Do your kids wear helmets when riding their bikes?

[Minnie824]

So, do your kids wear helmets when riding their bikes? Just wondering because I'm on the fence as to whether its really needed or not.

 

[LuvOrlando]

-

 

[clutter]

I have friends who are alive because of helmets. Yes. I won't get on a bike without one.

 

[Fintastic]

Absolutely.

 

[keetmommy]

Yes and on their scooters. You can't replace a brain if it is damaged. I also know several people who are alive because of helmet, and several area kids who ended up in ICU because they weren't wearing a helmet. It is SO not worth the risk, and it doesn't take a big accident to cause brain damage, it can happen with a fall in your driveway!

 

[mom2travel]

Yes on both their bikes and scooters. Neither one of my children has ever even questioned it - it is as automatic as buckling the seatbelt in a car.

99.9% of the kids in our neighborhood wear helmets - all the parents watch out to make sure. In many places it is a law, at least up to a certain age. I, myself, wear one when biking as do many other adults around here. I'm with keetmommy who said you can't replace a brain if it's damaged. Better safe than sorry. That said, the helmet needs to fit properly to be beneficial in a fall.

 

[brockash]

Yes on both their bikes and scooters. Neither one of my children has ever even questioned it - it is as automatic as buckling the seatbelt in a car.

99.9% of the kids in our neighborhood wear helmets - all the parents watch out to make sure. In many places it is a law, at least up to a certain age. I, myself, wear one when biking as do many other adults around here. I'm with keetmommy who said you can't replace a brain if it's damaged. Better safe than sorry. That said, the helmet needs to fit properly to be beneficial in a fall.

Ohhh I wish that were true here. We just moved, and I swear in our new neighborhood; I haven't seen one kid wear a helmet (besides my own.) He really doesn't like wearing it, but his only choice is to wear it or not to ride at all. He didn't seem to care as much when other kids were wearing them, but now that he's the lone responsible one, he feels "uncool." My parents also made me wear one when I was a kid.

 

[LadyZolt]

So, do your kids wear helmets when riding their bikes? Just wondering because I'm on the fence as to whether its really needed or not.

Well, the real tie-breaker should be your answer to the question: If something happened to my child because I didn't make him/her wear a helmet, could I live with myself knowing that I knew better and allowed this anyway?

My answer to that question: No.

Same thing for infant car seats. Yes, we grew up without them. But that's only because our parents didn't have the safety resources we do. My DH's father in the 1950's built and installed his own seat belts in their car because the car didn't come with any. Safety has to be the number one priority.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[happygirl]

Mine don't but mine don't leave the driveway or sidewalk

 

[tzolkin]

My sister fell off her bike when she was 13 and I was babysitting. I had told my sisters they could not ride their bikes since I didn't have a car in case anything happened, but they did anyway....

Several ambulance rides (had to be transfered to another hospital) and trying to track my parents down (they were shopping before cell phones) was enough stress for me. She had a minor fracture and was leaking fluid out of her ear, but she wound up being fine. Despite the happy ending, I won't take the chances with my kids. They always wear helmets. Many of the other kids in our neighborhood don't. My kids have never had any issues with being "uncool", but they're still fairly young (my oldest is 10).

 

[lil mermaid]

Mine don't but mine don't leave the driveway or sidewalk

Sorry, that line of reasoning makes no sense at all. NONE.

 

[binny]

Do they want to - NO.
Do I make them - YES. .

Even my 14 year old wears his.

 

[MineMail]

Yep, helmets are mandatory for bikes, scooters, skateboards and roller skates whether it's in a driveway or somewhere else. Otherwise, they can sit and watch the others. I have a spare for friends (outgrown from big sister), so that excuse is removed as well.

I'm not strict about the knee/elbow pads, except when they're just starting out on something for the few first times. Once they get the hang of it, I ease off reminding them about the pads.

I took a really bad bike fall when I was younger, before helmet laws were in force. When I saw the crack that was in my helmet instead of my head, it became less of a fashion accessory and more of a protection item.

 

[happygirl]

Sorry, that line of reasoning makes no sense at all. NONE.

I don't think they are going to get hurt on the sidewalk or the driveway

 

[SaraJayne]

No, mine don't. And I'm not afraid to admit it.

 

[Minnie_me]

Mine always do -- scooters and bikes = helmets.

We've had two young boys die in our town in the past few years who would have lived if they'd had helmets on.

It's a small inconvenience for a life.

 

[lil mermaid]

I don't think they are going to get hurt on the sidewalk or the driveway

Well, they can fall anywhere. I don't follow

Under what conditions do you think that they could be hurt? Would they wear helmets then?

 

[HardShell]

Let me preface my reply by explaining what I do for a living: I am the Director of my state's child fatality review program. The death certificates for everyone who dies here under the age of 18 come across my desk, and we do in-depth local reviews of all non-medical deaths statewide (accidents, homicides, suicides, undetermined -- everything but natural causes). FWIW, the purpose of the program is prevention -- learning from past deaths to prevent future ones. If you think that might tend to make me a horribly paranoid/overprotective father, you would be right.

With the exception of some of the cases where a bicyclist was struck by a motor vehicle, I have yet to review a bicycle-related child fatality that wasn't the result of head trauma (or for which a helmet wouldn't have been at least likely to have saved their lives).

Yes, my own son wears a helmet every time at my relentless insistence, although he'd much rather not; my twin girls will as well, when they are big enough to ride a bike.

 

[jimmalru80]

Our kids wore helmets while growing up.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

Yes he wears a helmet every time I see him on his bike (he is 8, so I'm sure there have been times he hasn't worn it when I'm not around...he doesn't like to). It is the law here in TN (or at least my county).

I'll be honest, I didn't grow up wearing a helmet (I'm 36), so it was really hard to get in the habit of making DS wear a helmet. I wasn't strict enough when he was still using training wheels...I guess I thought you really can't tip over when you are balanced and going that slow. That is, until a neighbor's child got a head injury on a bike with training wheels. Luckily, he was okay. But that was my 'wake up' call.

My younger DS is developmentally delayed, and nowhere near riding a bike (and he isn't walking yet at age 2). But he will wear a helmet the moment he gets a bike.

I don't think I could ever live with myself if something happened to either of my boys that could have been prevented by me or DH.