I don't really want to get my son a skateboard...

[SparklyUnicorn]

My 10 year old (soon to be 11) is highly interested in a skateboard.  I'm not against skateboards or skateboarding, but he's also my kid that cries if he lightly bumps into something.  If he scrapes a knee or his hand he acts as if someone cut off his limbs.  He hasn't really figured out his bike yet because he is always too afraid to get hurt.

 

So I'm trying to imagine how things will go down if I get him a skateboard.  We live on a hill.  There is nowhere safe on our street to use it.  I'd have to bring him to the park. 

 

So I dunno.  Do you think I'm being ridiculous here?  I suspect ultimately it would be a waste of money.

 

 

[bagel270]

I would say nothing else with wheels until he can bike well. The skateboards we have do not get much use.

 

[Arcadia]

My boys are sharing a ripstick. They can't bike without trainer wheels but they can scoot around in their Razor scooters. We do have a jogging track behind our complex for our boys to use the ripstick by taking turns.

 

The one we have is this one which fits my small size DS10 all the way to my hubby.

http://www.target.com/p/razor-ripstik-blue/-/A-10431929

[SparklyUnicorn]

I would say nothing else with wheels until he can bike well. The skateboards we have do not get much use.

 

Yeah I kind of blew it with the bike thing.  I bought him a bike 2 years ago not realizing that I wouldn't be able to find training wheels to fit it.  We tried various things and it just didn't happen.  At this point he probably would feel more comfortable on the bike because it won't be too big.  But major lack of opportunity to ride where we live.  I have to drive the bike to the park.  And then at this point I can't fit it in my car.  I have a weird trunk so I'm not sure if I can find a bike rack that will work.

 

So I kinda see that as more my fault than his.

[SparklyUnicorn]

My boys are sharing a ripstick. They can't bike without trainer wheels but they can scoot around in their Razor scooters. We do have a jogging track behind our complex for our boys to use the ripstick by taking turns.

 

The one we have is this one which fits my small size DS10 all the way to my hubby.

http://www.target.com/p/razor-ripstik-blue/-/A-10431929

 

That seems more difficult than a regular skateboard.  Requires balance!

 

We have the Razor scooters too.

[crazyforlatin]

Ripstik is more difficult to learn than a skateboard. And if you live on a hill, well, there is going to be pain. I don't think there is a really good way to stop it once you get going. What about roller skates?

 

Or get a cheap skateboard and make sure someone is there to hold his hand while he is learning to balance. That way, if he loses balance he won't really fall. At the beginning, Dd wore pads and gloves.

[Arcadia]

That seems more difficult than a regular skateboard. Requires balance!

They saw 5th graders in public school playing hockey after school while on ripsticks. So they asked us to buy one. They feel it was as hard as a skateboard. The scooters and skateboards are easier to put at their feet for a car ride compare with lugging their bikes. We had a hard time with DS11's 18inch bike which came with trainer wheels but managed in the Corolla's trunk.

[theelfqueen]

On the bike - have you tried taking off the pedals and using it as a balance bike? Worked for one of mine who was so wary of falling that he didn't master his bike a long time.

[Baile]

I don't think you're being ridiculous, but as long as he isn't the type of kid who asks for expensive things regularly just because they look cool, I would try to find a way to make this work for him. 

 

Can you post on Craigslist or ask around to see if someone has a used skateboard you can buy for a few dollars for him to try out? I'm sure there are plenty of kids in your area who got skateboards for Christmas, and have never even used them. 

 

Is there an indoor skate park or a skate shop nearby that offers skateboarding lessons? The will usually give him a board to use for the first few lessons, and an encouraging teacher might make him more willing to keep trying after he takes his first spill. After a lesson or two, you'll know whether skateboarding is for him. If it's not, you're only out the cost of the lessons and he will have tried something new, rather than being out the cost of a board and feeling annoyed that he doesn't use it. 

