Kids and crash hats...

[fossyant]

OK I know..it's not a popular adult topic, but...

My son's friends don't wear them, mainly girls and a couple of lads at home...

I feel a bit daft telling my son to stick his on...but...what usually happens..... he comes home a while later having head butted the tarmac or curb.

Intuition told me to tell him - 'crash hat on or no bike'........... sods law - a crash each time.......no visits to hospital.

He sees the benefit as he is as mad as me on the bike, chip off the block....... so if it saves me a visit to A&E then a big plus....

Off to buy a new helmet this weekend - the other is goosed now !!!

If nothing else they save you from a nasty graze to the head - I know it's different for adults, but kid's heads weigh about a third of their body weight ........ think about it......

 

[bianchi1]

my son cycled into a tree ( good skills!! ) resulting in no more than 10 mm dent in helmet just above right eye. Probably wasn't a life threatening crash but i was glad he was wearing it. So was he.

 

[Dave5N]

No helmet, no ride.

A simple rule and easy to get used to.

 

[Crackle]

'crash hat on or no bike, (no scooters, no rollerskates or anything on wheels)

Nope, that's my rule too. The other bits were added after number 2 son decided to knock the wall down with his head playing on his scooter. It's definetly a save them from themselves rule. Luckily all their friends have to wear them too so I don't get the peer pressure routine.

So far, wheeled injuries are, one scraped face (helmet of no use in that one), six stitches in knee, one glued scalp (helmet would've saved him) plus lots of minor knocks and scrapes.

 

[Chuffy]

I do wonder how any of us made it to adulthood sometimes...

 

[Dave5N]

Some didn't.

 

[hambones]

No helmets on my boys and they are 5 and 7 - love doing jumps and tricks - the no-hands-feet-on handlebars being a speciality!!

Risk assessment - it's good for them. Stop nannying!

 

[Dave5N]

*takes a VERY deep breath before responding*

I make sure he has gloves on at all times when riding as well. And two layers on top.

No good doing a risk assessment if you don't then seek to reduce the risk.

 

[hambones]

Another deep breath here....

It's the children who are doing the risk assessment (it being good for them!)

 

[summerdays]

Hmm... whilst I approve of the idea of letting kids being allowed to make mistakes so that they learn from it, I believe as a parent I'm there to make sure they don't get too hurt by their mistakes if I can help it.

Mine wear helmets and have worn them for ages so that the younger two don't even question it. I started later with the oldest one so she is more resistant to the helmet (it not fashionable apparently!!!).

Out of interest, at what point does the child's skull become thicker/stronger similar to an adults?

 

[Dave5N]

Another deep breath here....

It's the children who are doing the risk assessment (it being good for them!)

And you abide by any decision they take?

 

[PrettyboyTim]

My son has to wear a helmet when he's in the child seat, just in case I become a fumbling idiot and drop the bike while he's on it (or fall off myself).

I don't bother for his little bike as he can't go all that fast on it anyway, and he doesn't have far to fall (he's 3 and his bike has no pedals). My daughter who rides (10 years old) prefers to wear a helmet, although I've told her it's up to her whether she wears it or not.

 

[domtyler]

I learnt to ride a bike when I was three or four, can still remember vaguely being pushed along by my dad, rode everywhere until I was about seventeen and got my first motorbike, which was also the same time that I first put on a helmet.

Surely by making them wear helmets they will not learn to be more careful on their bikes and to protect themselves. Maybe they will turn out to be more reckless once they get behind the wheels of a car?

 

[Crackle]

Surely by making them wear helmets they will not learn to be more careful on their bikes and to protect themselves. Maybe they will turn out to be more reckless once they get behind the wheels of a car?

I refer the honourable gentelman to a joke about action and future consequence far better than I can:-

For those that don't know him, Major General Peter Cosgrove is an "Australian treasure!"
General Cosgrove was interviewed on the radio recently. You'll love his reply to the lady who
interviewed him concerning guns and children. Regardless of how you feel about gun laws
you gotta love this! This is one of the best comeback lines of all time. It is a portion of an ABC
interview between a female broadcaster and General Cosgrove who was about to sponsor a
Boy Scout Troop visiting his military headquarters.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
So, General Cosgrove, what things are you going to teach these young boys when they visit your base?
GENERAL COSGROVE:
We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?
GENERAL COSGROVE:
I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?
GENERAL COSGROVE:
I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
But you're equipping them to become violent killers.
GENERAL COSGROVE:
Well, Ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?

The radio went silent and the interview ended.

 

[hambones]

Hey my boys even climb trees without a harness!!!!