Subject: Does your high-speed crawler need a helmet? Fri Apr 13, 2012 4:29 pm
Quote :
Does your high-speed crawler need a helmet?
Given the lengths so-called helicopter parents will go to protect their children, one would think an actual helicopter blade were hurtling toward their sheltered offspring. I suspect the stress caused by parents’ fears might harm kids more than the occasional stitch-worthy gash, or bump on the head.
Case in point: crawling helmets.
Seems some parents are so concerned about the rate at which their babies are ambling about the living room that they are purchasing crawling helmets for their high velocity tots. (No, these aren't helmets for head-shaping or other medical needs; they're just to protect babies from hitting their heads while doing normal baby activities.) If your baby can’t face the rigors of crawling, how will your toddler learn to walk? Will your Kindergartener ever ride a bike? I guess you can forget about contact sports, driving, and frat parties.
The sales pitch for the crawling helmet includes mention of hardwood and tile floors, implying that responsible parents protect defenseless children from these horrors. I am not one of those responsible parents. I left my newborn daughter alone on the sofa cushion with her 2-year-old brother standing guard. Neither wore helmets. Twenty seconds later I’m watching my toddler son pull his baby sister by the feet onto the wood floor, where her little head took quite a blow.
That’s it, I thought, I’ve killed my baby.
And yet, she was okay. No blood, no broken anything, no brain damage. This kind of incident might prompt some parents to buy a crawler helmet. To me it just proves they aren’t necessary. Seriously, twelve years later, my daughter scores well on standardized tests. We’re fine.
Video: Play date waivers: Should parents sign them?
Fear breeds fear, so let’s all take a deep breath, shall we?
Some other things we can probably stop worrying about:
BPA: Plastic probably isn’t going to kill your kid. Not today, anyway. And if you’re so worried about packaging poisons, why are you feeding your child the kind of crap that comes in plastic containers?
Video: Do kids really understand stranger danger?
Lascivious lyrics: Those rap dudes are only saying out loud what every other boy is thinking, or um… visualizing. Teach kids to respect one another, and let them think they’re getting away with something by listening to the dirty songs.
Salmonella: Oh, wait, that one’s real.
Blenders: Who is afraid of blenders? Apparently Alicia Silverstone is terrified of hers. Why else would she chew her son’s food for him? Granted, my Oster frightens the dog, but it’s great pureeing soups and veggies for babies. No spit required.
Where do you stand on the protection continuum? Free-range or squarely on the helicopter pad?
Subject: Re: Does your high-speed crawler need a helmet? Fri Apr 13, 2012 5:17 pm
Yes, the world is full of paranoid overreaction. We are a fairly resilient species, designed to take a lot of bumps.
I survived quite a few and tho I can't remember the toddler injuries, I do remember the childhood ones. A lot of the tenements in the city had kerosene stoves so in the backyard were 55 gal steel drums on wooden stands, which we kids would play on. IDK how many times I hit my head under those things on one of the structure bands and would split the skin with lots of blood. Parents just ran cold water on it or ice packs 'til it stopped bleeding and sent you on your way to split it again or cut yourself on broken bottles playing in an ash pit.
RedBedroom …is a Chamber DEITY.
Join date : 2010-02-18 Posts : 10696 Rep : 312
Subject: Re: Does your high-speed crawler need a helmet? Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:29 pm
Honestly, I wouldn't look down on a parent who purchased one of these. If my toddler was super active and brave beyond his capabilities, I would feel good about the protection...especially playing on cement. I have seen toddlers who were very brave but super clumsy.
Subject: Re: Does your high-speed crawler need a helmet? Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:47 pm
My father told me when I was that age he caught my grandmother's sister trying to tie pillows to all the sharp corners of the furniture. Aunt Flo was a special lady.
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Subject: Re: Does your high-speed crawler need a helmet?
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My father told me when I was that age he caught my grandmother's sister trying to tie pillows to all the sharp corners of the furniture. Aunt Flo was a special lady.
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