riding a bike?

[kwickimom]

My DD7 (will be 8 in 2 weeks) cannot ride a bike without training wheels. This is mostly due to us being rural and literally having nowhere to teach her without loading up the bike and going to town. Now that she is 7 she is too embarrassed to do that.

 

This kid hates all things physical and is kind of lazy and doesnt feel the need to practice or excel at anything. She is actually kind of scared of her bike.Its a fight to get her to get on it

 

would I be horrible to just forget it and not push her to learn or should I push the issue?

 

I would literally have to take 1/2 hour to an hour everyday to load it and her and the boys up and drive to a place where we can teach her. And I dont want the place to be very public because I am dreading the questions as to why we are not in school.

[jujsky]

:lurk5: Waiting to hear views on this one. DS just turned 7 & can't ride without training wheels, nor can DD (almost 6). Our road isn't really steep, but there is too much of an incline for those little legs on those little bikes, apparently. There is a bike trail we can drive to but we don't often load up the car to go there because it's sort of a pain. So OP, at least know that you are not alone & don't have the only 7 year-old who can't ride a bike :D

[RamonaQ]

I HAVE the solution for you!!!! Seriously, this worked for my way, way, way cautious 7yo dd in 2 days flat (total of 2 hours, MAX).

 

1-Make sure your child has a bike that is the right size for her, helpful not to have handbrakes. You want low tech. (we ended up buying dd a sweet little girly bike bc/ her older brother's outgrown bike was just too advanced for her...gears, handbrakes, boy bar).

 

2-Take off the pedals.

 

3-Let child coast around on the bike. Stop with feet at any point, let her build up to coast down slight incline. Practicing balance and steering. Just be mellow.

 

4-When comfortable, add pedals back. At this point, child feels confident with the balance and steering. Work with child in the same area that they practiced coasting and steering. Cheer wildly when they pedal.

 

Good luck!

 

ETA: Should you push it? eh, who knows. Our pediatrician kinda incited by energy on this when he gave me some random statistic about if kids don't learn to ride to a bike before they are 8 they won't ever. Whatever, statistics-- I don't think my little sister rode a bike until she was 13.

Edited August 16, 2010 by RamonaQ
thought of something else

[Old Dominion Heather]

Is there no grass? All you need to learn to ride a bike is a little bike and some area about 30 feet long.

 

Drop the seat on the kid's bike as low as it will go, in other words, eliminate the fear factor. It should be so low that they can stand up and get off the bike rather than wreck. Then give them a push and let them coast and try to pedal. It really, really doesn't take long to pick it up. And once they can ride with the seat way down, put it back up and they will find it is even easier with the seat higher.

 

All it takes is getting rid of the fear factor. Once the kid knows they can put their feet down, and that they are in control of the situation, they learn to just push around with their feet and get the hang of the balance.

[KathyBC]

BTDT when dd was 6.5yo for the same reasons. My back protested, but last summer we committed 15 minutes most evenings to running her up and down the slight hill on our gravel driveway. DH was the one who pushed the issue, and he was right in there motivating everyone. I'm not sure whether her brothers were a help or a hindrance. :P It helped that her cousin handed down a *purple* bike. With flowers and a bell. Reluctant as she was, she really wanted to ride that bike. She eventually got it.

[Ravin]

For my DD, a neighbor kid loaned her a bike smaller than the one she had handed down from her cousin, and with peer coaching she took about 2 days to learn. I'd previously removed her training wheels because they didn't fit the bike.

 

We lived on a farm when I was a kid, and the only way I learned was when the training wheels came off and I practiced on dirt and grass. Then I graduated to gravel, which I could never ride through with the training wheels. Having a couple of peers I was trying to keep up with (actually they were a bit older than me) also helped.

[Guest lahmeh]

Mine are 7 and almost 9 and have only been on a bike a handful of times because of having nowhere to practice. I ordered a Go Glider recently and my 8 yo is learning to glide really well and is loving it! It has completely built up her confidence in wanting to learn with pedals. It was a great investment. There are lots of You Tube videos. Here is the link...

http://pvglider.com/about.html

Edited August 16, 2010 by lahmeh

[kwickimom]

Ummm...can I just say I LOVE you guys!!!! Totally awesome advice and I will get right on it with the no pedals. I never even heard of that...thanks.

 

We do have grass to learn on, I just always had it in my head that would be too hard to pedal on, but I will give it a whirl.

 

Man, I feel way better now.

[katemary63]

My DD is 9 and although she can vaccinate a cow, ride a horse, and drive a 4-wheeler, she can not ride a two wheeler, also because of no flat, smooth surface. We have decided that as soon as it cools off, we will take the time to practice everyday at a parking lot near here till she's got the hang of it. I'm very embarassed that I haven't done it yet. I would commit to it. Every kid should be able to ride a two wheeler. Mostly because it's fun!!!

