[birdblue]

Parents magazine did a Celebrity Parenting Mistakes (& Successes!) picture thing Here. Most of the mistakes show pictures of celebrities with their children riding bikes and scooters and such without a helmet on. Do you think a Helmet is always necessary? Do you think it depends on the weather? (would it make a difference if it was 60 or 90 degrees out)



Here is an example that i thought was especially silly, i think without a doubt a helmet is not necessary in this situation:

[Irish_Wristwatch]

that picture looks more like a stroller than a bike so i dont think its really needed. But if my child were riding a bicycle, scooter, roller blades ect, they will always wear their helmet regardless of weather, age, location ect. Until of course they are adults and then they can make up their own mind.

[noworries]

Ditto to Bree.

[crystaljean81]

I looked through the pictures. What about Suri drinking from a bottle?? She's FOUR!!

[Calendula]

If you look at his dad's feet, it is some odd stroller/bike (you can also see he is holding handle bars alongside the top of the stroller portion). For me, this is no different than having a kid in the bucket seat on the back of your bike without a helmet. I think both should be wearing helmets. I don't think weather is a factor in deciding to wear a helmet or not.

I think it is one of these:
Taga Stroller/Bike Combo Converts, Pushes, Rides, Fetches Martinis | The Laughing Stork

[mommydiva]

The only picture I thought was a thumbs down was Suri drinking from a bottle at 4. Outside of that I feel helmets are a very personal choice. If we rode bikes and had the seat on the back DD would wear a helmet. And she will have a helmet for learning to ride. But outside of that I don't see her really wearing one. I guess I am just more relaxed in that area. I mean if its mandated I will enforce it but till then I won't. DH might but even then I don't think he will either.

[noworries]

For me it's the opposite. Wearing a helmet is kind of like wearing a seat belt for me, my kids will be wearing one, no matter what. But the bottle thing, while I don't personally think Suri should be drinking from a bottle at age 4, I think is more of a personal family decision.

[Rochelle7]

Originally Posted by mommydiva

The only picture I thought was a thumbs down was Suri drinking from a bottle at 4. Outside of that I feel helmets are a very personal choice. If we rode bikes and had the seat on the back DD would wear a helmet. And she will have a helmet for learning to ride. But outside of that I don't see her really wearing one. I guess I am just more relaxed in that area. I mean if its mandated I will enforce it but till then I won't. DH might but even then I don't think he will either.

This. All this overly safety stuff is creating a generation of wimps.

[Irish_Wristwatch]

Originally Posted by AquaPeridot

This. All this overly safety stuff is creating a generation of wimps.

i dont think that protecting my childs head from a direct hit with concrete is going to turn him into a wimp....

Im all for letting my child learn by exploring, hes taken his fair share of falls and bumps in his 10 months, but there is reasonable risk and unreasonable risk IMO, I can deal with him having a skinned knee, a black eye or stitches but a brain injury or maybe worse is something i will do my best to protect him from. (yes i know he could sustain a serious injury playing anywhere but wearing a helmet during biking ect is one less way)

[noworries]

Couldn't have said it better Bree.

[mommydiva]

I don't think its so much in raising wimps but I think as a whole some of the safety measures really take out our personal instinct to trust our own personal instincts and we rely on things to protect us which in most cases do however it also gives some a false sense of security.
I will also look at it as where DD would be riding her bike and assessing the risk that way. Shoot while many don't agree I hate wearing a helmet on the back of the motorcycle. DH hates that I don't wear one he was so upset with me that I rode from TX to MN and wore it only in the helmet only states. It made my head heavy, I didn't like how it pulled my head a certain way. I was properly fitted and all that so I know I had the right size and all that but I still don't like wearing it. Now having kids I might change my mind the next time I get on the back of a bike but still not so sure.

[forest]

Originally Posted by noworries

For me it's the opposite. Wearing a helmet is kind of like wearing a seat belt for me, my kids will be wearing one, no matter what.

