A glider is safer than a powered A/C like a Cessna or similar. This is because it is designed to be without a powerplant. A C172 or a PA-28 is designed to employ a powerplant to remain airborne. This means that if this powerplant fails, the A/C WILL descend.
Landing a powered A/C is very different from landing a glider. A C172 uses its power to controll the glidepath down to the runway.
A glider uses speedbrakes to controll the glidepath which gives a reverse effect. This is the safest method to use if you haven't got available power, as you just dump lift and keep the speed down at the same time. A C172 landing power-off hasn't got that same safety, eventhough there are flaps to controll glidepath to some extent, they are only half as effective and do not work in the same way as speedbrakes. This means that a C172 doing a power-off does not have the same room for mistakes as a glider has. If the C 172 gets hot and high, it is likely to miss the field (if it is really short mind you!!!). A glider though, has very effective airbrakes and can lose excess hight very fast without having to transfer the altitude into speed. The energy is used to power turbulence behind the speedbrake.
What I'm trying to say here is that a glider is more suited to fly without power than a normal light A/C and is thus much safer. In sweden we also allways use parachutes and I believe many countries use them too. It is a very pleasant experience and I hope your ex comes along and agrees to let you take your children to the field. They will remember it!
However, ther are some dangers to the sport. While flying in thermals, planes are often very close and a constant awareness of eachothers position is very important. Mid-air colisions have been known to happen. Another injury is spinal compresions due to hard landings. These dangers are however not so frequent that they from my piont of view make me reluctant from flying. Mid-airs are NOT frequent and most oftenly occur during competitions when there are extreemly many gliders in one area.
Something to keep in mind is the supply of water aswell. Never fly unless you've got a good supply of fluid with you. Dehydration is very easily acchieved in a glider as it works as a greenhouse. Even slightest dehydration will impair the performance in cockpit and it is a risk that can be easily dealt with. Just keep a keen look out and drink plenty and you'll be fine.
best regards/lns
[ 27 October 2001: Message edited by: low n' slow ]