What is the coolest thing that you did when you were just 6 months old? While many of us probably spent entire days doing nothing but crawling on the floor under the watchful eyes of our parents, Rich Humpherys shamed everyone by water-skiing across a Lake.
After the video that Rich’s parents Casey and Mindi posted online went viral, people have hailed Rich as the world’s youngest extreme sports athlete. In the photos and videos, Rich seems happy as he rides along in a custom made board for him.
At the same time, some have pointed out how reckless the parents were being by having an infant water-ski across a lake. Although Rich is wearing a lifejacket as seen in the picture above, should he fall into the water, it is unlikely that he will have any control of his body.
One teacher said the parents do not seem to understand the long-term health consequences that this may have. From the ankles to the waist up, having a baby stand up like that could seriously hurt him when he grows up. Another user pointed out that kids are not toys for the parents to play with.
As more claimed that Rich does not seem happy, the parents uploaded many behind the scene pictures of Rich practicing for his stunt. In one picture, Rich can be seen standing on the very board that he used, looking very comfortable and happy at the same time in his home.
Friends of the Humpherys family left endorsing comments in the pictures that were uploaded on Facebook. One friend said that Rich being able to stand up is by itself a record, while another commented on how exciting it must be for Rich to have parents like his very own parents.
Although there is not enough evidence on either side to weigh in as to how much fun Rich has had with the experience, it is still nearly undeniable that the parents must have urged Rich to try the water-skiing considering a normal person’s cognitive development.
Whether this should be understood as child abuse or just a cool stunt remains to be seen. Share with us your thoughts on this issue in the comments below, and be sure to follow us on Facebook for more.
Replaced!