I see this started last year, but there doesn't seem to be much activity in this section of the forum, so I'll chime in.
Here's my 2cents:
People are whiny! Plain and simple. No matter what you do, people will alway react to every situation. If you bubble wrap a kid and only let them play with nerf balls, people will whine that the child doesn't get to experience life. If you take the bubble wrap off, that same person will say you're endangering your child.
I am a parent, not just any parent, an over protective parent. I have 2 boys, 7 & 6, I am deathly afraid that they'll get hurt on everything, but at the same time, I'm afraid they won't get hurt. Confused? Here's the deal, I have a friend who is 19, and lived under the protective bubble of over protective parents. She stubbed her toe (not cut it off, not broke it, just stubbed it), she FREAKED the hell out, and asked someone to take her to the hospital. I replied with a lovingly "Shut the f*** up, you'll be alright", and you know what? She was!! OMG SHE DIDN'T DIE!!! People like this are products of not experiencing life, and yes, bad things are life experience too. Now I'm not saying go out and get your kid permanently disfigured, or killed, BUT let them have fun, if they get a little hurt, it's good for them.
Currently: my 2 kids have a quad each, and a pocket bike each. Yup, those pocket bikes the police impounded from us all about 15 years ago, they're still around. I make them wear helmets (properly sized, and test fitted), they wear gloves, boots, jeans, and a jacket with elbow pads in them. When they're on the quads, and hitting jumps, they have to wear the chest/spine protection.
Also: I ride them on the back of my motorcycles (not both, but one at a time). Is a 4 year old too young to ride on the back of a bike? Uh...I'd say so, the law states they have to be able to touch the pegs, but who knows, there are a LOT of large 4 year olds, maybe the child could touch the pegs.
Do I ride differently when one of my kids is on the back? HELL YEAH I do!
Am I going on the freeway and lane splitting? NO FREAKIN WAY!!
BUT, around town, slow starts, and with a grab handle belt, I totally ride them around, they love it! They like the sport bikes better than the harley, but I still don't ride fast with them on the back.
Here's a tip for gear:
Helmet - try to get a carbon fiber helmet for a child (yes they're expense, but it's safer, and MUCH lighter. The neck strength thing is legit, some helmets are heavy. But motocross helmets, and carbon fiber full face, are light)
Gloves are awesome, and cheap. My hands are all scared up from a horrible combination of fighting, and motorcycles. Gloves would have prevented the motorcycle scars.
Spine protection/chest plate - Fits under a jacket, and they are extremely helpful if things do go badly.
Boots - Steal toe boots come in all sizes, and they're cheap
And not that I work for them, or anything, but cyclegear is a great source. They have loads of child gear, or can order it, and still have the same fitment return policy.
fyi:
Something to think about, and when you see me with one of my kids on the back of my bikes, feel free to freak out, I don't care how people react.