Does your 3yo wear a helmet on their scooter?

[putthekettleon]

We got our almost-3yo DD1 a mini micro scooter for xmas - she'd been on and on about them for ages and was so excited about it.

I've taken her on a couple of trips to the park round the corner etc on it without a helmet and she's been very good, not going too fast, stopping when we get to a road etc.

The walk to preschool is about 10 mins along a road that's not particularly busy. DH is insisting she should wear a helmet. He's a cyclist so I think that's why he's got a bee in his bonnet about helmets - usually he tells me off for being too cautious while he'll let her swing off trees etc!

Today was the first day back at preschool, she was so excited about going on her scooter, I dutifully put her helmet on, which she was happy about to begin with but then threw the mother of all tantrums pulling it off saying it was 'wrong'. Cue scooter kicked on the floor, DD2 screaming in the pushchair, me shouting at her in the street . Finally got her to preschool in the pushchair and now feel very guilty as she was very subdued when I left.

Does she HAVE to wear a helmet? Am I wrong or is DH over cautious?

[13lucky]

Personally I would at that age, especially as you're pushing another child in a buggy so you're not as able to grab her quickly if she falls. And also she's only just learning. My two also got scooters for Christmas and I put both of them in helmets when we went out to try them out (my oldest is 4.5 yo and youngest is 2.3 yo) but then I am quite cautious so other people probably disagree with me!

[Blu]

No, when DS was 3 he did not wear a helmet on his scooter, and I think it's over-cautious.

Cycling is different, you fall off in a different way, more likely to crash into a tree etc. You are already half standing up on a scooter, and I assume she is not on the road!

I can imagine an uncomfortable helmet making scootering a miserable experience fo a 3 yo.

[BornToFolk]

Yes, he does. We bought the helmet at the same time as the scooter as we wanted him to get used to the idea that that's what you do when you ride a scooter (and a bike). It's more as good practice, rather than that he's currently at risk, IYKWIM.

DS is pretty cautious too, but he has got faster with practice.

He loves his helmet though as it's got a pirate on! Maybe you could get some special stickers for your DD and get her to decorate the helmet?

[bloominnorah]

My DS has a micro scooter. He's now 4 but when first started learning on it at 3 he wore his helmet. He can go very fast on it and yeah it might seem silly but you wouldn't think that if fell and split head open on pavement.

[Helenastar]

My DD is nearly 4 and has had her micro-scooter for a year, she has never worn a helmet, and has never really fallen off, just occasionally tripped over it.
I sometimes think that I should have bought her one, but it does look a little over cautious, I had scooters and all sorts at that age, and never really hurt myself, and neither did anyone I knew.
DD can go very fast on the scooter now, and I can say I am not that worried, but maybe I am a reckless mother lol

[Rosebud05]

I'd agree with making the helmet more enticing with stickers, comparing to daddy and check that it fits properly and is reasonable comfortable.

My dd got her micro-scooter when she'd just turned 2 and got into the habit of wearing one. It did look slightly ridiculous when she was crawling along at snail's pace, though now she's whizzing off down the street, I'm very glad that I started young.

Btw, I know 2 pre-school kids who damaged their faces quite badly (one needing stitches) when falling off a micro-scooter.

[putthekettleon]

hmm, thanks for the thoughts. Part of me thinks I'd look like one of those super paranoid parents putting her in a helmet, but then accidents do happen and I'm sure she'll get faster.... I think we'll give the helmet another go, she does like it and normally wears it with her dad on the back of his bike. Maybe I'll make him take her out with it at the weekend!

[Roo83]

Ds has a helmet he got for his balance bike but also wears with his scooter. I just don't think it's worth the risk not wearing one. Make sure you get it fitted properly-small independent bike shops stole smaller sizes than those in halfords/Argos which just swamp ds and are not very comfy. Maybe if she chooses her own it will help?

[beckynbump]

My little girls wear their helmets on their tricycle even when I am pushing it. We bought one that was fitted for us and let her play with it on in the house before trying outside. I always make sure that I wear mine when I am on my bike and the girls just accept thats what we do. Maybe a little treat could be used if she wears it when she goes out. Good luck

[Frawli]

I got my little uns scooters for Christmas (which we haven't used so far) but haven't got helmets yet. I feel I should really, one of my work colleagues had a horrid experience last year, his DD was on her scooter, not going particularly fast in the park and she fell and hit her head on a small bit of fence which gave her a bleed in her brain, luckily she was fine but it does give you pause for thought.

I don't think people think twice about being over cautious when putting a helmet on their child going on a bike but do with scooters, not sure why there is a distinction. If anything wouldn't you be more likely to fall off a scooter than a bike?

[flowery]

Yes absolutely. He came to Halfords and chose one himself when he got his balance bike and the deal is he doesn't go outside on either his scooter or his bike without it on. We did that from day one with both, to avoid tantrums if introducing it later on as you've had.

As with BorntoFolk, it's as much about getting into the habit as anything else.

[Flowergarden1]

Yes, always on scooter and bike. Doesn't go out on them unless he's wearing one. I don't care if anyone else thinks I'm being over cautious. He once went at high speed into the wing mirror of a parked car while scootering on the pavement. His helmet protected his head from a potentially nasty accident. Also, it's a very good habit to get into.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

Does it matter if you look like a super paranoid parent?

At the end of the day, we just have to do our best to keep our dc safe, and to me that includes wearing helmets while out on scooters or bikes. I never thought twice about it. Both of our ds's wear their helmets without comment. Once your dd gets her confidence, she'll soon be whizzing around on her scooter and then she could cause real damage if she was to fall off and hit her head.

[Jojay]

Mine don't wear a helmet and most of this kids I know don't, though one does.

The Ds's have never bumped their heads falling off their scooters, touch wood, but my friend's daughter decided to ride hers into a brick wall and cut her head really badly. Not convinced a helmet would have prevented it though.

My kids are pretty cautious by nature, and tend to get off and push down hills etc, so I don't worry about them too much.

[zoezebraa]

No helmet here, ds loves his scooter and is v proficent now, he does wear a massive wooly hat this time of year tho. He wears a helmet on his balance bike. Never thought about one for a scooter.. maybe will introduce the idea.

[LuigiB]

My ds has just turned 4 but he has worn a helmet for the past six months that he has been riding his scooter to nursery.

I don't think I am over-cautious - it is more to do with the fact that ds is a bit accident prone and trips over quite a lot and I would rather be seen as a fussy parent than have ds bang his head. The scooter has definitely helped with balance and coordination though - but it will still be a while before I let him ride it without one.

[uisa]

when my three year old first got her scooter, she fell head first over the handlebars three times in the space of several months.... after the front wheel got stuck in a crack in the pavement. Thank goodness she was wearing a helmet on each occasion. If she hadn't been I dread to think about the extent of head injury that she'd have sustained. Even with the helmet I was worried about the impact as she didn't have time to put her hands out to break her fall. I would never let her on any wheeled toy without a helmet and luckily since the first experience (on day 1) she is fully aware of the need to wear one too.