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Does the park give lessons? Can he use a "loaner" while doing so? Before you lay out all the dough for a really good board and etc - I'd make sure it's something he actually LIKES doing and is capable of doing.
Boarding looks really really cool. But it's harder than it looks and some kids just aren't very good at it no matter how hard they try. It HURTS. A lot. Some kids don't really like that part too much.
It's the "in" thing with certain groups of kids - and for the most part - they're mostly good kids. Of course not all of them are - but you get "bad kids" even in Boy Scouts with clean cut looks, etc. There are "bad kids" in orchestra. :shrug: There are good kids with long hair and black lipstick and piercings.
Don't sweat the small stuff.
There is the injury factor. What rules does the park have about pads? Helmets are a must, of course - and pads help prevent injuries. But if no one else is wearing them, he's gonna not wanna look like a dork with them on. If he's younger you can "make him" (well, you could if he's older, too, but...)
But kids get injured on bikes. Diving. Climbing trees. Nintendo thumb. (lol) Ice skating. Slipping in the bathtub. Kids who are active are going to have more injuries than kids who don't. Make sure you have insurance. :)
Depending on the age - I definitely wouldn't do one of those "drop off" things. I sit and wait. Read. Maybe run a quick quick errand. I do try to be inobtrusive. I should say I DID do those things. Since we've moved last year, the older one (pushing 14) hasn't been to the skate park. He very occasionaly gets his board and ramps out in the driveway. The younger one (nearly 9) is now getting more into it, though.
My older son is quite accident prone (hypermobile joints) and very active. Gymnastics, kungfu, dance, bikes, unicycles, etc... He broke his elbow in three places - in gymnastics. He's broken/sprained wrists and ankles more than once and I don't think any of those occured while boarding - could have though. I lose track. And he does have some very interesting looking scars on his elbows and knees.
One of the reasons he's "giving up" boarding is because A) he hasn't much time in his schedule anyway; and B) as a burgeoning danseur he's afraid of getting "too injured" to dance. (It helps that he's terrified of his ballet teacher. :rofl: )
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