Things Doctors Say They Would Never Let Their Kids Do

If you’ve ever wondered how medical professionals would handle certain parenting situations, you’re in luck. A viral Instagram reel lays out the things a group full of doctors from different specialties would never allow their own kids to do. It’s an eye-opening look at some dangers parents may not have considered.

Shilpa Dass, MD (@pedsbraindoc), a neurodevelopmental pediatrician who shares her takes on baby and child development online created the video. It has made major waves on social media, with nearly 1.5 million ‘likes’ (and counting) on Instagram.

“I was definitely surprised by the reaction to the video,” Dr. Dass tells Parents.

Doctors’ Varying Viewpoints

Today we have access to a lot of medical information and credible opinions thanks to social media, especially as more and more experts become active on these platforms. But the interesting thing about this particular reel is that it includes a real variety of perspectives from different kinds of doctors on different issues.

A pediatric anesthesiologist warns, “I would never let my kid eat grapes without cutting them.”

A gastroenterologist says in the video, “I would never let my kid play with a toy with a button battery.”

An ophthalmologist cautions, “I would never let my kids sleep in contacts.”

And a GI/Obesity Medicine physician says, “I would never let my kids feel guilty about their food choices.”

There are also some takes on issues that aren’t straightforward medical issues on everything from sex ed and menstrual awareness to in-home trampoline use, and even the increasingly controversial issue of allowing kids to attend sleepovers. 

We spoke to a few of the doctors featured in the reel to hear more about their perspectives.

Team Sleepovers or No Sleepovers?

This video is raising points some parents may not have considered.

“I knew that the sleepover comment would be polarizing for parents because I think that a lot of us parents remember sleepovers so fondly from their childhood, including myself,” says Dr. Dass who won’t allow her kids to attend sleepovers.

Dr. Dass also shares a subsequent reel further detailing her stance on sleepovers, which are a “firm no” for the expert because of some of the “unsettling” things she says she’s seen happen to kids on sleepovers.

“As a doctor taking care of young kids, you’re just naturally more aware of the risk of things that can occur in an unsupervised situation, like bullying, sexual assault, access to explicit material,” she tells Parents. 

This is especially important to consider because kids (including teens) still have developing frontal lobes. Young people aren’t always able to make sound decisions, stand up for themselves, and resist peer pressure, leaving them particularly vulnerable to the dangers that can transpire at sleepovers.

Of course, as some commenters say, sleepovers aren’t the only venues where things like sexual assault can occur. Pointing out these situations can also come up during things like playdates is valid, according to Dr. Dass.

“Any time you are without your kids and they are with other people in a different environment, [there’s a risk], but during the day there does tend to be more supervision from families, from parents,” she says. ”It’s also more acceptable for parents to stick around with their kids during playdates. So yes, I totally acknowledge that that risk exists, I just don’t think it is as high [as] with something like a sleepover.”

At the end of the day, parents have to make decisions for themselves, and sleepovers are one of those polarizing issues parents won’t always see eye-to-eye on. But according to Dr. Dass, regardless of where they fall, there are steps parents can take to protect their kids. 

“The larger, more important conversation to have is to make sure that kids have the tools that they need to stand up for themselves, to not give into peer pressure, to feel confident in their decisions, to not advocate for personal boundaries, and that if someone does something to make them uncomfortable, they know they can immediately come to their parents about it,” she says.

To Trampoline or Not to Trampoline?

Another issue presented in the reel that some viewers questioned? Trampoline use.

Orthopedic spine surgeon Sean Jandhyala, MD shared he would never own an in-home trampoline, which took some of the reel’s viewers by surprise. You may have heard warnings against allowing kids to jump at trampoline parks, but it’s arguably less commonly known that (even with safety nets), in-home trampoline use can cause serious injuries. 

“Even though most injuries occur with home trampolines, the injuries from trampoline parks tend to be more severe,” says Dr. Jandhyala, who adds that multiple jumpers and the tendency to attempt riskier maneuvers at trampoline parks can increase the risk for serious injuries.

For families that already own trampolines, are visiting friends who have an in-home trampoline, or whose children get a lot of sensory benefits from the activity, there are certain precautions that can be taken.  

“Maintain and check your trampoline regularly for tears and detachments, limit to one person at a time, no flips or high-risk maneuvers,” says Dr. Jandhyala, who also recommends removing trampoline ladders after using to ensure young kids can’t access their in-home trampolines without close supervision.

Minimizing the Risk of Head Injuries

The neurosurgeon featured in the reel, Stephen Johnson, MD, warns against allowing kids to ride ATVs in the reel. He says the risk of a traumatic brain injury is just too high.

But, ATVs aren’t the only thing Dr. Johnson is warning about.

“There are many common activities that can lead to head injuries and concussions,” says Dr. Johnson. “Football, boxing, bicycles, roller skating, snowboarding, and skiing. All can be fun, some more dangerous than others. But I’d never let my child do any of them without a helmet at all times.

Having ‘The Talk’ About Periods and Birth Control

Rachana Gheewala, DO, MBA, an OB/GYN featured in the reel, says she would never let her kids go to school without teaching them about periods and birth control.

For parents of young kids, this may seem like a conversation that can wait until much later. But kids are experiencing puberty at younger ages, which means these conversations ought to happen while they’re young—and Dr. Gheewala says they’re not just important for girls. 

“With a continued trend towards earlier pubertal onset, it is crucial that children are taught about periods prior to entering middle school,” says Dr. Gheewala. “Education regarding menstruation, and not just to those who menstruate, helps normalize it as a natural biological process, provides reassurance, and reduces the stress of the unknown.”

As with most things, when kids aren’t taught something at home, they may piece together bits of information (or misinformation) from other sources, which can be particularly dangerous when it comes to sexual and menstrual health issues. 

“Without education, periods risk being clouded in stigma or embarrassment which can lead to shame, misinformation, and confusion,” adds Dr. Gheewala. “Understanding how the body works empowers young people to recognize and address when something might be wrong. Eventually, it also teaches them about how reproduction works so that they’re not vulnerable to risks that they don’t fully understand.”

The Bottom Line? It’s Always a Balance

As a journalist in the parenting space, it can be difficult to identify where the information I consume professionally ends and my parental intuition begins. Ultimately, we have to adjust our approach based on our individual family needs, and access to unlimited information can both simplify and complicate this.

That’s true for medical professionals, especially those who work with kids. But in our increasingly connected world, it’s becoming a real challenge for parents who don’t think about these issues professionally too.

So while the information provided in this reel is sound and expert-backed, it also may not be a perfect fit for each individual family. Because at the end of the day, raising kids requires a bespoke approach.

“I think in general, it’s hard not to be an informed parent without being an anxious parent,” says Dr. Dass. “There is so much information out there, and as a good parent, you want to stay up to date on things. There’s so much information to digest. It seems like you have to do everything right or you’re going to mess up your child. [But] I try to remember that there’s no right way to parent. You can’t be with your children 24/7. At some point, you need to teach them skills and values so they can make the best decisions for themselves.”