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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to insist my kids wear helmets?

170 replies

Beastlyboysblog · 18/09/2016 18:01

It has been recently suggested that I am perhaps a little anal with the safety of my children's heads by insisting that they wear a crash helmet when they are on their scooters. I see other kids day in day out on the school run without them & I guess that's up to their parents but in my mind the scooters are no different to bikes and they can just as easily fall off them and crack their heads. I personally don't want to see my kids' brains all over the road if there's an accident. Is that really anal and AIBU?

OP posts:
TigerBreadAddict · 18/09/2016 18:39

Yes! They go way faster on scooters than running. And they've taken a couple of tumbles each that without a helmet would have been much worse.

HelloWadeKinsella · 18/09/2016 18:41

My DD is 7 and she always wears a helmet when riding her bike! She puts it in automatically as it's been part of the routine since she had her first bike. It's just not worth the risk, is it?

And you know, she has fallen from her bike a lot - and one day, she might hit her head and I'll be very glad she's wearing a helmet!

TwatbadgingCuntfuckery · 18/09/2016 18:43

yep. Pavements round here are uneven and its just as easy to go over the handles on a scooter as it is for a bike when you hit a pot hole or a paving slab thats jutting out.

DC has gone head first into a lamppost when not paying attention and the helmet prevented a nasty bump on the head.

you wear a helmet when roller skating on the pavements and you can go just as fast with a scooter. My DC chooses to wear elbow and knee pads with shorts and short sleeves too.

Plus isn't it just logical for a child to know that any sport that involves wheels - scooter, bike, skates, skateboard, gokarting - a helmet goes on first?

DoofusMcfoofus · 18/09/2016 18:47

I'm sorry but there is absolutely no difference riding a bike to riding a scooter. All it takes is one bang to the head off a wall, the pavement, a tree, a gatepost...all of which can happen just as easily coming off a scooter.

I can't link as I'm on phone but 2 months ago a 17 year old died from a catastrophic brain injury from falling off a scooter and wasn't wearing a helmet. Also, in 2013, a 13 year old died from the same kind of injury from a fall off a scooter....with no helmet.

People die from brain injuries just from collapsing and hitting their head on a solid surface...no speed involved. It's not about the speed involved, it's about the mechanism of injury.

acasualobserver · 18/09/2016 18:52

People die from brain injuries just from collapsing and hitting their head on a solid surface...no speed involved.

Isn't that an argument in favour of everyone wearing a helmet all of the time whatever they're doing?

BarbarianMum · 18/09/2016 18:56

Age 8 and 10 my kids do not scoot along the pavement way faster than they can run. Hmm And they are far, far faster on a bike than they are either on foot or on a scooter.

LuchiMangsho · 18/09/2016 18:57

London resident. DS scoots to school on a narrow road with high speed traffic going past. I walk on the side of the traffic but with cars pulling out/driveways and what have you, a knock on the head could be catastrophic. And DS certainly scoots MUCH MUCH faster than he can run or jog. No different to riding a bike because where I live he would be on his bike on the pavement possibly going slower than on his scooter...

LuchiMangsho · 18/09/2016 18:57

DS is 4.5 if that makes a difference.

CutterSquidge · 18/09/2016 19:02

Please make you children wear helmets while using a scooter. DD 8 fell off her scooter, was unconscious, A&E, brain scans and a very slow recovery later she is still suffering from post concussion syndrome and it is not fun to all :(

CutterSquidge · 18/09/2016 19:02

I mean At All...

paxillin · 18/09/2016 19:02

Mine really scoot quite leisurely along pavements. Amazed to hear of all these bullet speed kids on pavements. If a car coming out of a driveway can knock them because they go too fast to stop, don't they mow down slow pedestrians? Crash into people stepping out of shops?

BarbarianMum · 18/09/2016 19:03

Of course age makes a difference, that's the point.

Scotinoz · 18/09/2016 19:04

Mine wear helmets while scooting (2.5yrs and 17mths). You only get one head 😐

We've just left Australia and helmets were standard - legally required while cycling, and therefore the norm for children

Goingtobeawesome · 18/09/2016 19:06

YANBU

My five year old son came off his bike and he was hurt but the doctor said it would have been a lot worse without the helmet, which obviously we replaced. Kids are older and only the 15 year old cycles but it's always been helmet or no bike or scooter out.

acasualobserver · 18/09/2016 19:06

don't they ... crash into people stepping out of shops?

It's the ones scooting around inside the shops you have to look out for!

MarklahMarklah · 18/09/2016 19:06

Read an awful story on our local FB page where a woman's son (aged around 8) was scooting on the pavement, without a helmet. He fell off and hit his head on the curb. Ended up being bluelighted to hospital and is currently being assessed for brain damage.
Helmet or no scooting is the rule in this house.

Spiderpigspiderpig · 18/09/2016 19:17

Lo maisie you picked up only on walking down stairs and showering, which implies that your dc wear helmets for crossing the road and playing on swings

Champagneformyrealfriends · 18/09/2016 19:17

The argument that drivers are more careful when they see somebody without a helmet is a load of shit. I'd love to see the study that supports that.

Squeegle · 18/09/2016 19:20

I'd love to know how to get teenagers to wear helmets . My DS has always worn a helmet- until now!! Peer pressure won't let him. Even if I insular he takes it off round the corner. None of the teens seem to wear them. So upsetting

Spiderpigspiderpig · 18/09/2016 19:20

I think it depends on individual situation. Mine donmt as they don't go fast or on those skate parks or near roads. If they did these things then they would wear them, but for now I'n happy for them to not

Squeegle · 18/09/2016 19:20

Insist

Goingtobeawesome · 18/09/2016 19:23

Squeegle- tell them about the teenager who wouldn't wear a helmet as he didn't want to mess his hair up. He had a serious accident and is still recovering and will be for a long while.

babyblabber · 18/09/2016 19:24

Cannot believe the amount of people, both on here and in real life, who let their kids on scooters without helmets. It's so irresponsible. Why wouldn't you make them put a helmet on? Coz they might kick up a fuss?! Tough shit. Scooters are way way faster than running, their hands are in the scooter so less free to help prevent a bad fall etc. It's just madness to suggest that coz they're not as fast as a bike it's fine.

BarbarianMum · 18/09/2016 19:27

Scooters are not faster than running with an older child (unless they are really shit at running). Do you plan on making your 10 year old wear a helmet when running down the street with their friends, or when playing tig in the playground?

paxillin · 18/09/2016 19:29

Can't believe the number of people whose kids scoot faster than running speed. That must be like ten pin bowling with the scooting kid the ball and random grannies, smaller kids and other pedestrians the pins.