To the editor:

As a Barrington parent and mental health professional, I am increasingly concerned about the town’s blanket restrictions on electric scooters and the message they are sending to our children.

I understand the importance of public safety. Accidents happen, and reasonable rules are necessary. However, I believe we have gone too far when our children feel unwelcome in their own community.

What prompted me to write was an incident involving my son. I received a call from the Barrington Police after he left his scooter on the sidewalk outside Barrington Books and went inside to shop. He spent approximately $150 at a local business. As he was leaving, police arrived after receiving a call and informed him that scooters were prohibited from the plaza.

My child was supporting a local business and participating in our town’s economy. Yet this became a police matter simply because he arrived on a scooter. Our children and their parents are customers of local businesses, too. Why are we making it increasingly difficult for young people to participate in the community they call home?

As a psychiatrist, I believe we must consider not only physical safety but also the emotional and social consequences of these policies. Adolescence is a critical time for developing independence, building friendships, and establishing a sense of belonging. We should be encouraging young people to get outside, socialize, be active, and learn responsibility—not making them feel that their presence in public spaces is a problem.

My own children are now afraid to go out and enjoy Barrington because they worry about getting in trouble with the police. Their friends share similar fears. These are not isolated concerns within my family. When children begin to feel like public enemy number one in their hometown, we should stop and ask ourselves whether our approach is working.

Worse, my children and their friends are now riding into Riverside and East Providence, where they feel less unwelcome. They are traveling farther from home and potentially encountering unfamiliar roads and additional risks. If our goal is safety, is pushing children out of their own community really the answer?

Would we rather have our children sitting inside playing video games and staring at screens, or outside with friends, enjoying fresh air, developing independence, and supporting local businesses? We should be encouraging the latter while establishing reasonable safety expectations.

Instead of relying on blanket restrictions, Barrington could offer scooter safety classes, designate appropriate riding areas, work with businesses to establish reasonable scooter parking, and involve parents and young people in developing practical solutions. Reckless riding and genuinely dangerous behavior should be addressed, but responsible children should not be made to feel unwelcome simply for riding a scooter.

I respect the important role our police play in keeping Barrington safe. However, we should be building trust between our children and law enforcement, not creating an environment where children are afraid to leave home for fear of being confronted.

Barrington prides itself on being a family-friendly community. That should mean more than good schools and beautiful neighborhoods. It should mean making room for our children to grow, socialize, and enjoy their hometown.

Our children are not the enemy. They are members of this community, and they deserve to be treated that way. Let’s protect public safety without making our children feel they no longer belong here.

Monissa Solberg, M.D.

Barrington