WOW Fred what a great surprise for you coming home and seeing DS riding so well!
But what I really wanted to share was that our neighbor has a son who the boys play with and he wouldn't even try his "big boy" bike. My kids by the end of last summer couldn't stand that he had training wheels (he was 7), and convinced him to ride his new bike. They helped him and actually taught him. His parents came over and hugged them. So, parents aren't always the best teachers.
Thats great Fred. We are going to start working on this with Adam this summer. I think we are going to have to get a smaller bike. I did the same thing your wife did I think because he barely touches the ground. lol Thanks for sharing!!
Karrie
The girls have graduated from their big-wheels and are now riding very small bikes (12 inchers) with training wheels. They have a ways to go yet :)
We've been working with him on this bike, and trying to teach him has inevitably ended in frustration for us and him in tears - I was beginning to lose hope that he'd get it.
On a hunch, I had his mother go out and buy him an undersized bike - a 16-incher (his TREK is 20 inches) - light, little tires, much easier to manage. I figured it might be less intimidating for him and might be something that the girls will be able to use soon, too.
I took him out the night before last with this new bike and with high hopes - and the same thing happened - he got frustrated, I got frustrated, he fell, started crying, starting yelling at me (it's your fault, DAD!) and the bike went back into the garage and he too his room (yelling and slamming all the way).
I was kind of bummed about the whole incident.
But yesterday, I came home from work and DS had a wry smile on his face. Mom asked him to 'go out and practice' with his bike, but I could tell that there was the wink-wink of some private knowledge going on between them.
I walk out the door - and there's my son - rolling down the street on the little bike - peddling away, up the hill, turn around, back again - came to a skid stop in front of me with the biggest smile on his face :) He was really excited and proud.
Later that night, he rode with me down the greenway trail - about two miles - he had to walk most of the hills and was still veering off onto the margins of the path and having to dismount, but he was riding!
Unreal - he literally "figured it out on his own" while I was at work, yesterday.
So - anyone having trouble with their kids learning to ride a bike - I'd recommend three things:
1) Relax
2) Get them an undersized bike to practice with
3) Relax