I totally agree with that.

Some stats from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety- In 2008 there were 714 bicycle deaths, in 91% of those cases the rider was not wearing a helmet. To give some more perspective to that #, from a 2008 Gallup poll - Half (50%) of bicyclists wear a helmet for at least some trips, with 35 percent using them for all or most trips.

[Rochelle7]

It really does depend on the situation. I guess I'm referring parents standing right next to the child or the really slow pace Matthew M. was appearing to go. Most aren't going to agree to me. I'm not saying kids riding alone, at a fast pace, or in a dangerous situation shouldn't wear a helmet. But in your driveway, that's different to me.

[mommydiva]

Originally Posted by AquaPeridot

It really does depend on the situation. I guess I'm referring parents standing right next to the child or the really slow pace Matthew M. was appearing to go. Most aren't going to agree to me. I'm not saying kids riding alone, at a fast pace, or in a dangerous situation shouldn't wear a helmet. But in your driveway, that's different to me.

I agree. Location plays a huge part. For me helmets were not common at all so we never wore them. But I also grew up in the country and small town so traffic wasn't an issue. I recall wiping out on my bike 2-3 majority. neither situation would a helmet protect me...lol But yes I do agree they are are good things just location and all that would dictate the need.

[birdblue]

Originally Posted by AquaPeridot

This. All this overly safety stuff is creating a generation of wimps.

I agree. I rode a bike without a helmet and i never had a problem, so did everyone in knew growing up. I think in these hot summer days wearing a helmet could cause more harm then good.

[noworries]

I did a lot of things when I was kid that I don't allow my kids to do. Like not wearing a seat belt when in the car, riding a bike without a helmet, etc. As a society, we learn from these things and determine safer ways to do things. I'd rather risk that my child gets too hot from wearing a helmet than risk a head injury or death.

[Calendula]

Originally Posted by Irish_Wristwatch

i dont think that protecting my childs head from a direct hit with concrete is going to turn him into a wimp....

Im all for letting my child learn by exploring, hes taken his fair share of falls and bumps in his 10 months, but there is reasonable risk and unreasonable risk IMO, I can deal with him having a skinned knee, a black eye or stitches but a brain injury or maybe worse is something i will do my best to protect him from. (yes i know he could sustain a serious injury playing anywhere but wearing a helmet during biking ect is one less way)

Originally Posted by noworries

I did a lot of things when I was kid that I don't allow my kids to do. Like not wearing a seat belt when in the car, riding a bike without a helmet, etc. As a society, we learn from these things and determine safer ways to do things. I'd rather risk that my child gets too hot from wearing a helmet than risk a head injury or death.

and

If it is so hot that your child is at serious risk from just wearing a helmet, it is probably too hot for them to be out exerting themselves physically anyway, except maybe in the pool/sprinkler.

[birdblue]

Originally Posted by noworries

I did a lot of things when I was kid that I don't allow my kids to do. Like not wearing a seat belt when in the car, riding a bike without a helmet, etc. As a society, we learn from these things and determine safer ways to do things. I'd rather risk that my child gets too hot from wearing a helmet than risk a head injury or death.

True, i highly doubt my car-seat sat rear facing past a year, yet my child will be rear facing for at least two years. There are lots of examples of things i did as a child that i won't allow my child to do. I am not so certain that waring a helmet makes a child that much safer.

[noworries]

Bicycle Helmet Safety, Safety and Community Outreach, UW Health, University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison

[mommydiva]

Thanks for the link.

I do believe it is more about location and the type of biking a person is doing. And even the stats showed that. Its more likely going to be a 12 yr old boy. Wonder why because they are more likely to do stunt biking, roller blading, skate boarding then a girl would. In that situation I would enforce a helmet too. Even the bike to car crashes. I agree with wearing a helmet when riding in heavily populated areas or when a person is on a road with cars all the time.