[Guest lahmeh]

Yay! Did you happen to read this part?

http://pvglider.com/trainingwheels.html

[Joker]

My 8 yr can't ride w/out training wheels and I'm not pushing. It took older dd only two days to learn at almost 10. My younger just doesn't care to learn yet and since I have the experience with our older dd I'm just gonna let it wait until she is ready.

[Chris in VA]

Just wanted to add that I have two who do not ride--and both have mixed modality. They are right handed and left footed, and, while this is not noticeable in any other way (not clumsy or anything), it does make it harder to learn to ride.

To check for it, have your child stand straight, then give your child a gentle push from behind, and note which foot they "fall" onto. If it's different than their dominant hand, they may have a little extra trouble with riding a bike.

 

Also, I think mine has some sensory issues--going fast feels uncomfortable.

[JoyfulMama]

My dd9 just learned to ride without training wheels in spring. She didn't want to go fast enough to be able to balance. :glare:

This year she was ready, and took off!

 

Now, ds5 got a bike 6 weeks ago, and now is without training wheels.

 

They are SO different. :lol:

[zaichiki]

I agree with the PP who said to make sure they can flat foot it and remove the pedals. They can easily learn on gravel, dirt, or grass, too. All three of my older kids learned to ride without training wheels between 3.5 and 4 years old and this was how we did it.

 

However, if you choose to let it slide, don't feel bad. My brother taught his wife to ride a bike. Adults can learn too, if they want to!

[Farrar]

I never learned as a kid for the EXACT reason that the OP stated - I grew up in a very rural area and there was no flat grassy ground and certainly nothing paved where I could learn. My mom and various grandparents tried to make opportunities for me to learn but they were never sustained enough and I was pretty reluctant. Then, I got to be an age where I felt too old.

 

I WISH someone had really taken the time and patience to teach me as a kid. So I say devote the time. Just my 2 cents.

[Sophia]

Dh taught my 8 y.o. to ride a bike two weeks ago in one hour.

 

At that age they really have a lot of balance they are not even aware of~they just need the space and lots of practice.

We did try to teach dd a couple years ago, but she was soooo scared and we didn't have as much space to work with, so we dropped it.

 

We just came back from a vacation where we needed as many of our dc as possible to ride their own bikes, so dh worked with Melo and our 5 y.o. at the same time, and if I hadn't been there to see it, I really would not believe how quickly they got the hang of it.

 

Having lots of room to coast with dad holding on and eventually letting go was key to their progress.

[hornblower]

One of mine didn't have the balance until closer to 9... he got better once he had spent some time on one of those scooter things.

All you need is some hardpack gravel or dry mud track - I don't think it needs to be a road. I'd keep encouraging to try, lots of short tries with no pressure really worked for my kid.

[kitten18]

We have also had great success with removing pedals to make a "balance bike". We had an old 12" bike that both of the kids had outgrown, so we took the pedals off and DD rode it around the patio this spring. Just that little balancing on the patio (patio is no bigger than a 2 car garage) really boosted her confidence when it came time to get on her regular bike.

[Guest]

I have another child who did not learn to ride until age nine, using the no pedals method. When she finally did learn it took about twenty minutes.

[Firestar Academy]

My oldest learned last summer at 9 1/2. My other just turned 7 and cannot ride two wheeler. she is content to use the training wheels.

 

 

no pressure, she'll learn eventually.

 

robin in nj

[Evergreen State Sue]

I saw a Live with Regis & Kelly show recently (could have been a repeat) where Kelly Rippa learned how to ride a bike for the first time. Somebody was teaching her in a park on grass. First she learned how to coast on a slight hill. Then when she was comfortable with her balance she would start to peddle.

 

I was older when I first learned to ride a bike. The only bike I had was my sister's and it was too big for me. My mom never learned how to ride a bike so I thought I should be just like her. I really don't remember how I eventually learned, but I'm glad I did. I think the longer you wait, fear and embarrassment sets in. That's what probably happened with my mom.

[KathyBC]

We lived on a farm when I was a kid, and the only way I learned was when the training wheels came off and I practiced on dirt and grass. Then I graduated to gravel, which I could never ride through with the training wheels. Having a couple of peers I was trying to keep up with (actually they were a bit older than me) also helped.

 

That reminds me, DH also took the training wheels off DD's bike. She would lean really hard into them, practically tipping over if she had to turn. They were more of a hindrance to her than a help, for whatever reason.

[Laura Corin]

I left it until my (non-physical) son was really ready. He learned within a few days at age nine.

