life jackets & helmets

We have life jackets for the kids, but to me they seem kinda cheap & I don't know how well they work....they're kind of like these ones , but still probably not as nice. Anyone know of a better life jacket for toddlers? (Right now they're 22-23 lbs) Also, when it comes to life jackets which style is best? I was thinking about it & wondered if the kind that has flotation all the way around is really safe. Seems like if it's got the flotation on just the front, they'd be more likely to float on their backs.

And when do you start using helmets? I almost got one last night; saw one on the clearance table for $8 & nothing wrong with it. But when I asked dh about it, he said no....."we're trying to save money, not spend it" ......and he didn't think they'd need them till next year. They only have these little tricycles right now, but what I'm mostly worried is seems like every time I turn around, other people are wanting to give them rides on their quads. To me, that's a MUST HAVE - helmet thing. I'm just so frustrated with dh's things-weren't-like-this-when-I-was-a-kid attitude & getting the whole speach about when he was a kid his parents drove 800 miles while he was on the dashboard. He's even come up with this little phrase "mama's paranoia will destroy-ya". I'm hoping they'll get some of these things for their birthday next month & I won't have to deal with convincing him. If not, I'll probably just get them w/o him.....but just to check 1st, am I being "paranoid"?

 

Are they riding bikes? trikes? big wheels? scooters? If there is a yes in there, I would say you need a helmet. But, JMO. If they are riding anything that can get some speed and they can fall off of.

 

Mine got helmets when they got scooters (although not for trikes). I'd've jumped on an $8 helmet for sure. And I would insist on helmets for quads, too. My bicycle policy is wear a helmet or don't ride. No exceptions. DH has never fought me on that, even though of course there were no helmets when he was a kid (he's 45). There was no sunscreen, either, and we use that, too. If we went boating we would ALL wear lifejackets.

eta: they like their helmets so much they now wear them when triking.

eta: In all the years of helmets (my oldest is 16) there has only been one major incident, when DS2 was skating up a ramp on inline skates. Cracked the helmet right open. It was TOTALLY worth all the times where nothing happened to have the helmet crack open instead of his head.

 

They are awful young for helmets and you can't be sure what size they will be when they do need them! Can I ask why do you need life jackets?

 

Mine got helmets with their tricyles. I wanted to start them early on the habit of wearing a helmet whenever they get on a bike.

As for life jackets, we have never had them. We did use them at Sesame Place--they are provided--until last year, when they could swim. I don't like them in a swimming pool because I feel that it gives kids a false sense of security--in that they think they can swim when they really can't. Until my kids could swim--starting their 4th summer when they had lessons daily at camp, they would just stay near DH and I or in the very shallow kiddie pools. If you go boating that is a different story, and they should have life vests.

 

I suggest that you start the helmets as soon as they have a trike, scooter or tricycle. We did not and are paying the price big time as they just got bikes and do not want to wear the helmets! They are really fighting us and there is just no negotiation in my mind. Not sure why I didn't start the helmets sooner! Learn from me!

As for life jackets the link you posted is similar to the first ones mine had for going out on the boat. I think they wore those to 30lbs and then we had to buy new ones that go from 30-50lbs. I got those ones at Costco. I personally think the one you linked is the best one for the age of you kids. I know those ones almost automatically make them go on there backs which is how you would want them to be if they fell in the water, etc...

 

We got life vests for the girls to go boating in last year. We opted for the ones that do not close completely around the back (those are ski vests), since they do not guarantee that you will float upright, which is a big concern. The girls' vests just close along the front w/an additional foam piece that goes behind the back of their heads. There is also a strap that goes under the crotch.

They have only been on the boat once, and were being held the entire time - but I won't let my kiddos on the boat w/o a vest. Now my MIL, on the other hand, tries to deck them out (vests, floaties, etc - all at the same time!) while we're just in her pool, carrying the kiddos - and that irritates the he!! out of me!!!

 

Former Raft Guide figuring she'll chime in on the life vests:

The style you showed is actually a good style. Can't speak about the quality of the vest, of course, but the style is good. In a nutshell, you want a vest that a)Is going to stay on the kid and b)Is going to keep the kid in it when you pull him or her out of the water by the shoulder straps in a hurry. If there is one that has extra floatation in the front for a little kid, that would probably be good (to keep face out of water).

Just an FYI since people tend to put them on too loose, you want them snug enough so that if you pick the kid up by the shoulder straps the vest doesn't rise up over the shoulders. They should be snug enough so they feel firm against the kids body, but don't impede breathing.

(For the helmets I'd say to set a precident and have them use them for riding the trikes too.)

Curious why you need the life vests?

 

First of all, your "paranoia" is called common sense and responsibility!! Helmets are a must whenever they are on a bike/trike/skates etc. Especially if it is motorized!! As for the life jackets, make sure it has the crotch strap and the piece behind the neck that is designed to keep the child's head above water. And of course, never use a lifejacket as a babysitter. Take all the right precautions and the kids will have lots of fun!

 

I know on our lake, I believe Michigan law, they are supposed to wear life jackets with the little piece at the back that sort of supports their head. We have a style more like what you pictured and a friend of ours got stopped when taking his 4 year old son around on our wave runner and he was told up to age 5, 6, 7 (don't remember for sure) they were supposed to have that behind the head floaty piece (like this):

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/produc...ategoryId=86205

I do not actually have any life jackets for the girls yet, although if we decide to take them for a slow, gentle ride on the wave runner this summer we'll buy the style like the link above. We never once used our wave runner last summer, so I won't buy until DH has it running and wants to take them for a ride.

