DS1 being picked on for wearing a helmet when riding his scooter to school. :-(

[tortoise]

This has really annoyed me. Lots of children ride scooters or bikes to school without helmets.
I insist mine wear theirs. And now DS1 10(and DS2 7 a bit) is being picked on.

Does anyone think its worth speaking to the head and maybe adding to a newsletter that children scooting or cycling to school must wear helmets?

[aloha]

I really wouldn't write the letter. I'd be really peed off if the school started telling me what my kids had to wear out of school. Can you fall off a scooter anyway?
YOu do what you want of course, but otherwise it's really not your business IMO.

[edam]

Maybe. Have you pointed out to yours that it's a sign that you love them and care about their safety? And that their friends won't look so clever when they are lying in A&E crying?

[edam]

Cycle helmets are a must, not so sure with scooters, tbh.

[christywhisty]

I always insisted on helmets for cycling, but not for scooters.
It is the rules at DS school that only children that have passed cycling proficiency and wear helmets that can cycle to school.

[tortoise]

aloha- Of course they can fall off a scooter. They go very fast down hills! Easy to hit a bump and fly off!
It is my buisiness when its MY sons being picked on!

edam- yes i have told them simular to that and they are fine about wearing their helmets(at the moment).

[PrettyCandles]

I'm definitely with Aloha here.

Although our children wear helmets when they cycle, we don't expect them to do so when scootering. After all, they're not going nearly as fast, nor as far between dismounts, as when they cycle. But OTOH I wouldn't allow my children to tease another child who did wear a helmet for scootering.

[aloha]

yes, your son's feelings are your business, of course. What other people decide re wearing helmets on scooters is very much not IMO.
You can tell your children you can't change other people, you can change your reaction to them though. If your children were being teased for having red hair, or being slow runners (like mine) you can tell them that having red hair is beautiful, and that yes, they might not run the fastest (though they can try and that would be great) they can read brilliantly, but you can't make everyone else have red hair or run slower.

[katelyle]

I may be incredibly lax, but mine never wear helmets for scootering. And I have never seen anyone else wearing one. This is of course, not a reason for your chidren not wearing them, but I do think it's a little unusual, and children are often horrid enough to pick on anything unusual. And I would, I have to say, be very cross if anyone told me that my dcs ahd to wear a helmet on their scooters.

[aloha]

If you want them to wear helmets tell them helmets are cool and you only make them wear them because they are so much faster than the other kids who don't need them.

[dayofftomorrow]

agree with katelyle, would object to yet another dictatorial decree from headteacher on the grounds of health and safety (especially as most of her rules don't make common sense)

even on bikes, there was a man on radio who was head of the london cycling campaign and he doesn't wear the helmet as he said that traffic gives a much wider berth to a cyclist without a helmet (and women)and he doesn't plan to fall off his bike He said helmets only protect if you fall off but are no use against a 40 ton lorry or a car for that matter. DS doesn't use a helmet but most of his cycling is done on grass, I have looked at the risks and he looks more unstable when he has had a helmet on and also cannot hear what is going on around him as the helmet which is designed to absorb energy also absorbs the sound.

Perhaps we should all wear helmets and knee protection when walking just in case we fall or trip

[dayofftomorrow]

ps I am not objecting to anybody else wearing helmets I am fed up with people coming up to me and telling me how to look after my DC's

[Reallytired]

I think there must be ways of dealing with the issue of bullying without telling parents how to look after their children when they are not in school.

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[hippipotami]

Oh gosh, I really don't think they need helmets to ride a scooter. Their feet are so close to the ground on them, and it is not possible to go too fast is it? If they are careering down hills fast enough to need helmets then they need telling off for going so fast on a footpath - not very safe for other footpath users.

My dc (age 7 and 4) scooter to school, on the footpath, at slow pace, without helmets.

Definately do not write to the head teacher - it is nothing to do with the school. You need to decide what is more important - your childrens perceived risk and need to wear a helmet, or their wish to not be ridiculed by their peers.
You have two choices - carry on with the helmets, or make them scooter at a slower/safer/more sensible pace without helmets.

[dramaqueen]

Blimey I never even considered that my dc should wear a helmet when scootering to school. Agree with OP that they are going too fast on a pavement if they need one.

[FoeGlassSlipper]

My DD is 3 and wears a helmet on her scooter as I see it as practice for when she moves onto a bike and will wear a helmet then.

I think you're doing the right thing. I would speak to the head about the picking on him but wouldnt insist they bring in a rule.

[summerunderakaftan]

DD always wears a helmet when scootering and on her bike.
My friends children do as well.
icod you let him take the jacket off????? Yes ok the mother was a bit (lot) over the top but had that been me I would have been livid it is not anyone elses place as everyone has been crtying out on here for another parent to ake the choice for us in how we keep our children safe so it is as bad to tell someone they should be doing something as it is to totally undermine that childs mother and let him take that jacket off.

[tara4now]

im a childminder and i insist that all children wear helmets on bikes and scooters. a boy i was looking after fell off his scooter when he wasnt wearing helmet and cut his head open(hes 11yrs old, and wasnt going particularly fast). kids can get injured falling off scooters even if they are not speeding down hills.

[dayofftomorrow]

have to let them take some controlled risk otherwise they don't learn safety and start doing really, really dangerous things (like tombstoning) - need some men in charge around the place like they have in scouts and cadets (I feel like starting a bit of controversy)

[Tortington]

no wonder - a cycle helmet for ridin a scooter - give me a break -

[sandyballs]

A 10 year old on a scooter with a helmet? Not surprised he's getting bullied to be honest, poor kid.

[summerunderakaftan]

Look you guys may think it is daft wearing a helmet on a scooter but where do you get off being so rude custardo especially I seen your delightful post on the other thread.

How is a child that is standing on a scooters head closer to the ground than a child that is sitting on a bike, just because their feet are closer to the ground doesn't mean that they are less likely to fall in fact seeing some children racing around on scooters I would worry more than dd or ds on a bike.
Each of us has individual felings on what is dangerous or not but who the hell has the right to be as rude and disrespectful as you because some mothers have made a choice in what they believe is keeping their child safe.
Doesn't surprise me that the ones being so rude are the ones that can see the bullies POV

[Hathor]

Our school states children cycling to school must wear helmets. Not sure about scooters.
They can go pretty damn fast on scooters so helmet is sensible. One of my adult friends nearly killed herself going arse-over-tit on hers when the tiny wheels hit a pothole.
Definitely not cool having a mashed brain.