DB, if you're flying an electric flap Cessna, relax about the flaps. I commend your interest and awareness, that's great, but ultimately, the flaps of a Cessna aren't going to get you, if, during the walk around check you were happy with them. If they will not extend at all (99%) likely an electrical fault, expect a longer landing roll (you should be practicing that anyway). If they operate uncommanded (referenced microswitch failure) either let them go where they're going, they'll stop on their own. Or, if you find that they are errantly extending during a go around (which is very unlikely if you've selected them up), turn the master switch off, and they will stop moving. Get in stable flight at altitude, turn the master on, and deal with it there. The electric flaps don't move fast enough to put you out of control (intended design feature). 'Worst is that you fly half a circuit full flaps, not a problem in a Cessna. If you are flying a manual flap Cessna, lucky you! (they're great planes). Those flaps can be moved fast enough to surprise you, and yes, a sloppy pawl, and sudden retraction is a skill demanding event. Very unlikely you're flying a manual flap rental Cessna.
To each their own, but I'm content to operate Cessna flaps at any appropriate phase of flight. In teaching emergency canyon turns, extending the flaps during a climbing turn is an element of the maneuver. I've had flap problems in Cessnas, but in 42 years of flying them, asymmetry and uncommanded operation were never problems for me.
For other types, the risks are different. The best way to understand your risk, is to understand the plane! Most flight manuals have a section at the back (should be section 7), in which these systems are described enough for you to understand how they work, and design features which could pose a risk.