Is school run on a scooter really that embarrassing ?

[Confuseeeeed25]

Talking about what I wanted for Xmas and my upcoming birthday ( big 30 😭😭😭)
I asked for a scooter with very odd reactions from my DP and DS 🤣
I wanted it because mY DC ride their scooters to school and so thought I would join them !
They think it’s embarrassing for me and DC 🤣
Are they right ?

Lardlizard

That’s just your opinion. Embarrassment is an emotion. It’s not something a child is going to have much control over.

Adults on scooters look weird. I've had lovely school run mums who ride them and i tell them they look great and how it must be so much quicker, but really I cringe for them.

Well if you keep doing it they’ll get over it !!

Well if you keep doing it they’ll get over it !!

Interesting. It’s not my experience.

Just go for it op. Life is too short to worry what others think.

Have you come across teens? Mere existing embarrasses them.
Yes, but thays exactly why I was talking about hills to die on.

It's hardly expecting a monumental sacrifice on the part of a parent to listen to their children's feelings and take them into consideration. I'm not for one second saying we should bend every time, but honestly some of the responses on here make the adults sound like children having a strop.

Is it really that much to listen to a child and take their feelings into consideration if they're not the demanding tantrum type when they express their feelings about something embarrassing them? Is riding a scooter on the school run really worth sending the message 'your opinions and feelings don't matter because I want the fun thing'?

I always think adults on scooters look stupid but keep my opinions to myself as there is no need to be rude but my kids would die of embarrassment if I did the school run on one 😂

So what do the people who think scooters are embarrassing do for fun? What's the funnest thing you do?

One of the dads at my kids primary scoots to school and he’s an absolute plum so that also colours my opinion of it, he scooted drunk one evening and really injured himself 😬

So what do the people who think scooters are embarrassing do for fun? What's the funnest thing you do?

That really would be telling. 😂

@Qiry

So what do the people who think scooters are embarrassing do for fun? What's the funnest thing you do?

I don’t see scooting as fun.

@flaviaritt

So what do the people who think scooters are embarrassing do for fun? What's the funnest thing you do?

That really would be telling. 😂

🍆

Feministicon

😂

Exactly.

So what do the people who think scooters are embarrassing do for fun? What's the funnest thing you do?
Personally I don't think owning one is embarrassing, scoot away if that's your chosen form of exercise, just that it's a bit cringeworthy for an adult to put their desire to scoot on one, very specific, situation above their child's feelings. I can't put my finger on it, but I find adults behaving in that way to be awkward, juvenile and embarrassing in equal measure.

I don't think scooters are embarrassing as such, I think embarrassing your children in this way is mean.
I've actually got one in my Amazon basket, I'm not remotely embarrassed, I couldn't give a shit what people think, but my daughter would have cared, she's an adult and has moved out now though.

I think there’s lots of nuance in parenting. There’s a spectrum between embarrassing and humiliating and you need to be aware of your motives always as the adult.

Sometimes, yes, you “embarrass” your DC to show them that no one dies of it, it’s not on to dictate what someone else does and perhaps there’s a principle you want to stick to - secondhand vs fast fashion or whatever. And I’m not remotely suggesting scooting is humiliating. But if your DC expresses that they’d be embarrassed by it, it’s worth thinking through if you’re so committed to the principle of scooting and the fun you’d get from it vs your child’s uncomfortable feelings.

It’s the same as everything you want to teach them, surely - that they’re not the centre of the universe and their feelings don’t dictate everything but equally you won’t dismiss them because you don’t want them to grow up into adults who dismiss others’ feelings.

I am thinking just the same op, except I will be turning 40! Not for the school run though (we bike), but just for general fun in skateparks etc. After encouraging DD from the sidelines of the skatepark, which attracts adults as well as kids, I thought 'hang on, why is she having all the fun?' At 40 it does sound like the first hints of a midlife crisis though ha ha.. By the time DD is old enough to be embarrassed by my antics she should be old enough to scoot off by herself anyway.

