One of my kids rode his bike to school today. Whenever my kids ride, roller blade, skateboard etc they always wear a helmet. I nagged them so much when they were younger that they put the helmet on automatically these days and wouldn’t even think twice about riding without it. The little one is thrilled to wear his shiny red helmet.
On the way to school we saw many other children riding their bikes, most from the community. Most I am sad to say, were not wearing helmets. How can one allow one’s pride and joy out on a bike without protective gear? Do these parents not care if their kid falls and hits his head?
Unfortunately I have had experience with concussions – a sibling was knocked off a bike, was concussed, but the helmet basically saved his life. One of my sons was skating on the hockey rink and fell and smacked his head on the ice. Again, a helmet was his salvation. It split in two, but his head didn’t. But those concussions were scary, and to think they could have been worse doesn’t bear thinking about it.
Why is it that some parents seem so lackadaisical with the safety of their kids? Do they make sure they buckle up in the car? Do they buckle up themselves? My kids have been known to tell a friend’s parent that they will get out of the car if the driver doesn’t buckle up. Its one of the reasons I do not carpool – I cannot trust that another parent will take as good care of my child as I will. Is it that they just have such tremendous trust in G-d that nothing will happen to little Shloime or Esti that they feel He will watch over them, or do they have so much to do in their busy lives that safety falls through the cracks.
Parents, WAKE UP! These children are a gift from the Almighty! We don’t know how long we have with them in this world, and we must take care of these precious gifts. Please keep your children safe. Take the extra five minutes to strap on a helmet, and teach road safety. It could make the world of difference.
In the Pink 