Head Strong

Could you hear me screaming from joy and happiness the other day? Think everyone in the Netherlands must have heard me vocalizing my excitement when my eldest son finally (he is after all turning seven soon) learned to ride his bike. A huge milestone in his quest for independence and, for his mother, yet another step towards letting him go (no matter how often we do it, it doesn’t get any easier). It took him a while, mainly due to the fact that he is a perfectionist and won’t do anything in life if it is not in the manner and up to the standards he expects (wonder whom he gets that from?). I encouraged him by buying a new bike (in addition to all the safety gadgets I could lay my hands on), but generally left him to discover the joy of cycling at his own pace.

So what was it that made him cycle off into the sunset? Very simple: his “magical” helmet! Now, I know this is a very un-Dutch subject matter (and I apologize in advance to those that think bike helmets are un-cool or un-necessary), but being an overly protective un-Dutch mother, I cannot help myself but insist that the boys protect their accident-prone heads when biking. No when, but, if or discussions in our house on this subject. Given our strict helmet rules, it goes without saying that the helmets must be “stoer” and, if in any way possible, the envy of every kid in the class. What’s the point of having a helmet that the boys are ashamed to wear? To satisfy the requirements of this overly concerned, perfectionist mother, the helmets need not only be “cool” but must also provide the best possible protection. 

So here it is, a selection of helmets that the boys approve of and that make this mother feel a bit calmer when the boys head down the driveway at break-neck speeds. 

For the smaller and more fragile heads:

1) Nutcase Little Nutty Dazed and Amused

2) Nutcase Little Nutty Danger

Nutcase helmets (the new and trendy product from the US) are also available in larger sizes and can be purchased with ear warmers for those cold winter days.

For the bigger and tougher boys:

3) Egg Skin Tommy EGG helmets – Dutch designed and made – can be customized and personalized as you chose.

4) Bell Skull

5) Kiddimoto Union Jack

6) CoConut Dutch Black Racing

And my favorite, for my youngest, the “I love Mum” helmet from CoConut

7) Nutcase

Info (online kinderhelm kopen): Bell helmets can be purchased from Kinderhelmen.be All other helmets are available from Kidsjoyride or Kinderhelmen.com 

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