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Scotty Laughland is a mountain biker with more than 95,000 followers on Instagram. He’s known for his adventures worldwide, but especially in Europe and his home country of Scotland. He’s also a dad with a two-year-old girl.
Videos by Outdoors with Bear Grylls
Recently, Laughland shared a clip of a ride with his daughter where the two caught some air. The video quickly divided commenters on whether the act was awesome or dangerous.
The short video shows Laughland hitting a relatively small jump with his daughter riding in a front-mounted bike seat. Laughland commented, “You’re 2 years old and just got air time with Dad for the first time.”
Some on Instagram applauded the adventurous parenting and commented, “Looks like she is having a blast!” Others left concerned comments like, “So many bad decisions in this video.”
Whether your passion is mountain biking, skiing, or rock climbing, when you are highly skilled in a sport, there are bound to be some moments when your kid is ready to take some risk too. It’s up to a parent’s discretion to decide under what circumstances these risks are appropriate. However, as some have pointed out, additional gear like a full-face helmet could have eliminated some risk in this instance.
Outdoor Play and Risk Taking for Kids
Regardless of where you stand on this clip, research shows adventure and even risk taking are essential parts of childhood.
According to one such study out of England, there is concern that not enough kids are taking part in risky play outdoors. The study found that nearly half of all children were stopped from classic outdoor activities like climbing a tree.
“Children are not being allowed many of the freedoms that were taken for granted when we were children,” said Adrian Voce, director of Play England in an article with The Guardian. “They are not enjoying the opportunities to play outside that most people would have thought of as normal when they were growing up.”
Researchers say this outdoor play allows children to explore independently and uncover their own risk-management skills.
Advocates say it’s still important to practice some necessary safety steps for children.
