Confession: I don’t own a bike.
I used to. Remember the days of old, when you and your tween friends would hop on your bikes and ride for hours, without your parents having a blessed clue where you were??
It’s been years since I’ve owned one, but that doesn’t really bother me. I don’t even want one. Because even when the weather is ideal for biking -as it’s been lately- any attempt at getting myself out to bike would look something like this:
Today’s punishment- you get the back seat.
(www.blisstree.com)
Here’s why I’m not a bike fan.
Because kids aren’t born capable of riding; they must be taught.
And that job BLOWS.
It’s just gotten so… complicated. I get it; I want to keep them alive. But the GEAR. And it starts early.
The important thing is, she’s safe. And clearly, having FUN.
You need the helmets. The knee pads. Maybe elbow pads. A bell, so that your child can warn pedestrians… over and over and OVER again… that they’re crawling along.
And how about that special handlebar that attaches to the back of the kid’s bike seat so that the parent can “guide” (steer) the child as they “ride”??
Disclaimer: WORST.IDEA.EVER. Hence the reason that I am not in the picture; I was taking it as future evidence of why, SIX kids later, children should steer themselves.
The steering bar. Sure, it keeps them upright. But not only does it delay the child in learning to steer themselves, it also becomes less of a skill-building exercise for the kid, and more of an exercise for the PARENT. Sort of like this:
“Where to?”
Multiply the challenges of teaching a child to ride a bike by, say, three, and you don’t go very far. Everyone learns at a different pace, and what you end up with is a slow, cautious, and loud parade around the block. Complete with the “cling cling!” chime of three separate bike bells every 10 seconds.
Looks cute, right? How much cuter would it look if the bikes actually MOVED?
But yes, some of them have eventually learned to ride. Some have mastered all of the techniques. Others are more hesitant with certain aspects, like STOPPING the bike when in motion. And others prefer not to have to pedal and steer at the SAME TIME. Because then there’s no hand free to ring your bike bell. Continuously.
I’m currently in the throes of teaching two of them to ride, since The Captain’s current work hours limit his time to do so. And the ex-coach in me adopts more of a …tough love… approach….
.Just kidding. Kind of.
No, I’m really pretty patient. But here’s the thing. Do I want my kids to be safe? Of course? Do I want to protect their tender little heads, and knees, and elbows, and wrists, etc. Yep. But,
I don’t want them to be TOO afraid.
I remember learning how to ride my bike. It was the famed “80’s method”. Ready?
My dad gave me a start by running alongside me, and then…
JUST LET GO.
Did I fall? I’m sure of it. Probably multiple times. But I survived. And I learned. Well, except how to actually, you know, STOP. The whole braking concept was overlooked. But no worries. I’d plan my ride strategically- making sure when I was done that I began slowing down in front of my next door neighbor’s house.
They had front bushes. Nice, thick front bushes. And when I was done riding, I’d fling myself off the bike and into the bushes.
(No helmet, of course. Or knee pads. At least there weren’t thorns.)
I’ve been trying, through trial and error, to teach the bike riding. It’s not easy.
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So please, dear readers, HELP ME. Feel free to share your thoughts on technique: what worked, & how you went about it. Because the sooner these guys learn to ride, the more outdoor fun we’ll have.
Oh, and suggestions on teaching them how to brake are crucial. Our neighbors don’t have enough bushes to handle our crew….
© Copyright Six Pack Mom, All rights Reserved. Written For: SPM Writes
Leslie says
You are hilarious and your kids are adorable. Back to the question at hand. Learning to ride a bike. The first step is to have the child walk the bike along the planned route. This will pair handling the bike while moving vs handling the bike while sitting still. While walking, have them practice leaning into the turns. This allows them to become familiar with the position their body will in while riding, and also to plan and clearly see where they are going to be riding the bike. As the child is walking the bike, notice whether the child is breathing easily or holding their breath. Encourage breathing as holding their breath increases the fear reaction. Okay, next step. Have the child practice balancing on the bike, while next to a fence to balance themselves with an hand on the fence if necessary. While practicing balancing in a non-moving stance, have the child practice engaging the brake. Then when the child is ready, encourage him or her to move a few inches, then engage the brake, repeat until confident. Gradually the child will increase the distance as they are ready. Happy trails, Leslie
SixPackMommy says
Thanks, Leslie! Since this post, the two have finally learned to ride, but I will make use of these steps with the next two, so I appreciate that! 🙂
Nishat says
Thanks for sharing valuable information.