Your Single Parent Family Advice On SingleDad.com – Your Childs Bike Helmet

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Co Parenting, Newly Divorced Advice on SingleDad.com – Summer 2010 is here and your children love to ride bikes. What do you do about replacing Bike Helmets.

Q: My kids grow out of their bike helmets quickly, and the helmets are very expensive to replace. Is it OK to buy them used at a garage sale?

A: First of all, it’s great that you insist that your kids wear bike helmets. Research shows that wearing one while riding reduces a child’s risk of brain injury by 88 percent. But, the truth is, it’s best to buy a helmet new. It could have been damaged in a crash — even if you don’t see cracks — and might not be able to withstand another one. When purchasing a helmet, look for the CPSC seal, which means it meets the standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The helmet should sit flat on top of your child’s head and be snug enough so that it doesn’t slide down over the eyes when pushed or pulled. The chin strap should be snug. Many kids wear their helmets loose and tipped back, exposing their foreheads. But this doubles their chances of suffering a serious head injury. Never buy a helmet that’s too big so that your child can “grow into it.” It might not protect him in an accident. For an illustration of exactly how a helmet should fit your child, check the CPSC Web site.

Expert Frederick P. Rivara, M.D., is a bike helmet researcher and professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington.

Richard JaramilloRichard “RJ” Jaramillo, is the Founder of SingleDad.com,
a website and social media resource dedicated to single parenting and specifically for the newly divorced, re-married, widowed and single Father with children.
RJ is self employed, entrepreneur living in San Diego and a father of three children. The mission of SingleDad is to help the community of Single Parents
“Make Life Happen…Again!”