[JFSinIL]

Cheap, used skateboard and knee, elbow pads and helmet. And or a decent scooter - maybe practicing with a scooter can lead up to a skateboard? If the boy is motivated to try, try again, let him. I'd advise this for a girl, too.

Edited April 29, 2016 by JFSinIL

[heartlikealion]

I think it might be best to hold off, but if you do decide to get one, plan on getting wrist/knee/elbow pads? I only tried roller skating. I had some inline skates and I was very thankful for the wrist guards. I might have had knee pads, too.

[SparklyUnicorn]

On the bike - have you tried taking off the pedals and using it as a balance bike? Worked for one of mine who was so wary of falling that he didn't master his bike a long time.

 

Yes, but at that point he couldn't put his feet on the ground so he didn't feel safe.  Now he should be able to.

 

My other kid took a long time too, but he can ride no problem now.  I don't think it is because they are not capable it is just lack of opportunity.  The side walk here is steep and chewed up.  Fine if you know how to ride a bike already, but not good at all if you are trying to learn.  So I always have to drive the bike somewhere.

[SparklyUnicorn]

They saw 5th graders in public school playing hockey after school while on ripsticks. So they asked us to buy one. They feel it was as hard as a skateboard. The scooters and skateboards are easier to put at their feet for a car ride compare with lugging their bikes. We had a hard time with DS11's 18inch bike which came with trainer wheels but managed in the Corolla's trunk.

 

I have a Kia Soul.  But looking around I should be able to get a bike rack. 

[Ravin]

I would make a deal with him that he can have the skateboard when he learns to ride the bike well. Is it all hills where you live, or could he walk to the bottom of the hill and find more level ground to work with?

 

He is old enough that training wheels should be a non-issue. He'll get the hang of balancing the thing or he won't (and probably will if he takes the time for it). Knee and elbow pads and a helmet while learning (then just the helmet once he gets the hang of things) would be something I would want to provide.

 

I do not consider riding a bike an optional skill. If I had a child physically incapable of riding a bike, I would invest in an appropriate trike for them.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I would make a deal with him that he can have the skateboard when he learns to ride the bike well. Is it all hills where you live, or could he walk to the bottom of the hill and find more level ground to work with?

 

He is old enough that training wheels should be a non-issue. He'll get the hang of balancing the thing or he won't (and probably will if he takes the time for it). Knee and elbow pads and a helmet while learning (then just the helmet once he gets the hang of things) would be something I would want to provide.

 

I do not consider riding a bike an optional skill. If I had a child physically incapable of riding a bike, I would invest in an appropriate trike for them.

 

No at the bottom of the hill is a major roadway with tons of intersections.  It's just not a good place if you can't already ride a bike.  The sidewalks are all chewed up too.

 

I don't know what age has to do with training wheels or not.  He's too afraid to get on that thing and try to balance it himself. 

 

I don't have much of an argument in terms of demanding bike riding given the fact I haven't ridden a bike in oh gee probably 20 something years. 

[Arcadia]

We bought the elbow, wrists and knee guard kits for both kids when we bought their scooters.  Then my DS11 did not like the feel of the protective gear so only DS10 use them.

 

 

. If I had a child physically incapable of riding a bike, I would invest in an appropriate trike for them.

 

I can't ride a bike.  I have to use a tandem or an adult trike.  The Schwinn adult trike sold at Walmart is used by a few senior neighbors here to bike to the supermarket.

 

My kids are joking about buying me a golf cart :lol:

[SparklyUnicorn]

We bought the elbow, wrists and knee guard kits for both kids when we bought their scooters.  Then my DS11 did not like the feel of the protective gear so only DS10 use them.

 

 

I can't ride a bike.  I have to use a tandem or an adult trike.  The Schwinn adult trike sold at Walmart is used by a few senior neighbors here to bike to the supermarket.

