ASK A MOM: E-scooter safety, new mom guilt, and the story behind 6-7
Molly Grantham tackles your parenting questions
Q: I’ve heard and seen lots of reports about kid accidents on e-scooters and e-bikes. Yet they’re all around our city and fairly convenient. Should my kids ride them? At what age? What are the ultimate risks and how do I keep them safe? —Caroline
A: Great question. I reached out to Novant Health to get an expert answer.
“E-bikes and e-scooters are fun, but they also carry real risks for kids,” says Angela Bryan, the Trauma & Injury Prevention Coordinator for Novant. “These devices can reach 15–30 mph, and accidents with vehicles, pedestrians, or uneven surfaces can lead to fractures or head trauma.”
Yet, they’re everywhere. Across our city, neighborhoods, and store shelves.
“Kids can ride them,” Bryan says. “They just have to use safe practices and follow age limits. It’s essential. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children under 16 not use e-scooters at all. And for ages 9–12, devices that exceed 10 mph are not recommended.”
Bryan also says parents should consider more than just age.
“Heavy or overly powerful devices can be hard for kids to control,” she says. “Larger wheels and adjustable seats improve stability. Helmets and protective pads are essential, along with adult supervision. Slower speeds, the right equipment, and consistent safety practices are the best ways to keep kids safe.”
Q: Hi Molly! Ok, help me out. What the heck is 6-7?
A: A nonsensical, unmeaningful phrase that makes adults question its meaning and feel totally left out and uncool for not knowing.
I finally asked someone myself a couple months ago. The actual origin comes from the lyric “6-7” in the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by rapper Skrilla. In that song, “6-7” is a repeated element, and in many viral video uses, the “6-7” portion is the part that gets clipped and reused. Mostly on TikTok.
The meme also got tied to NBA player LaMelo Ball, who is 6’7’’. People started making edits to basketball videos of LaMelo to the Skrilla song, syncing the “6-7” lyric to his highlights.
Like most things viral, it took off for no real reason. Kids started cracking up when hearing the numbers next to each other in real life and using it in conversation. Adults’ confusion only added to the fun. (Last month, September 6th and 7th were the first full weekend of September; I thought my 11-year-old was going to faint over the excitement of seeing them as Saturday and Sunday blocks together on the calendar.)
So, what does it mean? Whatever you want. Think of it as a shorthand, trendy filler phrase with no fixed, stable definition. It can be used in a broad variety of contexts—sometimes to a non sequitur, sometimes humorously, sometimes like a noncommittal rating or shrug of shoulders, sometimes a way to respond to questions.
Example:
Q: “How was your day?”
A: “Six seven.”
Then you’re left to wonder and write into a parent column. Which, actually, is part of it. Its lack of clear meaning IS part of the appeal for kids.
But it’s not just kids. I was in Cincinnati a few weeks ago delivering a keynote. During a live Q&A, I answered someone’s question by saying, “I don’t know exactly when… a few months ago. Maybe six or seven.”
Two male grown adults in a front table erupted in laughter and said, “You said 6-7!”
So, yeah. It’s a thing. Don’t worry though. It’s a trend for now, likely gone by 2026 or 2027.
Q: How do I handle the guilt of not loving the newborn stage?—Kristen
A: Kristen: You are not alone.
I felt the exact same way during newborn-hood, with my two older children in particular. I missed myself. I missed adult conversation. I missed running things at work and making decisions. I got sick of doing math about milk ounces and sleeping hours and sticking to the routine of nap-eat-play. I wanted—selfishly—a reaction from my baby. A smile or coo or gurgle of love.
At the time, I felt alone in my feelings and missed the world outside. Everyone who came by, called, or texted said things like, “Isn’t this amazing? Aren’t you LOVING it? Take this in, Molly. Don’t forget one moment. Let the angels sing from the heavens every day. It goes by so fast.”
All I wanted was for it to go by fast. I didn’t love it. Didn’t hear angels. There were amazing moments I felt connected to my babies… usually after baths and swaddling them cutely. But the feelings were off-and-on, and often times I really did wish for them to get just a little bit older.
Now, of course, I miss those stages. While I can’t imagine doing it all again, I do love holding someone else’s newborn.
Here’s the thing: Some people do love the newborn stage. Others love toddlers. Some people are kindergarten teachers for a reason. Middle school minds intrigue others, and some of my friends say raising teenagers is their favorite stage. No way is right. No way is wrong. You do you, Momma. Glad you asked and the good news is, time moves on. That, death, and taxes are the three things in life we can never change.
And, for what it’s worth, I did write about these newborn stages and trying to reconcile my role as a new mom in my first book, Small Victories. I don’t say this as self-promotion. I say it as reassurance and to circle back to the first thing: You’re not alone.
That does it for October. Get those costumes out, prepare to raid your kids’ candy sacks, and keep going my friends. Submit questions on the front page of Charlotte Parent. I’m here waiting to read what’s on your mind.
—Molly
MOLLY GRANTHAM is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, speaker, author, and mom of three. Follow her on Facebook or Instagram, or visit mollygrantham.com.
