Comments on: Discuss: Australia’s Slippery Slope to Pudding Cap Mollycoddling

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:36:08 +0000

PsychMamma you are right about the “I have this on so I’m safe” thinking. After reading your comment, it reminded me of a study I read a few years back that said that skateboarding and bike injuries had risen because children were taking more risks since they have been required to wear helmets.

By: Sara

Sara — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:35:34 +0000

I think it’s crazy. I never wore a “pudding cap” and somehow managed to make it through life just fine…even going to an ivy league college! And anyone who knows me can tell you how clumsy I am. I agree that kids need to learn how to deal with the bumps, bruises, and scrapes (physical and emotional) that life throws at them. How can you expect a kid to learn to be resilient if he is never given a chance to do it? Accidents happen. They’re a part of life. Kids need to learn how to deal with them.

By: PsychMamma

PsychMamma — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:24:21 +0000

I agree with JMo - - "The world is not safe. Our job is to teach children to live here anyway." I think there's a real danger in over-worrying and thus creating fearful, worrying kids. I try to practice what my grandma and mom called "mindful neglect." I give my 2 y/o space to explore on her own without constantly hovering with a safety net, but watch from a reasonable distance so I can intervene in any truly dangerous moments. Let me stress that this is very difficult for a first-time, naturally fretful mommy. BUT, I think that it's good for her (and me) and I'm so proud of each of her accomplishments and successes. I think that each time she shouts "I did it!!" with a grin on her face after doing it by herself, she builds more confidence and courage, which seem like fantastic life virtues.

It seems like telling kids to wear a pudding cap just in case they fall firmly plants the idea that they might fall, which could teach fearfulness. On the other hand, it could teach overconfidence (i.e., "I have this on so I'm safe"), leading to high climbing attempts that might not be attempted otherwise (and that a pudding cap would NOT protect from).

I'm not for pudding caps, but we DO use a bike helmet (when biking), even though I do sometimes think about the fact that I somehow survived without one.

By: JMo

JMo — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:25:29 +0000

Yet another example of â€œoverparentingâ€. The world is not safe. Our job is to teach children to live here anyway, not protect them from it. Geez, if you walk thru Babies R Us or a hardware store, and you wonder how any of us made it through childhood without the multitude of safety products. Itâ€™s ridiculous. Overall, I think todayâ€™s parents have lost their confidence and donâ€™t trust their intuition â€“ so we look to corporate America to provide us with safety solutions instead.

We covered the electrical outlets and put foam on the fireplace. Thatâ€™s the extent of my childproofing. LO just learned how to move chairs and climb up on them. Instead of blocking off the area or removing the chairs, we are teaching him to sit in the chairs.

That said, I totally support bike helmets and proper protection for skateboarding, etc.

By: My Boaz's Ruth

My Boaz's Ruth — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:16:59 +0000

It has already gone that way to some extent. There are no more merry go rounds on playgrounds. High drives at pools have gone away too. I’ve seen parks without swings. (luckily the one near us still has them)

By: Jeffery Williams

Jeffery Williams — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:00:53 +0000

The idea seems silly to me. I think we’re designed to handle human scale falls. If you fall and it hurts, you learn to catch yourself or learn to avoid that fall. Now if you increase the scale of the fall (going fast on a bike for instance) you should wear a helmet. It just seems silly to put a helmet on a little kid when they’re just running around.

By: Cindi

Cindi — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:39:31 +0000

I think I take the automatic mother instinct mode! Sometimes, my husband tells me that I would keep our sons in a bubble if I could! This can be from people as much as other hazards. It is difficult to let go! I am learning to be more free with my two boys. Cindi

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:36:00 +0000

Let's just put all our children into a protective bubble and then we won't have this problem. On a serious note, I am a believer that they learn from those little bumps. Not that I think a child needs to be taken out by a fall; for those serious falls a hand is quickly in the way of the corner of the table (an no I don't think my hand can be there each and every time).
However, watch a child's reaction the first time they fall wearing underwear rather than a diaper. There's a surprised look. When they run into a wall because they aren't looking, they are more careful next time.
I know someone is going to take this the wrong way, but I don't know how else to express it. You need to experience some injury to learn about things and limitations.
A helmet to protect a head during a bike ride is necessary because of the extent of injury a head could recieve more likely than not. A "bumper" on the head because a child may crawl into a wall (I've seen it) isn't necessary.

By: RobMonroe

RobMonroe — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:58:03 +0000

There is a guy at my church that wants to provide these to all infants and toddlers rather than get good, padded carpet….. He’s been told by several folks to get real. Now that I see them in pictures, I would have to agree – buy good carpet!