Bubble Wrap

Bubble Wrap

February 19, 2007 @ 07:02

If you caught Coaches Corner on Saturday you saw another emotional closing by Don Cherry. It's become the norm these days.

This time Cherry showed a picture of the ten year old kid in Guelph who was killed on the hockey pond. Nicholas Lambden was leaning over to pick up a puck just as another older kid blasted a slap shot in another game, and it caught Nicholas behind the ear.

He was airlifted to Sick Kids and died the next day, without a doubt a sad and sickening story and the nightmare of any parent.

As you might expect, this has opened a new debate on weather kids should be forced to wear helmets while playing pond hockey and to tell you the truth, I can't make up my mind.

During his bit on Coaches Corner Cherry conveyed the words of Nicholas' mother who is pleading with everyone to make their kids wear the helmets, and what else would you expect? Yet at the same time I wonder about what we're doing to our kids by trying to protect them at every turn and should we go as far as to legislate this stuff.

It was only a few weeks ago that another child was killed while tobogganing and we heard the same cries - all kids should have to wear helmets when sliding down hills.

I can see an evolution here that's quickly gaining speed. When I was a kid we wore next to nothing - now I get the feeling there are parents out there who don't want their kids to leave the house without wearing a helmet because there's danger around every corner.

It's done with the best of intentions to protect a kid physically, but I can't help but think this "bubble wrap" generation might be hurting our kids psychologically.

Category: Stuff

1 Responses to "Bubble Wrap"

Kathie
March 29, 2007 / 22:26

Hmmmm ... you hit the nail on the head when you said that this is every parent's nightmare. As parents, of course we want to "bubble wrap" our kids .... but need to be realistic. We can not be hovering 24 hours a day. Whether it is a parent, or a law telling kids that they HAVE to wear a helmet, that could push them the other way.

But, if it was another kid telling them, then maybe you'd get somewhere. My 10 year old has no problem "reminding" me to put my seat belt on, and he would have no problem doing the same for a friend to wear their helmet.

Make kids accountable to other kids ... "you can't come on our ice until you have a helmet on".

And would I still want to bubble wrap my kids .... yep. That 10 year old boy from Guelph was a friend of my son's, as his mother is a friend of mine. My heart aches for them everyday. Coming home from Sick Kids to tell my kids that one of their friends has passed away was the worst thing I have ever had to do. If wearing a helmet because it is safe to do so, and not because someone told you you had to can prevent yet another fatality, then my 10 year old will be the one to tell you to get your lid on.

We've gone past THAT rink many times since the tragedy, and there were kids ... playing hockey and no helmets. It ticked me off, but better yet, it ticked my son off to the point where he wanted to get out of the car and TELL them to smarten up.

Does he play hockey without a helmet? Nope ... doesn't even go public skating without one. Can he skate? Like the wind. He plays AAA hockey, and it has become second nature that when he puts his skates on, he puts his helmet on too.

We need to let them "live" .... but it can still be encouraged to be done safely.

« Culture Club

Venn Checks In »

Monthly Archives