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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the lollipop lady shoildn't tell my son that he shouldn't ride his bike standing up?

137 replies

adamadamum · 01/10/2010 23:16

My son is six,and after having a bike for a while, I am letting him ride it to school (on the pavement, very carefully, with a helmet, and he has great manners anyway so no bumping into people!)

Anyway, after seeing Mighty Mites on CBeebies, he has learnt a new skill, to ride standing up, all part of BMX training stuff. (And I will happy to get him a BMX bike in the future, finances/circumstances permitting)

Yesterday, coming out of school my son was upset. He said the lollipop lady had said to him that he shouldn't ride his bike standing up - a skill he had learnt on Cbeebies! When he does this, it's only for thirty seconds or so! We were a few yards up the road when he explained why he was upset, so I suggested we return and politely explain why he was upset, for HIS closure...so we went back and very politely got the lollipop lady's attention. My son said he was upset, I told her that i had given my son permission to ride standing up

OP posts:
omnishambles · 02/10/2010 10:37

YABU to allow this and berate the poor lollipop lady for doing her job. I feel quite sad for her actually - its a thankless task at the best of times with the shit you have to take from drivers - you dont expect it from parents as well.

But whoever 6 year olds shouldnt be on the pavement as well is wrong - they just need to be mindful of pedestrians thats all.

cumfy · 02/10/2010 12:40

ConfusedConfused
Do you mean pulling a wheelie or just not sitting down ?

cyb · 02/10/2010 12:43

Sometimes as grown ups we have to teach our children that other grown ups will say things they might not like. Its tough.

Move on

pointydog · 02/10/2010 12:54
  1. Kids shouldn't be riding bikes on the pavement to school.
  1. Your son was riding his bike to school, not practising bmx moves at the park.
  1. You have undermined that lollipop lady who has the responsibility for looking out for everyone's safety.
  1. You have talked about 'closure' in this trivial situation. Hard to see past that.
omnishambles · 02/10/2010 12:59

pointydog - but around here for example to say that they shouldnt be on the pavement is basically saying that they cant ride to school - you cant seriously expect a still wobbly 6yo to be in the very busy road?

MissDolittle · 02/10/2010 12:59

"But whoever 6 year olds shouldnt be on the pavement as well is wrong - they just need to be mindful of pedestrians thats all."

They are only allowed because they are below the age of criminal responsibility, not because they are actually allowed. Its one thing taking advantage of a legal loophole and its quite another to be cross at road safety enforcers for not allowing stunts on what was presumably a busy pavement. You can hardly move at the pavement where the crossing is outside our primary school so the kids who ride bikes and scooters get off and push them until they get to the less busy bits.

violethill · 02/10/2010 13:00

Exactly what pointydog says.

I would be well pissed off with anyone riding their bike on the pavement anyway.

You sound like the sort of precious parent who can't possibly impose any sort of rules on her child to stop him inconveniencing other people.

pointydog · 02/10/2010 13:01

Round here they say that kids can't ride to school until they have done their cyc;ing proficiency (end of yr5) and can cycle on teh road or cycle paths.

I've never walked to a school where lots of kids are cycling along the pavements but it must be a pain in the arse, no?

TechLovingDad · 02/10/2010 13:02

" I suggested we return and politely explain why he was upset, for HIS closure...so we went back and very politely got the lollipop lady's attention. My son said he was upset, I told her that i had given my son permission to ride standing up"

You really did all that? Really? Wow, you have lots of time and energy on your hands.

pointydog · 02/10/2010 13:02

omni, I don't think 6 year olds should ride their bike son the pavement to school, no. Why should they?

pointydog · 02/10/2010 13:03

And op, your permission in this situation counts for nothing.

ChewbaccaDefense · 02/10/2010 13:06

Oh dear

overmydeadbody · 02/10/2010 13:09

YABU to let your DS cycle on the pathment.

Teach him to ride on the road, and obey the laws of the road, not ride on the pavement.

I have no opinion on children cycling standing up. DS does it all the time, and when some idiot stole his bycycle seat he had to ride standing up for a while. But he was on the road, not the bloody pavement. Pavements are for pedestrains. Not bikes.

BelligerentGhoul · 02/10/2010 13:13

Closure? Good lord.

overmydeadbody · 02/10/2010 13:17

omni 6 yr olds can ride on the roads to school.

It is the norm round here.

Heck, my DS was on a bike on the roads when he started reception at 4 and a half.

Once kids can ride bikes they are rarely wobbly for long, and the sooner they get used to cycling on raods and using the laws of the road the safer they are.

Very few children have accidents when cycling to school on the roads round here, I looked ito it, and yet there are far more children on the roads each morning than the national average.

overmydeadbody · 02/10/2010 13:18

and if children are sensibly cycling to school on roads they will know not to go pulling silly stunts. Stunts are for the playground and other 'safe' places.

TechLovingDad · 02/10/2010 13:19

The closure part got me, too.

Closure because someone in a position of authority dared to give him some advice? Your poor, precious, baby boy? Have them stripped of their lollipop.

cory · 02/10/2010 13:20

Well ladies, wouldn't you all love to teach the little boy who needs closure every time an adult tells him to do something differently?

TechLovingDad · 02/10/2010 13:22

Heaven help him, and OP, when little lord fauntleroy fails his 11 plus.

brimfull · 02/10/2010 13:23

omg -closure

did the lollipop lady get closure too??

by ramming her lollipop up your sanctimonious arse

overmydeadbody · 02/10/2010 13:25

closure is the daftest thing.

FGS children don't need closure just beucause some adult told them off.

Poor boy.

TechLovingDad · 02/10/2010 13:27

I always thought closure was what happened when you let go of the fridge door.

But hey, it is 2010 after all and care in the community was scrapped years ago.

pagwatch · 02/10/2010 13:29

I love closure over mild rebuke Grin.

Ultimately he will learn that this was an important part of his 'journey', after all what does not kill us makes us stronger. And lollipop lady was only giving 110%......

Does he go to Our Lady of WankyCliche Infants School

diddl · 02/10/2010 13:34

OP-are you also riding a bike or is he riding & you walking?

(Just nosy)

Either way, YABU.

hocuspontas · 02/10/2010 13:35

PLEASE tell us the lollipop lady's response, I'm dying to know Grin

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