Taking the Kids: Checking out the new coasters

If you happen to have some thrill-averse family members, who just aren't sure they're ready for extreme thrills, please don't force them. I see parents doing this at theme parks all over the country and American Academy of Pediatrics experts tell me that is the worst thing you can do.

"A frightened child may have difficulty following the rules, such as keeping hands and feet inside the ride at all times, and that increases the risk of injury," says Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. If you are worried about ride safety, however, Dr. Smith adds that serious injuries are relatively rare.

That said, it is important to attend carefully to age, height and weight limits and take care that safety bars and straps are adjusted and locked appropriately, said North Carolina pediatrician and Academy of Pediatrics spokesman Dr. David Hill.

What should you do if you've waited on a hot line and your child is too scared to ride? "Exit the line," said Dr. Hill, author of "Dad to Dad: Parenting Like a Pro." "If your child really doesn't want to get on the ride, don't risk ruining the day. Your child may never share the enjoyment you get from thrill rides, which is just fine."

How do you know when your child is ready for thrill rides? When they are tall enough and want to ride, suggests Dr. Jennifer Shu, Atlanta pediatrician and co-author of two parenting books. She is also the medical editor of HealthyChildren.org, the Academy of Pediatrics' website for parents. Shu suggests watching an online video of the ride before visiting the park. If she had last summer, she added, she would have avoided one coaster in Orlando. "I cried the entire time and got sick later. Ugh!"

Yes, we've spent big bucks to get into the park -- an average of $55 a ticket, and at the big parks, a lot more. (A one-day ticket to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is nearly double that.) Yes, we've waiting on line half the day, but it's important to remember that "an amusement park is supposed to be fun for everyone," said Dr. Hill. Encourage the kids to ride, but never force them.

"Let children drive the experience," he said. "Encourage them to go look at the ride, see the faces of riders as they exit and decide. If they seem excessively frightened, I'd save it for another year."

"Some kids do well with gentle coaxing," added Dr. Shu, but "others will become traumatized for years, if forced to do something that turns out to be too scary for them. Know your child and be patient. Start with the slower, gentler rides first."

Another good tip from Dr. Shu: Make a plan ahead of time in case one of the kids opts out. If there is more than one adult, decide which one will sit out (parks typically let parents switch without waiting in line twice). If you are the solo adult, and he's too scared, "you should both opt out," she said.

The key is not to make any child -- or grown-up -- feel badly or inadequate for opting not to ride. "Some children are naturally more adventurous," Dr. Shu said. Some adults, too.

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For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and follow @Taking theKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Check out what local kids have to say about their favorite theme parks in Eileen's nine-book Kid's City Guide series available online and at major booksellers.