Should children wear protect gear skateboarding?

[SunshineyDayz]

My 11 year old son had a bad skateboarding accident at the weekend when he was staying with his dad. He's cut his lip and onto his face and has stitches. They said it's likely to scar. His front two teeth are wobbling and he's on watch and wait, the roots are ok they think but not sure about the nerves, they're his adult teeth. They can't splint them because of the angle or something. He wasn't wearing any protective gear.

My question, his dad doesn't think either children should wear protective gear when they skateboard. The youngest does it too and is only just 7.

I left the ex because of domestic abuse and he's a very angry difficult man. I have already said they need to wear protective gear for skateboarding but he just accuses me of being a helicopter parent.

Am I being unreasonable?

He’s being unreasonable, they’re children and should be wearing gear whilst they’re learning and the risk of error is greater. My seven year old is told, no pad, no board. He has lessons and we spend our lives on skateparks/ ramps atm and it’s usually mandatory that under 18 wear them to access them.

Some pro street skaters don’t wear helmets due to the lower risks seen with the lower tricks, but generally speaking pros encourage kids to pad up on ramps and elevated rails etc. In either case they’re adults who are making their own choices, as a parent you make the best choice with safety, not aesthetics first. What’s less cool than a helmet, no front teeth I imagine?

Of course they should wear protective gear.

I'm guessing neither of your children are Olympians (yet) and Olympian skateboarders all wear protective gear. These are the people who are the best in the world.

I think at least a helmet but may not have protected the face in this instance anyway

Their dad is a bit thick then isn't he. They should really have a helmet and knee and elbow pads. Possibly wrist guards too. And they'll still likely break wrists occasionally. Just won't die or end up permanently disabled when they land on their heads.

They should always wear protection on any rideable thing. Anyone who thinks otherwise is an actual idiot.

At the very least a helmet and long trousers/sleeves. Probably knee and elbow and wrist protection too ideally - but being honest mine doesn’t wear his. I do insist on the helmet and covered arms/legs though.

Definitely a helmet and knee/elbow protection. We were on holiday a few years ago in Meyrhofen where there is a skateboarding park. We passed by one day to find an air ambulance there because someone had had a serious injury from a manoeuvre. IIRC, the person had not been wearing a helmet.

Yes they should. A helmet at the bare minimum.

Not sure anyone normal would think otherwise!

Imo yes. But I get it's not cool.

Mine didn't downhill mountain biking and wear full body armour, full face helmet and knee pads. Still they have gotten hurt

I was shocked when we went to indoor skate park and they only wore skid lids. One of mine took a tumble and hurt his teeth and mouth so now they all wear light weight full face helmets by choice as they were shocked at the damage their sibling had

Friend bought her dc a mouth guard to wear skateboarding at school will only wear a bike helmet so at least his teeth are protected

Great thanks, glad I wasn't being precious about this. When you've been through domestic abuse you constantly check and recheck and challenge your own gut.

Crazy not wearing full gear. My kids skateboard, my daughter is very talented - she was dropping in off three foots at aged 6. All know they must wear a good quality helmet, knee pads, elbow pads AND wrist guards. They wore it from day one - no negotiating. No pads no board.

They are only allowed to roller skate if wearing the above.

Even now they are older they look at kids without helmets and think they are crazy.

Yes of course - any sensible person knows they should be wearing helmet and pads.

However in this instance it doesn't sound like they'd have made a difference to your DC

Hi, how come? Interested to know why? Wouldn't it have protected his teeth and face?

Unless he was wearing a full face helmet, no. And I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone wearing a full face helmet when skating.

Image for example

It was Skateboarding?

My mum would say your ex is ‘as thick as a prison wall’

The pads and helmet are the same. So if he fell and smashed his face off the ground the helmet and pads wouldn't have been much help in this instance. He should still always be wearing them though.

Short of wearing a full-face motorcycle style helmet (which would restrict vision and arguably be more likely to cause an accident at a busy park), there's not much more that could have helped in this specific accident I'd think.

When my nephew was younger I used to take him skateboarding and scooting in the skate park. Almost all of the younger kids had (bicycle/skate) helmets and kneepads. Elbowpads and wristpads were less popular. Now that he is 16 he has a helmet and so does over half of the older kids at the park. The indoor park don't let you skate or scoot without a helmet. No matter the age.

Not sure it would have helped in this case since those types of helmets don't protect face. But everyone should absolutely have a helmet when doing this stuff even if it wouldn't have helped at this specific case.

When I went to skiing 20+ years ago nobody was wearing a helmet. Now ' everyone' does.

Unless common parlance has changed a lot since I was a teenager hanging around the skate park - skateboarding is referred to as "skating" and those who participate are "skaters".

The pp you quoted was probably using the word "skating" in this context.

Absolutely!! I had to endure a 20minute non stop whine fest yesterday about my rule of if there's wheels, there's a helmet!! We were specifically talking about my just turned 11 year olds brand new heeleys.
I have no desire to revert to wiping my child's bum again for the rest of her life just because she doesn't think she looks cool in a helmet.
An hour later, she admitted I was right 🤷🏼‍♀️

OP - of course he should be wearing a helmet and protective clothing. My DSS was skateboarding and broke his arm v badly, so I am totally in favour of as much protective clothing as possible.

What protective gear would have helped in this situation?

In any physical activity there’s the risk you will fall on your face or get hit with something.

Fair enough on the helmet but sometimes accidents just happen.

Yes, always always protective gear, especially helmets (preferably ones that go further down the back than cycling helmets). Broken wrists and knees can heal but smashed heads can kill.
DD snapped her ACL on a skateboard, but rather that than smashing her skull in.

Yes to protective gear - but it doesn't actually protect you from these sorts of falls (face first). However if you are properly taught these things then you are taught to fall onto your protective gear (in this case it would be wrist and elbow guards) before hitting your face.