 

Laura

[KidsHappen]

ETA: Should you push it? eh, who knows. Our pediatrician kinda incited by energy on this when he gave me some random statistic about if kids don't learn to ride to a bike before they are 8 they won't ever. Whatever, statistics-- I don't think my little sister rode a bike until she was 13.

 

This is absolute nonsense. One of mine didn't learn until she was ten. We lived on a very steep hill and there was no safe place for her to learn. One day she up and decided that she would teach her self by riding around in the garage. We had a very large garage/basement so she had room to make a large circle. However, this is the bi-polar child with sensory issues and the first day was very rough. The rest of us just left her down there to work it out herself while listening to the wailing and screaming from upstrairs. Her brother tried to help her at first but it didn't help and probably made it even harder so eventually ha gave up and came upstairs with the rest of us. After two or three days she had mastered it and was even able to ride around the cul-de-saq at the top of the hill.

[lakerks]

http://www.bikenewyork.org/education/classes/images/bny_learn_to_ride.pdf

 

Try this link for detailed instructions on getting them to balance first, how to remove and reinstall pedals, etc.

[kwickimom]

Yay! Did you happen to read this part?

http://pvglider.com/trainingwheels.html

 

great info thanks!

 

http://www.bikenewyork.org/education...rn_to_ride.pdf

 

Try this link for detailed instructions on getting them to balance first, how to remove and reinstall pedals, etc.

this too!

 

We are going to start today

[dragons in the flower bed]

My youngest son can balance just fine and is not afraid of being up high on the seat. He can not figure out how to kick off and pedal, though. The pedaling is the hardest part for him. What do you do for that?

[momofkhm]

They both learned in about second grade - the age your dd is now. Both ride great now at 15 and 13.

 

If she's that resistant to it, I think I'd wait it out.

[Carrie12345]

Ds will be 12 on Wednesday. He does not know how to ride a bike, and has no desire to learn.

My 8yo learned to ride without training wheels on her 8th birthday.

 

It's not a skill we find imperative, but they'll figure it out if they really want to.

[NanceXToo]

My daughter did not learn to ride a bike without training wheels until she was 8 1/2 years old.

 

At that point, she finally asked my husband to take the training wheels off her bike.

 

And then he tried for a few days to teach her to ride the bike without training wheels. No luck.

 

Then, one day, her two neighborhood friends, a boy a bit younger than her and a girl a bit older than her, decided THEY would teach her to ride without training wheels. And THEY accomplished that very day what my husband couldn't in a few days.

 

When my husband taught her, he was trying to get her to steer AND pedal while he hung on so she wouldn't fall. She wasn't coordinated enough or whatever to steer, pedal and try to balance. Plus she was afraid of him letting go. It was too much to focus on, and it just wasn't working.

 

Her friends, on the other hand, had her push off with her feet and then just keep her legs out wide and low to the ground for balance while she just focused on steering, while the bike kind of glided along and she could put her feet down to regain her balance any time she wanted to, easily. She told me, "look, they're teaching me to balance."

 

Without too much to focus on and pedaling making things harder, she focused on steering and balance and got the hang of those things first, and next thing I knew, that very day, she was pedaling, too. And doing a good job.

 

So maybe try it that way :) The kids knew what they were doing!

[kewb]

My ds taught himself to ride a 2 wheeler when he was 9. My dd is now 10 and has no desire to learn. I think she is embarrassed that she can not do it. We tried when she was 7, 8, & 9. She was able to glide a bit but never was able to progress to pedaling. My dh is upset by this but I told him when it is important to her she will learn how to do it (or perhaps he could spend the time teaching her-but that is another story). Many people manage to go through life without knowing how to ride a bike. Yes, it is a fun and healthy activity but I don't view it as an essential life skill.

[nono]

I just want to say thanks for this thread. My dd is 6 1/2 and simply loves riding attached to the back of her Dad's bike (around here they're called Alley Cats). I've been having a debate with myself (I know, seek help!) about whether to force the issue of her riding alone.

 

She seems ready for her own bike. The biggest hesitation I have in detaching her from her Dad is the sheer joyous smile she has the entire time while riding in tandem with him. It's dazzling to see. :001_wub:

 

Maybe next year she can go right to a 2 wheeler and skip the training wheels. Again, thanks for the thread! It just got a wee bit quieter in my head. :tongue_smilie:

[missiemick]

I didn't learn how to ride a bike until 5th grade. I was too afraid (not lazy.) I think the "balance bikes" that people are talking about would have been perfect for me. My kids are a lot like me (timid and afraid of being physically hurt) and I'm keeping the pressure off. It will happen.