When we take them swimming we haven't used any life jacket.

I asked DH if he wanted me to get them helmets for their trikes and he was still thinking about it. But now reading about setting a precedent of wearing it while riding any bike, I think I'm going to get them. I'm contemplating buying a bike trailer anyways, so I might as well go for it.

 

Thanks, everyone. I think I'll take a closer look at the life jackets.....for some reason I can't remember if they have that crotch strap. We do need them; in the summer we're near the water nearly every weekend. Whether it be the lake, the river, the ocean, fishing, etc.....we're just around water a LOT. Even last year they wore them (although they HATED it) ..... we thought it'd be good to get them used to them, even though we were holding them.

 

We didn't use helmets for trikes but have for everything with wheels after those (scooter/bicycles). I would not spend any money on helmets until you check into what your city/town might have to offer. We get a new helmet through the police department/health and safety department whenever we outgrow the ones we have. The great thing is they are fitted by a trained individual so I know they are the correct size and they are free! I even got one too!

Sorry, never used life jackets except ones provided at an amusement park or something.

 

My mom died from a head injury after falling from a bike she was riding without a helmet. My boys have always used them (since about 18 months) for ride-on toys, trikes, and will always wear one or not ride at all. Better safe than sorry as my mom might still be here today if she had a helmet on. She was just taking a leisurely ride through the neighborhood when it happened.

Sorry to be a downer, but this a topic that is important to me.

 

My DH is like this with my DD1. Well she wiped out on the quad and broke her arm. Thank goodness momma MADE her wear the helmet. I just made it very clearto him that she has to and he can complain if he wants but that is something I won't budge on. I don't demand much at all but this I do. I also had to get it through to her that she has to wear a helmet to ride anything.

 

We spend most of the summer on the beach or boating. As far as the beach - If it's a calm beach (no waves), I don't make the kids wear life jackets. If there is any substantial surf, the twins wear their life vests into the water (although not the older boys).

As far as the boat, we have the same rule with all four kids (oldest is 10)....no one even steps onto the dock with a life jacket. It's clear & consistent, no wiggle room even with our oldest son who is a strong swimmer & on a swim team. It's always been that way so they don;t even question it!

As far as helmets, I've had them in helmets since they were on their trikes. It just seemed easier to set a precedent early, rather than try to sell them on wearing helmets when they moved to real bikes & scooters.

 

QUOTE(me&myboys @ Mar 27 2008, 07:53 PM) [snapback]691288[/snapback]
My mom died from a head injury after falling from a bike she was riding without a helmet. My boys have always used them (since about 18 months) for ride-on toys, trikes, and will always wear one or not ride at all. Better safe than sorry as my mom might still be here today if she had a helmet on. She was just taking a leisurely ride through the neighborhood when it happened.

Sorry to be a downer, but this a topic that is important to me.


I'm so sorry about your mom, but thank you for posting this as a reminder to all of us. Just because we survived no sunscreen (well, we haven't developed skin cancer yet anyway), no car seats, no seatbelts, no helmets, etc.....does not mean everyone did! I don't have any intention of just hoping that my little ones will be as lucky as I was to survive without all of this safety gear.

Last year as I was sunscreening the boys up for a walk outside, FIL laughed about how funny it was I was putting sunscreen on them and commented sarcastically, how did we ever survive without this stuff? Dummy, his best friend's wife had just died of skin cancer! I looked right at him and said, all of us didn't survive without it.

Anyway, to OP, stand up to DH on these issues. You're right to look out for the safety of your kids. And there is a difference between responsible and paranoid. Responsible is using the available safety gear. Paranoid is not letting your kids on a bike or boat.

 

OMG, if anyone put my kids on any kind of motorized vehicle without a helmet I would KILL THEM.

Our kids only ride trikes now (and they don't even pedal), but they wear helmets. We want to get them in the habit so that they feel weird getting on a bike without a helmet.

 

We just did swimming lessons with our twins and were using the life jackets without floatation on the back. We were told that those jackets are not designed to provide independent floatation for the child. They are designed to be held against an adult (who is also wearing a pfd I expect). We found it really tough towing our kids around the pool in one of those jackets.

Our kids have been wearing helmets since we put them in the bike trailer and we won't let them on the bikes/trikes/scooters without them on. I'd much rather be out the $25 bucks a good helmet costs than have to raise a child with a head injury.

 

We have these and they're awesome. T&T started using them at 8 months of age and they will fit for at least two more years.

As for the helmet thing... we have helmets for use with their scooters. I wouldn't let them take a ride on a quad anyway but without a helmet seems crazy to me. And yes, I rode my bike without a helmet as a child but I don't see that as a valid reason to not teach my kids to use one.

 

My girls have never had trikes, but the day we bought their bikes we bought helmuts, knee pads and elbow pads. Like the car seat, it's just better if you do it from day one (I know where you all live car seats are the law, where I live they are not and many parents tell me that their kids "won't sit in it") I be sure to tell them that for my girls that was never an issue because being in the car means being in your carseat. Make helmuts the same way.

I grew up in a boating family in the 70s and 80s and we all worn the life peservers that just cover the front and back of the head, like three cylindrical pillows, all time except for actual water skiing then we worn the vest type. Back in those days the coast guard taught that's what you should do because in a boating accident you are likely to be knocked unconcious and that type of floatation desive will float you face up, no matter what. (but it makes it kind of hard to ski, so we only ever changed into a vest type when it was our turn to ski.)