I'm the meanest mom around....

Ok, we all rose to this rank by our children: "You are the meanest mom".. Well I have once again (probably the thousandth time) been told this. The issue this time... D got a cool bike from his older brother - a hand me down - and he wants to so badly ride it. Then why don't he you probably ask.. well here we go .. I am the meanest mom because ... you ready for this .. this mean mom is making him wear a helmet and omg he will be the dorkiest kid in the neighborhood. Per him "No one else has to wear a helmet - why do I?" I do feel for him, because I do not think helmets were even invented for bikes when I rode one - (no i am not THAT old.. - in case you were thinking that). But I know the statistics - and even know of someone who decided that he was too cool to wear a helment and now he is alone in his own little world unable to communicate or recognize anyone around him. I tell him my rule is No Helmet - No Bike. "But I will be careful mom"... How do you get thru to an 11 year old that it's not him (well really it is because he is a daredevil and of course a true all american boy that doesn't think there is anything wrong with riding up a 3 foot ramp and flying thru the air). I try to explain that being ''dorky'' (in his terms) is better than lying in a bed with a head injury - or 6 foot under. Of course, no kid thinks about that -- all they think about is "it won't happen to me". So for the time being the bike is put away because he won't be caught anywhere with a helmet since no other kid does. This helmet thing isn't new -- all summer long he wore a helmet - oops.. he is 11 now .. he doesn't need one per him. Even showing him the so called State Law that requires anyone under 12 to have a helmet doesn't impress him. His argument - then why don't the cops say something to the kids that are riding their bikes and don't have a helmet. He has a point -- but I continue to tell him that it is for his protection. I guess for today the bike will remain in storage until he feels undorky! This is when I wish I was able to buy myself a bike and we could go bike riding together all in our dorky helmets!