 

My kids are joking about buying me a golf cart :lol:

 

Maybe I should get him the adult trike.  LOL

 

I can ride a bike, but it's not safe to ride around here so, again, I have to drive the bike somewhere to ride it.  So if I did that I'd need to find a decent sized bike rack (another expense).  For various reasons we just haven't really gotten into that.

 

I don't care if he can ride a bike or not, but ya know I think if he could do it he'd enjoy it.  Not his fault, just lack of opportunity.

[T'smom]

I was a kid who didn't ride for a long time. I was scared of falling. My parents tried all kinds of things to get me to learn. Then, one day, someone was visiting and she wanted to ride bikes and I was not going to admit that I couldn't do it. So I just got on and rode. My dad came home while we were riding down the alley. He just looked at me with a shocked expression, but he didn't say anything. My point is, he may pick it up very quickly when he is motivated. I would try to make the effort to get to the park regularly.

[skimomma]

I hear you!

 

My dd decided she wanted a skateboard at age 11.  We also live on a steep hill in a (small) city with no sidewalks.  On top of that, she is a pretty serious musician and all I could think about as broken hands, fingers, arms, HEAD, etc.....  I was not in favor at all.  Dh talked me down.  Dd had her own money and bought it herself along with the wrist guards that I insisted upon.  She wears her bike helmet too.  Dd is pretty stoic about pain, so that was not an issue.  But I do have to say that she has had it over a year now and has yet to break skin (or bone).  She had to carry it to flat places to use it at first.  In our case, that means about a 1/2 mile walk to the local park that has usually-empty basketball courts to practice on.  Now that she is pretty proficient, we do allow her to board on the well-steep streets near our house but for sure not our very steep streets.  I wonder if boarding might be a good step into biking?  It is far more difficult IMO but it can be more "comfortable" for some kids because they can just step to the ground.

 

I also encourage you to reconsider the bike thing.  I think it is worth it to learn before adulthood.  I know the pain of packing the bike up and driving.  We also do not have a rack and I have to bungee the darn thing to the roof to take it places, but it is so so SO hard to learn as an adult.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I hear you!

 

My dd decided she wanted a skateboard at age 11.  We also live on a steep hill in a (small) city with no sidewalks.  On top of that, she is a pretty serious musician and all I could think about as broken hands, fingers, arms, HEAD, etc.....  I was not in favor at all.  Dh talked me down.  Dd had her own money and bought it herself along with the wrist guards that I insisted upon.  She wears her bike helmet too.  Dd is pretty stoic about pain, so that was not an issue.  But I do have to say that she has had it over a year now and has yet to break skin (or bone).  She had to carry it to flat places to use it at first.  In our case, that means about a 1/2 mile walk to the local park that has usually-empty basketball courts to practice on.  Now that she is pretty proficient, we do allow her to board on the well-steep streets near our house but for sure not our very steep streets.  I wonder if boarding might be a good step into biking?  It is far more difficult IMO but it can be more "comfortable" for some kids because they can just step to the ground.

 

I also encourage you to reconsider the bike thing.  I think it is worth it to learn before adulthood.  I know the pain of packing the bike up and driving.  We also do not have a rack and I have to bungee the darn thing to the roof to take it places, but it is so so SO hard to learn as an adult.

 

Well I am not so much arguing about the bike thing, but again, lack of opportunity.  I haven't done much bike riding as an adult. 

 

[skimomma]

DON'T DO IT!!!

 

Did I get your attention?  (LOL)

 

One of my biggest regrets in motherhood is ever letting my son get a skateboard.  Within the past year, my son fractured his arm and spent 8 weeks in a cast.  Then a month later he re-broke that same arm, except this time the bone broke through his skin and he had to have orthopedic surgery.  He will now and for the rest of his life have a metal sleeve and rivets (basically) inside his arm, and he has two huge, long, Frankenstein-ish scars on each side of his arm.  It is not pretty.  And none of this mentions the CONSTANT bruises, scrapes, and cuts.

