Rollerblades

[sabby52]

Declan is 7 (will be 8 in October), he was begging me for rollerblades for months which I refused but the other week he came home from his friends house with a pair apparently him and his friend done a swap and Dec is now the proud owner of rollerblades
Anyway my question is what age did your child learn to use them properly and without support ? I have had Dec out a few times and he is like bambi I have to support him and if I let go all he can do is stand still or fall
Do you think I should just give up and get him some rollerskates to practice on first ?

Thanks

 

[emyandpotato]

Why don't you want him to have them? I'd just let him use what he has. Loads of kids learn on roller blades just fine- I did!

 

[sabby52]

I just don't fancy spending the summer in A&E

 

[mum140381]

i would keep helping him it wont take him long to get the hang of it or he will prob fall over once then not want them anymore xx

 

[Natsku]

He just needs a bit of practice, he'll get the hang of it soon enough. Its just learning the balance, same as with bikes. Might want to get him some knee pads and elbow pads (as well as a helmet) so he doesn't injure himself too much in the process of learning!

 

[RachA]

At a pp said-he'll either get the hang of them quickly or fall down too many times and not want to do it anymore.

I would 100% recommend wrist pads rather than anything else. I used to rollerblade a lot-I would go from home to work and back again on them (about 3 or 4 miles each way and it wasn't flat!). In my experience and from talking to the people at the shop I bought them from, wrist guards are much more important as when you fall you are more likely to put your hands out to break your fall. Obviously if you can get knee and elbow pads too but if you were just getting one thing it's the wrist that you need.
Obviously keep away from slopes at the moment and he should be fine.

 

[Natsku]

Good point about the wrist pads! I still don't know how to stop on roller blades (I always used roller skates, but now I have blades and sometimes take Maria out on her bike while I'm on the blades) so I have to use her to stop me!

 

[RachA]

Good point about the wrist pads! I still don't know how to stop on roller blades (I always used roller skates, but now I have blades and sometimes take Maria out on her bike while I'm on the blades) so I have to use her to stop me!

Lol-they should have either a front break like roller skates or more likely a back one where you transfer your weight into the heel of one of your feet. If they don't have either they are stunt ones!

 

[Natsku]

Good point about the wrist pads! I still don't know how to stop on roller blades (I always used roller skates, but now I have blades and sometimes take Maria out on her bike while I'm on the blades) so I have to use her to stop me!

Lol-they should have either a front break like roller skates or more likely a back one where you transfer your weight into the heel of one of your feet. If they don't have either they are stunt ones!

They've got a back break but I can't seem to use it right. I bought them second hand so maybe the break has worn down so doesn't work, or I'm just doing it wrong.

 

[MoonLove]

I wish so much I could roller blade, I want to learn now but I'm too shy. I was the kid who tried them, fell over and never tried again. I went to a roller disco when I was about 12 and my friends skating round made me so envious (but I was a teenager then and now way was I going to be seen learning and falling over!). I wish I knew how!

 

[sabby52]

Thanks for the replies everyone, he has wrist, elbow and knee pads and a helmet, got them for his space scooter and bike. He ha been practising really hard and is really determined to learn but he just cant get it, his balance is pretty, he learned how to ride a 2 wheeled bike in less than 2 hours when he was about 4-5 and he is pretty good on his scooters and skateboard, he ust cant seem to master the rollerblabes lol I think we will keep at it and see how it goes, hopefully he will either get it or just give up.