Scooter + crutches + main road = ??? Post Reply

[upset_&_disappointed]

This afternoon at around 11.45 I was walking to work going up Northcote road.

I was crossing the road at the lights (by the goat), when coming across opposite from me was a kid on her scooter (5-7) being dragged/pulled along by mum, but also carrying crutches.

Why would anyone let their child

1) cross the road on their scooter.
2) allow their child to be on their scooter if they are refusing to scoot so mum has to drag kid & scooter & shopping up and down the hill, surely if they're too lazy to walk or scoot, back in the buggy regardless of how old they are/embarassed they get.
3) allow their child to be on a scooter, whilst the kid is carrying crutches because the child has obviously hurt themselves, and will hurt themselves even MORE when they fall off again because they cant hold on properly - especially on a main and busy road.

I was wondering if anyone else is kind of shocked by this, as i just cannot see the logic in it, no matter from what angle i look at it from.

[Pod]

I agree sounds a little insane and almost comedic, however perhaps the mum
In question Had gotten rid of the family buggy given the child's age? And perhaps had no car and a child getting around all day on crutches was soooo exhausting for the child and a slow process that this was one method of transportation available to them? But nonetheless a little odd - taxi perhaps?

[pie81]

Good lord there is a lot of judgment on this site.

As Pod says, the explanation is probably that the child had hurt themselves (hence crutches), so cannot scoot, is very slow/tired using crutches the whole time, and they have no buggy or car. So the parent pulling them along on a scooter is actually their best/quickest/only option. A lot of people can't afford taxis.

[Pud1]

I'm sure she had good reason. None of our business really.

[NYE31]

I agree with pud1, and much safer to hold the scooter & pull across the road rather than leaving the child to scooter across.

[mummo]

I can't help feeling uncomfortable about this post. As if being a mum isn't hard enough already feeling judged by other people is bad enough when you just imagine it in your head. Being talked about publicly on a mum's forum just picks up the pressure we all put ourselves under even more.

There is probably a perfectly good explanation, sometimes we just have to muddle through. If one of my kids had hurt their leg pulling them along on the scooter doesn't sound like too bad a plan (buggies are long gone) it's not ideal granted but hobbling along on crutches for any distance is seriously hard work. And as for crossing the road they were crossing at lights presumably on the green man and the mum was pulling them. Needs must sometimes.

We must be wary of being judgemental of others when we know nothing of their circumstances. We're all in this crazy parenting thing together. Shouldn't we try to support each other not judge each other?

[Bodders1]

Well said!! I am sure the mum in question was trying her best in difficult circumstances - I often end up pulling my 3 year old along if he has given up/is tired/grumpy. She was probably using the scooter as her son was too old for a buggy and too slow on his crutches. Sometimes we have to muddle through with parenting that appears less than perfect to the outside world.
I am not really sure how posting about this after the event is helpful - I am more shocked by how judgemental the original post appears than the incident that was described. Hopefully he will be off his crutches soon!

[fairyviv]

well said mummo.
Leave the poor mum alone - she's not hurting you and doing the best for her child. You don't know what's going on at all!

What a strange post.

[rooting4tooting]

scooting accross the road is a 100% no no with our kids. Pick it up and walk. Everything else happening in the original post is just noise.
I can imagine it was a stressful situation, but never let your kinder scoot accross the road...

[juliantenniscoach]

Why wouldn't you let your child scoot across the road? Doesn't it depend on their competence and the situation? I don't think these things are an "always" or a "never" decision.

[mummo]

Everyone can have their own views and set no-nos for their own children. Wear a helmet vs don't wear a helmet/co sleep vs never share a bed/scoot across a road vs never use a scooter on the road, the list is endless. My issue with the original post is it is no-one else's business and certainly not to post publicly about and cast judgement.

[upset_&_disappointed]

Wow, 70% of the posts on here are 'no-one else's business'. Maybe you should go and tell all of them the same thing.

[Pud1]

What?! Not sure what you mean Upset?

I think the thing is that nobody could really see the point of your post. You saw something and decided to write a judgemental post about it which seemed unnecessary.

[rooting4tooting]

to tenniscoach.

It is never right to run, cycle or scoot accross the road. Pick the scooter up and walk.

[juliantenniscoach]

@tooting Why? Context is everything. Stick to scooting rather than expanding it. There are circumstances when it's perfectly safe and others when it's not. I don't understand the dictatorial point of view.