 

And then there's the clothing.  I can not tell you how fast he ruins a pair of skate shoes.  I have to replace his shoes every 2-3 months.  And his pants get holes in them super-fast.  I think the pants get replaced about every 3-4 months before they are completely ruined.

 

And let's not discount the skater culture that exists.  I attribute this to many of the problems I've had with this child in the past year.  There is a very distinct drug culture surrounding the skateboarders. Not to mention that I've never known any group of kids to be more fashion conscious.  They might act like they don't care, but they are VERY particular about their look and the name brands of the "right kind" of skater clothes.

 

Ugh.  Save yourself from sliding down that slippery slope.  Just say NO!

 

I cannot agree with all of this since the skater culture on our area is pretty positive but I DO agree about the shoes.  I cannot believe how quickly dd rips through shoes on her board.  I have taken to buying second hand shoes for skating only after she ripped through brand new Converse soles in about one month on her board.  Clothing too, but that is always second hand for her so no worries.

 

However, I suspect given the OP's dd's aversion to injury, all of the above issues will likely not be an issue.  I would encourage it because balance in general seems to be a challenge and working through a minor scratch or two on his own might be good coping practice.

[SparklyUnicorn]

LOL

 

I'd be stunned if he ended up doing this.  My prediction is he'd spend weeks getting up the nerve to get on it.  Then he'd get on it and fall off.  Then that would be the end of it. 

 

 

DON'T DO IT!!!

 

Did I get your attention?  (LOL)

 

One of my biggest regrets in motherhood is ever letting my son get a skateboard.  Within the past year, my son fractured his arm and spent 8 weeks in a cast.  Then a month later he re-broke that same arm, except this time the bone broke through his skin and he had to have orthopedic surgery.  He will now and for the rest of his life have a metal sleeve and rivets (basically) inside his arm, and he has two huge, long, Frankenstein-ish scars on each side of his arm.  It is not pretty.  And none of this mentions the CONSTANT bruises, scrapes, and cuts.

 

And then there's the clothing.  I can not tell you how fast he ruins a pair of skate shoes.  I have to replace his shoes every 2-3 months.  And his pants get holes in them super-fast.  I think the pants get replaced about every 3-4 months before they are completely ruined.

 

And let's not discount the skater culture that exists.  I attribute this to many of the problems I've had with this child in the past year.  There is a very distinct drug culture surrounding the skateboarders. Not to mention that I've never known any group of kids to be more fashion conscious.  They might act like they don't care, but they are VERY particular about their look and the name brands of the "right kind" of skater clothes.

 

Ugh.  Save yourself from sliding down that slippery slope.  Just say NO!

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I was a kid who didn't ride for a long time. I was scared of falling. My parents tried all kinds of things to get me to learn. Then, one day, someone was visiting and she wanted to ride bikes and I was not going to admit that I couldn't do it. So I just got on and rode. My dad came home while we were riding down the alley. He just looked at me with a shocked expression, but he didn't say anything. My point is, he may pick it up very quickly when he is motivated. I would try to make the effort to get to the park regularly.

 

It was kind of like that with my older kid.  For a long time we tried everything.  Finally I just thought..oh well he will when he wants to.  Then one day he was very determined and then he did it no problem.

 

There are some things you just can't MAKE someone do if they aren't willing to.

 

I rode a bike much sooner as a kid, but I lived on a quiet street that was perfect for bike riding.  So I was out there every day doing that.  There were also lots of kids with bikes.  Now?  I don't see anyone on bikes.  Maybe the rare brave soul who is highly skilled and can navigate the traffic here.

[IfIOnly]

Skate park. Helmet. Knee pads. Elbow pads. Go.

Besides YouTube for some how-to here, yep.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Skate park. Helmet. Knee pads. Elbow pads. Go. 

 

No skate parks around here.

 

But yes definitely I'd get padding.  Maybe full body bubble wrap!

[lllll]

nm

Edited May 17, 2016 by _ ?^..

