays with his other child while his wife takes the 5-year-old to the urgent care.
But maybe his wife wants to rethink that...
"My wife called not with news about my 5-year-olds ankle, but instead with news that our daughter had just told the entire waiting area that her mom had [the pandemic] Virus but she is better now..."
"WHAT!?? hahaha, my wife has never had [the pandemic virus] and we do not know anyone who has had it, she has allergies and we said we are glad she did not have it... but never that she has had it."
"So she must have heard us wrong, but she said the entire waiting room was like WTF!? So after a little laugh, we hung up and I went back to waiting."
Funny side stories aside, Dean's daughter is going to be fine.
She has a break and a sprain, and had to have her leg put in a cast. But her outlook is wonderful.
She's very excited because the doctor told her she has to sit on the couch and watch TV. What more could you want?
Dean is still feeling guilty and is putting together a care package for his daughter. Honestly, she probably just needs some video games and some books and she's all set.
Sure, he may have accidentally broken his daughter's leg, but he's still a good dad.
"What is the care package?" - OtDreamMaker
"4 new Frozen plush dolls... you know because we had to get her little sister 2 also (her words not mine). And an Elsa dress from Frozen 2 she has wanted so when she gets out of the cast she can run around in it like Elsa does." - Deanothedino
"You're incredible and your girls are lucky to have you." - shell89za
"This is so adorable and you are so awesome! Reading this reminded me of how my dad was when I was younger, you are such a great parent!" - hugsanddrugs42
Getting hurt like this, in a not life threatening way, leads to interesting memories.
The memories aren't always great, but they are fun to look back on. And there are worse memories to have growing up.
Telling this story led to others sharing their own stories.
"This is how my husband broke his ankle. He was trying to pop the kids up on the trampoline and he is the one that landed wrong. 🙄" - frizziefrazzle
"I also broke my leg on a trampoline when I was five. Really similar situation actually. I was jumping on it with a bunch of kids twice my age (and size) and I somehow got "double-bounced" really really high.
Didn't even fall off the trampoline, just landed on my leg wrong. Also immediately told my mom that I had broken my leg, but she didn't believe me!
Left me to rest on the couch, and when she came back an hour later I was white as a ghost. Then she believed me and rushed me to the hospital! Trampolines are a recipe for disaster, you wouldn't think it would be so easy to break a bone just by jumping." - werpicus
"My heart. The world needs more dads like you. If it's any consolation, my dad was the same way and sometimes we got hurt but I would not have changed it for the world.
When I was five, one of our mishaps left me with a torn meniscus in my knee. Full recovery after surgery, and I never once blamed him. I'm 24f now. Also, good on you for raising them tough. I'll never stop appreciating my dad for that." - drunken-black-sheep
"Trampolines seem to be universal traps that get you injured. Was bouncing around on one with some neighborhood kids when I was about 10, and one kid tried to bounce super high... right off the trampoline. Landed on the lawn next to it, and crumpled at the instant broken ankle." - DefenderOfSquirrels
Not everyone was so on board though.
Many saw Dean's actions as irresponsible and felt people shouldn't be patting him on the back for doing something so dangerous.
Hot Fuzz Shame GIFGiphy
Trampolines can be very dangerous, with numerous injuries caused at trampoline parks every year. But is that really the same as a dad jumping on a trampoline with his daughter at home?
Some say yes.
"Downvoted coming, but it is 100% your fault. Double bouncing is very dangerous for this exact reason. And it's especially dangerous with people of such drastic weight difference."
"I'm down for being the fun, risk taking parent, but you seriously need to educate yourself before letting your children back on that trampoline." - ASOIAFGymCoach73
"Yeah, I weigh 230lbs and I don't go on the trampoline with my kids, even though it is rated enough for our combined weight. You don't mess around when you have that much inertia." - SnakeJG
""I'm over 200lbs, and I thought it was a good idea to bounce my 5 year old high into the air! But its okay because she rationally concluded it wasn't my fault (yes, it was, she is 5, of course she'll say anything to make daddy feel better) and its just a cast, no surgery, no broken neck, my bad!"
"And all the comments: "SO wholesome! You are SUCH a great dad!"" - DragonToothGarden
Luckily though, someone read all this and got very confused about which Reddit board they were on.
But Dean can relax knowing he's NTA.
"your daughter telling the whole ER her mom "had corona but was feeling better" is 1000% something i would have pulled at that age. NTA, you sound like a great dad." - sassylildame
Dean's daughter took the whole ordeal well, and is recuperating on her couch. Dean himself learned his lesson about how to play on a trampoline with his small child.
And we all learned that the internet can never agree on anything.
*If you enjoyed this article, you can read more like it by clicking on the TIFU link below.*
To avoid such accidents, you can get a trampoline for children aged 2-5 years old here.
