To think this isn't a very god idea (school related)

[DrOwh]

Received a letter from Dd's school yesterday saying that they decided to do a scooting workshop (on a non PE day), so the children can learn some new tricks and also how to scoot properly, safety, etc...They are paying outside people to deliver the workshop.

Dd is nearly 7 years old and has been scooting since she is 2 years old. She is very good at it and do it on regular basis. She is generally good at sports anyway and she has lots of opportunities to do physical activities so I would rather her spend time in school concentrating on what she needs improving (Literacy and Maths, she is behind her peers).

Also, the school want the parents to provide the scooters. Children will have to leave their scooters there, the workshop people will pick the ones they want and all the children (Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4) will share those scooters. Now, the school is in a not very desirable area and the majority of the scooters I see there are old pieces of junk, rusty and broken handles, bad wheels, you get the picture.
There are few good ones and those will be the ones chosen I am sure.
Now, Dd's late scooter was stolen last year and she had to wait nearly a year to get a brand new one and she just got it less than a month ago as an early present for her Birthday which is in April! The weather improved and I has spare cash so we decided to give her present earlier. I am not generally a selfish person at all but I am not comfortable in lending this scooter to school...

Dh can't see no problem, and he thinks Dd needs to decided. I asked her what she wanted (before speaking my mind) and she said she doesn't need scootering lessons and would rather do arts and crafts or something. Nor she wants to share her scooter.

Luckily it is optional and I don't think we will take part but IABU to think it is a bonkers idea??

[whitepuddingsupper]

I wouldn't be sending a new scooter in either as I wouldn't want to take the risk of it getting broken by a child being over ambitious with the stunts.

[gordyslovesheep]

I'm with your Dh

[givemeaclue]

If its optimal I can't see a problem. Nobody is forced to do it.

[DrOwh]

I know. Nobody is forced to do it at least.
But I am feeling selfish not lending the scooter, but Am I?
I told Dd she could take her very first one (a mini micro) but she said she doesn't want to take part, never mind with a baby scooter anyway.
I might lend the mini micro to school just to help out even if Dd is not doing the workshop. This way I will feel better with myself.

[CoffeeTea103]

Yanbu, it's almost new and why should you risk the chance of it being damaged if some kids use it roughly.

[tutu100]

Don't feel bad and don't feel you have to send a scooter in. Our school did something similar recently although it was just scooting not stunts. Scooters were to be left in the bike shed and the school stated they would not be responsible for them. Ds1 has terrible balance issues so he has a Maxi Micro, there was no way I was leaving a £100 scooter at the school. Ds1 scooted to school, I took it home with me and then took it back for him to ride home on. Nothing was said to me and ds1 was happy not to have to scoot in front of others during the day.

[treadheavily]

It is a good idea for children who would like to learn to scoot safely though isn't it. Maybe just say no and move on to a real problem.

[DrOwh]

That is what I will have to do.
I am leaving her scooter there everyday on the scooter parking space, I know it is a risk I am taking, but everyone is doing it (all the parents who had the maxi micro too) I hope it won't get stolen in school grounds. but then on the workshop day I will have to take it back and look like a selfish person.

[littlebluedog12]

I think it sounds like a good idea to teach them how to scoot safely, but I don't understand why the people who want to take part can't just use their own scooters?

[EugenesAxe]

I don't think it's entirely bonkers and the fact that it's optional takes away a lot of the problems. Some children will be brilliant at literacy and maths and rubbish at physical coordination; if the school offered a workshop on the former you would welcome it presumably and not give a thought to those already very proficient, I'm sure.

The sharing scooters thing is a bit odd. Personally I think the company laying it on should have a stock of them.... they aren't prohibitively expensive. I don't think you are being selfish not sharing.

[Impatientismymiddlename]

Are the school going to take responsibility for broken or stolen scooters? If not then they shouldn't be doing this exercise or they should be providing all of the required scooters.
YANBU.

[NoodleOodle]

It's new, you don't want it used by other people YANBU to take it home.

[diddl]

"Personally I think the company laying it on should have a stock of them..."

You would have thought so!

That said if it's aimed at kids already with scooters?

But then just sharing a few rather than the kids using their own?

Doesn't seem well thought out!

[DrOwh]

I think it sounds like a good idea to teach them how to scoot safely, but I don't understand why the people who want to take part can't just use their own scooters?

Because the majority of scooters are junk, nearly impossible to scoot on them (Dd had one of those while waiting for another maxi micro after her was stolen) so the good ones will have to be shared.

It will just make the poor children (pardon the pun) realise after taking part, how crap are their own scooters.

[DrOwh]

Are the school going to take responsibility for broken or stolen scooters? If not then they shouldn't be doing this exercise or they should be providing all of the required scooters

Nothing regarding this was mentioned on the letter.

[Impatientismymiddlename]

If the majority of the scooters are junk and not suitable for doing the type of scooting on that the session will teach then there isn't much point in the session. The children will not be able to do the stunts after the session because they don't have a suitable scooter to do it on.
The session would have made more sense if each child bought their own scooter and were taught things that they can do on that scooter.
I can imagine that a lot of parents are going to get pestered to buy a scooter that they can't afford after their children have had a session on somebody else's better scooter.
The school really haven't thought this through.

[SamandCat]

I would just say your scooter is for your own DCs use only

[soulrebel63]

If your daughter wants to do it then she should, but she should use her own scooter and nobody else should use it without her permission

[pudcat]

What happens if a child gets injured while using a scooter you have provided? Will you be held responsible for a defective scooter? I would ask to see the Risk Assessment drawn up for the day and the consequences of injuries and broken scooters.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

The workshop is a good idea, parents providing scooters is not and I'm surprised the outside cpamy allows it. If someone has an accident due to a faulty borrowed scooter who is liable? And what about helmets?

[meditrina]

It's not compulsory to own a scooter in the first place, so they cannot say you have to bring one in.

If you are feeing kind, you might want to tip them off that your DD is unable to bring a scooter and ask for confirmation that there will be enough scooters available for those who cannot provide them.

I think it's a slightly barking idea though. Tricks and scooters can mean damaged wrists (I'm looking at you, DS2) and though I suppose instruction might minimise risk it's still a series of accidents waiting to happen.

[ouryve]

DS1 has a very nice Razor scooter and it said quite plainly on the packaging that it's not a stunt scooter. I think it's a bit dodgy teaching children to do tricks on scooters that might not even be up to the job.

[GandalfsBeard]

...then on the workshop day I will have to take it back and look like a selfish person.

I don't think you're being selfish at all. It's your child's scooter and you're not obliged to share it. In your position I would happily take it home and not feel guilty at all!

[DrOwh]

I think they mentioned tricks to make it sounding a bit fun. I think I had see only one scooter at school which is suitable for stunts.

They haven't mentioned anything about helmets either.

I will be at school on the day for a meeting, hopefully I will be able to have a snoop if the time is the same.