Bubble Burst

http://www.treehugger.com

So, after thinking the biking with Little Bean thing was the bestest since sliced bread, I started to look for little bike helmets to protect the little knoggin.

Secretly, I knew I'd be bombarded with messages online about how old a baby should be when you start riding a bike with them, and I also knew I wasn't going to like what they had to say. I guess I just conveniently dreamed the world was going to agree with me on the success of Little Bean's first bike ride in his Charriot trailer.

The world, as it seems online, doesn't agree. I shouldn't be surprised, but I feel like my happy bubble has been burst into dread over what I may be exposing my "undeveloped baby" to. Brain damage. Shaken baby syndrome. Mental disabilities in the future. They don't side step the potential pitfalls, do they? But, I have to say, I'm glad this information is out there because it helps us all make the informed decisions we need to make as a family.

Check out this link for a nice review: www.treehugger.com

In the grand scheme of things (a.k.a., of all the bikes, trailers, and babies out there), I think Little Bean has a better chance of staying harm free in our bike set up because he's in a five-point harness with a head support; the trailer is enclosed to protect from dust, dirt, rocks, and wind; the structure of the trailer encases Little Bean so even if the trailer flipped he'd be protected; the trailer has shocks, lessening the bumps along the way; and Little Bean has been holding his head up proudly from week three. I'm not stating these things to prove a "This is why I can do it" argument. I'm just saying that of all the ways to be put behind or on a bicycle as a baby, this ain't as bad as it could be.

So, what's my final judgement on this one? I'm saddened to think that our athletic and healthy family, who are trying to be friendly to the environment by not driving our car, may have to wait for a long time before biking with him full time. But I also care for this little bamino more than I care to ride my bike with him, so I guess I'll put the brakes on biking with the little dude until he gets older. How much older? I'll keep researching that and see.

Anyone else out there have any input on this?