[SparklyUnicorn]

My kids had skateboards but they never rode them on roads or sidewalks.  They played with them in our basement and shop.  And they had some long, wide planks which they set up in the backyard, leaning them against the porch.  They would ride the skateboards down those.  They kind of lost interest after a while.  I think bikes and other things interested them more.  Not sure. 

 

Anyway, something like that would help your dc get used to the skateboards.  Then, when you were out around town, you could stop in at places with more space to let them practice every now and then.  Skateboards are nice because they can be tossed into the car and any empty parking lot is fun for practice.   

 

We don't have a yard. 

 

But see this is another reason I think a skateboard is kind of a dumb idea.  And come to think of it, I should probably check the rules at the local park.  I've never seen skateboarders there.  There may be a reason for that (like they aren't allowed to be there).

[SparklyUnicorn]

Ok this is comical.  I could not find anything that says skateboarding is not allowed at the local park, but there is an explicit rule that states one is not allowed to molest squirrels.  And another rule that one is not allowed to tell fortunes there either.

 

 

[TranquilMind]

My 10 year old (soon to be 11) is highly interested in a skateboard.  I'm not against skateboards or skateboarding, but he's also my kid that cries if he lightly bumps into something.  If he scrapes a knee or his hand he acts as if someone cut off his limbs.  He hasn't really figured out his bike yet because he is always too afraid to get hurt.

 

So I'm trying to imagine how things will go down if I get him a skateboard.  We live on a hill.  There is nowhere safe on our street to use it.  I'd have to bring him to the park. 

 

So I dunno.  Do you think I'm being ridiculous here?  I suspect ultimately it would be a waste of money.

 

Get him a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads.  These can be purchased in a set.  Insist he wear them and insist he not go down the hill, as that would be unsafe.  He will be fine.

 

My kid loves his skateboard and his Ripstik, though he doesn't use the latter so much anymore. 

We do live on a very flat street though. 

[kroe1]

I cannot imagine childhood without a bike, skateboard, and skates. No matter how video game addicted, extra curricular overloaded, or weather challenged our location, wheels are used daily at our house.

 

Just a quick note: skates and skateboards and ripsticks saved DD. She was a kid who moved a lot. The only way she could learn anything was on wheels. We would start each school day by putting on her skates or pulling out a long board. Lol.

[luuknam]

For training wheels for his bicycle, try Amazon - they sell everything. I searched for adult training wheels, since I don't know the size he needs:

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=adult+training+wheels

 

Do you have any friends who live in a flatter area, where you could maybe keep his bike and have him use it when he visits? At least until he learns how to ride it properly? Then you wouldn't have to figure out how to get it to the park all the time.

 

On the topic of him crying when he hurts himself the tiniest bit, maybe skateboarding will (help) fix that problem. Not that I want kids to get to the point of being reckless, but kids (and in our culture, especially boys) his age and older who cry over the smallest scrape are not cool. You can get a skateboard pretty cheap, and if all he's doing is riding it fairly slowly on a flat area, safety gear is not something I'd spend money on (obviously, if he's doing stunts on a half-pipe or w/e it's a different thing).

[SparklyUnicorn]

I cannot imagine childhood without a bike, skateboard, and skates. No matter how video game addicted, extra curricular overloaded, or weather challenged our location, wheels are used daily at our house.

 

Just a quick note: skates and skateboards and ripsticks saved DD. She was a kid who moved a lot. The only way she could learn anything was on wheels. We would start each school day by putting on her skates or pulling out a long board. Lol.

 

Actually my kid is quite busy.  He takes gymnastic classes, drama classes, and sings in a choir.  We go to parks regularly (no yard so we gotta if we want to run around).  I'm not concerned he's withering here. Just because our life might look different from yours doesn't mean we are living some sort of pathetic life here.

 

Geesh.