[Wheres Toto]

I haven't read all the answers but just wanted to give our experience. My oldest is currently 16 and cannot ride a bike. When she was younger we lived on a very busy street, had no driveway and a very slanted yard so would have to take her bike by car to a school parking lot to ride. Add in both parents working full time and it didn't happen often.

 

It hasn't affected her life at all. There were maybe 2 incidences her entire life where she wished she could ride a bike - both when we went camping and there were other kids there with bikes (one of these she was already 12 years old so got over it pretty quick). She is athletic - a cheerleader and dances 4-5 days a week and has since she was 5 (probably another factor in her not learning to ride).

 

I can ride a bike but never was very good at it. We couldn't afford new bikes when I was a kid and I usually ended up riding whatever hand-me-down my older brother had at the time. They were always way too big for me and the falls off were painful. I haven't even had the opportunity to ride a bike in about 20 years.

[mom2mags]

This thread makes me feel so much better!!

 

Our just turned 7 year old can't ride without training wheels, and even with them she's nervous. I was feeling like I had failed her as a parent by not providing more opportunities to ride. I really think she just really hasn't been ready. We are going to lower her seat and maybe remove pedals and I really think that will give her more confidence. She's just so afraid that she won't be able to stop.

 

Thank you!!!

[RamonaQ]

This is absolute nonsense.

 

I know, right? (as my kids would say)

 

But, the ped really did ask this at a well-child appointment, however, seeing other recent threads on here about all the bizarre things peds. are questioning, I guess I should be glad it was only bike riding he was askingabout :lol:

[Mabelen]

I learned to ride in my 20s! My dad tried to teach me on a much too big racer old type of bike of his when I was around 9 yo. I was too scared and didn't get enough practice. It didn't help my mom was terrified of us kids riding bikes on the street and would always discourage it! Anyway, that didn't stop me from learning in my 20s and from riding my bike everywhere in town for over 10 years... I lived in a very flat university town in England for 12 years where everybody rode a bike as a means of transport.

[kwickimom]

Uhh..Oh my goodness. She is riding like a pro!!!

 

All I did was make her glide down our hill in the grass a bunch of times on day 1 and on day 2 I had her try riding on the grass and I told her it wouldnt hurt much because it was soft.....she took about 30 mins to get the hang of the pedals. I didnt take the pedals off I just told her not to use them and I put the seat all the way down. then voila!

 

Today you would think she had been riding for years :D

 

THANK YOU GALS!!!

[Tutor]

I don't know how to ride a bike. I received a bike for my 21st birthday (I had asked for one), and my dh tried to teach me to ride and I just couldn't figure it out. Every once in a while I get a twinge to learn, but I prefer walking or driving right now. Maybe someday I'll go here... like when I'm 90 and checking stuff off the bucket list. :001_smile:

[RamonaQ]

Uhh..Oh my goodness. She is riding like a pro!!!

 

All I did was make her glide down our hill in the grass a bunch of times on day 1 and on day 2 I had her try riding on the grass and I told her it wouldnt hurt much because it was soft.....she took about 30 mins to get the hang of the pedals. I didnt take the pedals off I just told her not to use them and I put the seat all the way down. then voila!

 

Today you would think she had been riding for years :D

 

THANK YOU GALS!!!

 

YES!!!!!!!!!!!:lol::lol::lol: Congrats, that is AWESOME!!!!

[OrganicAnn]

My 40 yo SIL can't ride a bike and blames her mom. I think it is good not to push, but to consistently give them opportunities to practice. We don't have a good place to ride, but my mom has a good place. I was thinking that you really need a lot of sidewalk or blacktop that is flat. Maybe a parking lot would be good - a church parking lot during the week might be good (I would only do this for your own church and only if there really wasn't traffic there.

[Maverick_Mom]

I haven't read all the answers but just wanted to give our experience. My oldest is currently 16 and cannot ride a bike. When she was younger we lived on a very busy street, had no driveway and a very slanted yard so would have to take her bike by car to a school parking lot to ride. Add in both parents working full time and it didn't happen often.

 

It hasn't affected her life at all. There were maybe 2 incidences her entire life where she wished she could ride a bike - both when we went camping and there were other kids there with bikes (one of these she was already 12 years old so got over it pretty quick). She is athletic - a cheerleader and dances 4-5 days a week and has since she was 5 (probably another factor in her not learning to ride).

 

I can ride a bike but never was very good at it. We couldn't afford new bikes when I was a kid and I usually ended up riding whatever hand-me-down my older brother had at the time. They were always way too big for me and the falls off were painful. I haven't even had the opportunity to ride a bike in about 20 years.

 

My dd is 16 and doesn't ride, either! She has decided she wants to learn, though -- no doubt because her two *younger* brothers both ride. :D