A UK emergency room nurse and mother-of-two has gone viral after revealing the surprising list of activities she strictly prohibits her own children from doing, drawing on her professional experience treating traumatic injuries.
From TikTok to Trauma Bay: A Nurse's Perspective
Content creator and healthcare professional Caitlin Armstrong recently took to her TikTok account to share her controversial parenting rules with fellow parents. The video has amassed an astonishing over 698,000 views, sparking widespread discussion about child safety.
Armstrong explained that her restrictions are directly informed by what she has witnessed while working in a hospital emergency room, giving her a unique perspective on preventable accidents and injuries affecting children.
The Four Forbidden Activities
1. Sleepovers Are Completely Off-Limits
The first activity Armstrong bans might surprise many parents: sleepovers. "I just don't know that there is really any benefit to a sleepover, especially when your kid comes home over-caffeinated, over-sugared, and overtired," Armstrong explained in her video.
She added more ominously, "Let's not even get into the rest of the s**t that can happen during a sleepover, which is the ultimate reason why I don't do it." Her position reflects growing concerns among safety-conscious parents.
2. Tackle Football Presents Unacceptable Risks
Despite admitting she enjoys watching the sport, Armstrong absolutely forbids her children from playing tackle football. "Do I love watching it? One hundred percent," she said. "Do I want my kids playing it? Absolutely not."
She acknowledged improvements in safety equipment and protocols for head injuries, including those related to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). However, she remains unconvinced: "But until you can give me concrete evidence that spinal cord injuries are reduced, and head injuries are reduced, I'm just not gonna get involved in it."
3. Whole Grapes Pose Choking Hazards
Perhaps her most personal rule stems from workplace trauma. Armstrong refuses to let her children eat whole grapes, always cutting them and never packing them in lunches. "This is my own personal PTSD," the nurse admitted.
She revealed the heartbreaking reason behind this precaution: "I have seen three kids in the ER for choking on grapes, and now I am forever scarred." She acknowledged the rule might seem illogical to some but stands by her decision based on professional experience.
4. Electric Bikes and Scooters Are Absolute 'No's
The final prohibition covers any type of electric bike or scooter. "It's just a no, period, plain and simple," Armstrong stated firmly.
She explained that these vehicles represent "one of the top three things that land up in the trauma bay" where she works. Her concern extends beyond the rider's safety to include physics-based risks: "When you look at this from a physics standpoint, a car going 50 miles per hour on a road, and scooter going 30 miles per hour on a road, when those two collide, holy s**t."
Parental Community Responds With Support
In the comments section of her viral video, many users expressed agreement with her safety-first approach, particularly those with similar professional backgrounds.
One commenter wrote, "Registered nurse mom and police officer dad here... we don't do sleepovers either," while a retired paramedic agreed, adding their perspective on motorcycle accidents.
Another parent shared, "Same on every single one. My daughter choked on a grape someone else brought in at school her teacher had to step in," validating Armstrong's concern about grape-related choking incidents.
A physical therapist chimed in with additional restrictions: "No trampolines and I refused to have a diving board installed for our pool," suggesting that many healthcare professionals apply their workplace knowledge to their parenting decisions.
Armstrong concluded her video with humorous determination regarding electric scooters and bikes, joking that her children would eventually discover "why Santa has never brought them one, and that's because I'm Santa, and I refuse to."