[SparklyUnicorn]

For training wheels for his bicycle, try Amazon - they sell everything. I searched for adult training wheels, since I don't know the size he needs:

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=adult+training+wheels

 

Do you have any friends who live in a flatter area, where you could maybe keep his bike and have him use it when he visits? At least until he learns how to ride it properly? Then you wouldn't have to figure out how to get it to the park all the time.

 

On the topic of him crying when he hurts himself the tiniest bit, maybe skateboarding will (help) fix that problem. Not that I want kids to get to the point of being reckless, but kids (and in our culture, especially boys) his age and older who cry over the smallest scrape are not cool. You can get a skateboard pretty cheap, and if all he's doing is riding it fairly slowly on a flat area, safety gear is not something I'd spend money on (obviously, if he's doing stunts on a half-pipe or w/e it's a different thing).

 

Well the problem is that the cheap Walmart bikes are made in such a way that they don't leave enough metal on that part of the wheel to attach training wheels.  Had I known that, I would have bought something else.  I bought training wheels with the bike and discovered they did not fit.  I ordered some on Amazon and they did not fit.  I went to a fancy bike shop to ask about it and the guy explained the problem to me.  I had no idea.  He said there are no training wheels that will fit that bike.  Ok.  By that point it was too late to return the bike.  Not to mention it had gotten used.  So I tried removing the pedals.  Problem was he couldn't touch the ground with his feet so that didn't feel safe to him.  Which is understandable. 

 

I live in a city.  All the people around here are in the same boat. 

 

On the one hand I don't care if he cries, but on the other hand hearing him cry kinda sets me on edge.  I'm trying to imagine him constantly getting hurt.  But yeah I guess this answers my question about whether or not this is a good idea.  I don't think it is.  But I will look for something that maybe he'd have fun with that won't be so prone to causing problems. 

[Ausmumof3]

My kids have had skate boards since they were like... 2. Kmart ones and they just scooted around on their bottoms on them in the house. No ones started skating standing up. They cost $5.

 

I imagine you can't get such cheap ones for bigger kids but if you do get something cheap not a fancy brand it's not a great loss if he doesn't use it much or for long.

 

If you are really worried about injuries you could go for a scooter instead.

 

My 9yo is getting a rip stick for his next birthday but he's really good with wheels etc. if my dd wanted one I think id feel more like you!

[luuknam]

On the one hand I don't care if he cries, but on the other hand hearing him cry kinda sets me on edge.

 

Drop him off at park with skateboard, then go run errands, then pick him up?

 

Of course, I have no problem with my kids getting hurt a little. The blessing of a skinned knee and all that.

[Caroline]

Make sure you get a skateboard helmet and not a bike helmet. They are different because a skateboard accident is likely to hit the head in a different place than a bike accident.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Drop him off at park with skateboard, then go run errands, then pick him up?

 

Of course, I have no problem with my kids getting hurt a little. The blessing of a skinned knee and all that.

 

Uhhh yeah that would be bad. I mean imagine he gets hurt and is screaming and crying and everyone is looking for his mother and I've just dropped him off.

[luuknam]

If he looks 11, I don't think it'd be that much of a problem (of course, YMMV depending on where you live). And some kids are more prone to screaming and crying when their parent is around.

[ktgrok]

As for the bike, take the pedals off and lower the seat so he can put his feet on the ground. Let him push off a bit, then stick his feet back down to catch his balance, over and over. He'll start being able to coast longer and longer and will get his balance without falling down or getting hurt. 

[Haiku]

I suspect ultimately it would be a waste of money.

 

Have him pay for it then ... along with knee and elbow pads and a helmet. Perhaps it will be less appealing if it's his money spent.

[TammyS]

You know, you're the mom.  You really can just say no to things you don't want in your life.  You don't need an excuse. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

If he looks 11, I don't think it'd be that much of a problem (of course, YMMV depending on where you live). And some kids are more prone to screaming and crying when their parent is around.

 

I wouldn't go to the local park by myself.  So...that's not happening.

 

I suspect he wouldn't agree to do so either.