Sometimes, yes, you “embarrass” your DC to show them that no one dies of it, it’s not on to dictate what someone else does and perhaps there’s a principle you want to stick to - secondhand vs fast fashion or whatever. And I’m not remotely suggesting scooting is humiliating. But if your DC expresses that they’d be embarrassed by it, it’s worth thinking through if you’re so committed to the principle of scooting and the fun you’d get from it vs your child’s uncomfortable feelings.

It’s the same as everything you want to teach them, surely - that they’re not the centre of the universe and their feelings don’t dictate everything but equally you won’t dismiss them because you don’t want them to grow up into adults who dismiss others’ feelings.

Really well put.

This is a bad idea on many levels, and your children will never forgive you.

Could you ride a bike instead?

I think embarrassing by riding a scooter to school is a bit mean (unless lots of other mums do it and you won’t stand out).

Also be aware you’d need to ride on the road not the pavement.

People are so judgemental! Ok if the children are actually embarrassed then that's another matter but otherwise why do you waste energy caring what other parents do, feeling 'cringe' and embarrassment for them? It's not like a parent trying to squeeze themselves on a kids slide, or playing on the swings while other kids wait. They are on adult scooters. How is it juvenile?

Why is it that different to cycling on an adults bike next to your child on a childs bike? If you have an adult scooter and you scoot next to your childs scooter?

We scoot to school sometimes if my daughter doesn't want to cycle. It takes 15 min each way instead of half an hour walking. I would rather save an hour out of my day than walk because I'm stressed about making other people cringe! It's a bit of exercise, it's easy to shove them all in the car compared to bikes, and it's better for the environment than driving. Why are some people focussing on 'looking silly' above all of this?

Yes I would reconsider if and when my daughter gets embarrassed by it

Depends how old your kid is. I can imagine he would feel really embarrassed by you scooting alongside him to school if he is like 10/12 or something 😂
But then again. If you want one. Get one. But this could kickstart your kid into "please dont drop me off at school mum. One block from school is far enough for you" 😂

@OoohTheStatsDontLie

People are so judgemental! Ok if the children are actually embarrassed then that's another matter but otherwise why do you waste energy caring what other parents do, feeling 'cringe' and embarrassment for them? It's not like a parent trying to squeeze themselves on a kids slide, or playing on the swings while other kids wait. They are on adult scooters. How is it juvenile?

Why is it that different to cycling on an adults bike next to your child on a childs bike? If you have an adult scooter and you scoot next to your childs scooter?

We scoot to school sometimes if my daughter doesn't want to cycle. It takes 15 min each way instead of half an hour walking. I would rather save an hour out of my day than walk because I'm stressed about making other people cringe! It's a bit of exercise, it's easy to shove them all in the car compared to bikes, and it's better for the environment than driving. Why are some people focussing on 'looking silly' above all of this?

Yes I would reconsider if and when my daughter gets embarrassed by it

If you’re happy with it why do you care what people think? It really doesn’t take up much time thinking adults on scooters look silly so you needn’t worry 😁

Very normal in London at least I’m sure there’s 2 or more Mums I see on see on the school run with ds go for it

I don't have school age children but I do see an adult woman riding a scooter nearly every day, without children. It looks like it's her commute to work and she possibly works for the NHS, so a responsible person, not a daredevil. She dresses quite conservatively, not skateboarder style or anything. I've always assumed she's not very confident on a bike, which is fair enough (I'm not very confident driving a car so I can relate). I like it that she is doing something a bit different and getting some exercise - and she does alternate legs after each burst of scooting, so she's not going to end up with one muscular leg!

It's a big wheeled, heavy duty looking thing, not a micro-scooter. It's got lights and reflectors and she wears hi-vis. I take her as seriously as a cyclist.

I guess what I'm working up to saying is that I would not judge anybody for scooting as an adult as a means of getting from A to B. I'm not quite so sure about you scooting with your children if they don't want you to. Ultimately it's your decision, but I think I personally would take their opinion into account and not do it if it is going to upset them. I would still get the scooter, but ride it on my own for a while, and see if they warm up to the idea.