healies

[funkygranolamama]

Why, oh why, did I allow her to buy those darn things? She's been asking me since they came out (a VERY long time) and I've continually said no. She finally came to me and said she wanted them more than anything and she wanted to spend her own money she'd saved on them. I agreed under the condition that they would be worn not as daily shoes, but recreational shoes *once in awhile, not in the store, etc. She bought them and I've been kicking myself ever since. I should NOT have allowed it.

Don't buy these for your kids. She's fallen down and now we have an agreement that any time she wears the heelies (is that how you even spell it?) she must wear a helmet. She's not really excited about that, but I'm not real excited about her head getting popped open, either. Man, I hope her feet grow really fast........

[allgirls]

I think I have gotten my daughter pass that phase..she wanted them for about a year and I kept putting her off, redirecting etc.

I haven't heard about them for a long time.

She's 13 now so I think her interest has changed, unfortunately it's to something more dangerous...boys:

[funkygranolamama]

yikes boys!

[transformed]

My 4 year old wants some so bad. Are they really that dangerous? I promised him some when he hits size 10 (which is soon)

I think they are cool. I may not think so when we are in the ER with a broken wrist though.

They dont make knee pads for 4 yr olds.

[TheDivineMissE]

Originally Posted by transformed

My 4 year old wants some so bad. Are they really that dangerous? I promised him some when he hits size 10 (which is soon)

I think they are cool. I may not think so when we are in the ER with a broken wrist though.

They dont make knee pads for 4 yr olds.

They do make them! I've got knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet that fit my 3.75 year old nicely. She loves to wear them, even. I think we got them at Toys R Us.

[AngelBee]

My Dominick and Abigail both have them. They bought them with their own money.

They can be very dangerous. There has been one death (do not have link....try and google) and it is advised to wear proper protective gear while wearing them.

[annettemarie]

They were banned from Michael's school because the manufacturer's recommendation is that you always wear a helmet with them. Michael asked once, I said no, and he didn't pursue it, thank goodness.

[ThreeBeans]

Heelies. Are. Evil.

[my2boys9703]

Thankfully my boys have never been interested in the healies!

[~MoonGypsy~]

Originally Posted by ThreeBeans

Heelies. Are. Evil.

[Krystal323]

wow, my son had a pair of knockoff heelys when he was 5 or 6, and loved them--he outgrew those quickly tho. he wore pads and wristguards when he was outside with them, and didn't use them in stores unless he was holding my hand or the cart.

he's 8 now and wants a pair of brand-name heelys this time, and the only reason i haven't gotten them yet is that they are waaay cost-prohibitive! he's been doing rollerskates (4-wheel and in-line) since he was about 3 tho. i just see them as supercool skates

[spero]

I definitely wouldn't get them for a 4-yo.
Heelies are tricky to maneuver b/c - unlike skates - you have to be slightly off balance to engage the wheels, so you're already at a disadvantage.

My son pined for a pair of heelies for over a year ... we got him a pair last Christmas (he was 9). He put them on immediately, and promptly went down like a sack of potatoes, feet flying right out from under him and everything. We had him wear a helmet until he was stable on them.

[spero]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/Exe...ory?id=3242181

the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported last week that one death and at least 64 roller-shoe injuries could be blamed on the trendy footwear.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...n1365761.shtml

A yellow warning label is glued to the bottoms of new Heelys but, Brzezinski notes, the company claims it can't be sued for injuries resulting from the use of Heelys if that sticker is removed.

Beery adds that the company promotes safe behavior with "Team Heelys," a group of young experts who hold "heeling" seminars for kids at stores and parks nationwide.

The company also has videos on its Web site of "heelers" in action.

"Our intention," Beery says, "is to provide them with information about how to safely heel."

But some of the video shows heelers "crashing and burning," tripping, falling, jumping off railings, flying into pools, with no protective padding, and no helmets.

"That is part of the risk," Beery says. That bit of video is supposed to show kids what not to do, he continued.

Brzezinski showed the video to a group of youngsters, and several didn't seem to get the message, instead saying they wanted to do what they saw the heelers doing on the video.

[pibblestiltskin@ma]

In this areas kids are not allowed to wear them to school and most stores, malls and other public places have prohibited them. There was a story on the news a while back about an (older) kid who went to get the mail at the end of the driveway in his heeleys, couldn't stop or slipped and was hit by a passing car.

[kblackstone444]

Heelys are DANGEROUS. Think of them as uncontrolable skates. Now think of your child wearing them (remember, skates) and often without a helmet and your child thinking of them, and therefore treating them as shoes. Down the stairs. In the street. While running. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen. My stepdaughter's Mother ought her Heelys several months ago. We keep a spare pair of shoes in our car and if she's wearing them, she changes them immediately. If she wants to put on a helmet and ride around on a flat surface at the park, that's fine, but for all other purposes, they are too dangerous to be worn and will not be worn at our house. Skates disguised as shoes.

[liamsmommy221]

I must confess....I really want my own pair! They look so cool!!! Imagine how fast we could get our grocery shopping done if we could skate down the aisle behind the shopping cart....teehee....

[lindberg99]

Originally Posted by liamsmommy221

I must confess....I really want my own pair! They look so cool!!! Imagine how fast we could get our grocery shopping done if we could skate down the aisle behind the shopping cart....teehee....

I'm with you! I want some too. I LOVE rollerblading and would love to whip through the grocery store on wheels. But their huge appearance is a big turn off, my feet look big enough already.

My kids' school makes the kids take the wheels out at school. Kind of takes the fun out of it and you're just left with gigantic looking shoes. My daughter said they aren't popular at school anymore. She hasn't wanted them though since she tried a friend's pair and fell down. The only kids who I see using them around here are kids at the ice rink wheeling around the lobby. Maybe since they are all skaters they are able to use them more easily.

[greeny]

It drives me nuts to see kids using them where skates and rollerblades are not allowed, like at the zoo or in the grocery store.

[MissE]

ONe kid came rolling out the driveway the other day and I almost hit him with my car. I hate heelies not just because the kids fall but also because kids are unpredictable with them. They have banned them here at our local supermarket and DH and I have agreed that DS (only 6 months) will never ever get heelies.

[loriforeman]

i've also heard that they are going to investigate them for possible dangers to the achilles heel and the structure of the foot.