Bike riding classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m being a total bitch but really? You need to out source how to teach your child to ride a bike? Holy cow! Who taught you?

Not OP but yes you are being a total bitch. REI was a lifesaver for my 2 clumsy kids. They made it easy, it took a morning, and took all the stress out of it. But OP, not sure why you rule out REI. It was a pain to get down to that park in Alexandria where they teach but in hindsight totally, totally worth it. One morning and we never looked back.

I was never able to learn because of inner ear problems leading to balance issues.

Bitch.

This was responding to 21:40.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m being a total bitch but really? You need to out source how to teach your child to ride a bike? Holy cow! Who taught you?

Well, I guess I'm being a bitch too then. Teach your own kid to ride a bike! Sheesh. Its really not that difficult and that experience makes it all the more rewarding for you AND your kid.

Some kids just don't listen to their parents. Have you ever seen rec sports teams where the coaches' kids don't respond well to their parents but are fine with other adults? Same concept for some.

I have two kids- one learned to ride her bike with no problem. The other has coordination issues and trust me, the experience was NOT rewarding in any way for either adult or kid. In the end, it was my mom who got him going. What's rewarding is being able to go on family bike rides together, not the actually process of learning to ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m being a total bitch but really? You need to out source how to teach your child to ride a bike? Holy cow! Who taught you?

I find this hilarious as well. Like the parents can’t split duties to take one kid to a flat parking lot to practice once or twice a week (including weekends!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m being a total bitch but really? You need to out source how to teach your child to ride a bike? Holy cow! Who taught you?

I find this hilarious as well. Like the parents can’t split duties to take one kid to a flat parking lot to practice once or twice a week (including weekends!).

I agree. FFS is there nothing that parents won't outsource anymore?

[Anonymous]

Maybe OP doesn't know how to ride a bike. Not everyone knows how to ride a bike! Maybe op thinks it's easier for my kid to be taught by others since she won't listen to me.

Outsourcing=she's providing employment for another person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After the REI one did not work for our child, we did one through Fairfax County Parks which totally worked. Maybe your area has something similar? Or if not you decide to do a Ffx one?

What was the problem with the REI class? Was just looking at one for my so ...

I had heard such good things. We had tried teaching ourselves (bitchy posters take note) but it did not work. Just ended in lots of fighting, carrying over into everyday life, and all with him still not learning. Some kids just do bot do well with their own parents as teachers, for my sensitive perfectionist it is especially true of anything he has difficulty mastering. Like he gets embarrassed we see him struggle? IDK - but not some magical bonding experience as suggested nor even a successful experience. I will absolutely outsource something I can if I ha e tried and don’t have success. Life is too short to sweat that!

Anyway, our REI class was full - whatever max capacity was - with varying levels of readiness, so between that and the instructor ratio they just didn’t get far enough along to the point where it worked. It likely varies. I was disappointed though because I had heard how great it was. The county rec class was more expensive (longer) but worth it. If I run into trouble again with my youngest I won’t bother with the REI class and will go straight to the parks one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m being a total bitch but really? You need to out source how to teach your child to ride a bike? Holy cow! Who taught you?

Well, I guess I'm being a bitch too then. Teach your own kid to ride a bike! Sheesh. Its really not that difficult and that experience makes it all the more rewarding for you AND your kid.

Yes, you are being clueless. Some kids have disabilities. We've tried for years. Our youngest can't do it. We were going to pay for occupational therapist to help, but I'm happy to hear that there is one more less expensive option we can try first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After the REI one did not work for our child, we did one through Fairfax County Parks which totally worked. Maybe your area has something similar? Or if not you decide to do a Ffx one?

What was the problem with the REI class? Was just looking at one for my so ...

I had heard such good things. We had tried teaching ourselves (bitchy posters take note) but it did not work. Just ended in lots of fighting, carrying over into everyday life, and all with him still not learning. Some kids just do bot do well with their own parents as teachers, for my sensitive perfectionist it is especially true of anything he has difficulty mastering. Like he gets embarrassed we see him struggle? IDK - but not some magical bonding experience as suggested nor even a successful experience. I will absolutely outsource something I can if I ha e tried and don’t have success. Life is too short to sweat that!

Anyway, our REI class was full - whatever max capacity was - with varying levels of readiness, so between that and the instructor ratio they just didn’t get far enough along to the point where it worked. It likely varies. I was disappointed though because I had heard how great it was. The county rec class was more expensive (longer) but worth it. If I run into trouble again with my youngest I won’t bother with the REI class and will go straight to the parks one.

PP, thanks so much for your response. My son is totally a sensitive perfectionist, too! He doesn't want to ride outside until he knows how to ride! So...how exactly he wants to learn, I don't know, but our basement is the size of a postage stamp so that's not an option. But I get it: he doesn't want anyone to see his struggle, esp the older boys on our block.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m being a total bitch but really? You need to out source how to teach your child to ride a bike? Holy cow! Who taught you?

Well said.

[Anonymous]

We used REI. It was great. The kid picked it right up. I was not able to do the push and run alongside thing my parent did. REI May be outsourcing but it was more effective than my efforts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OP doesn't know how to ride a bike. Not everyone knows how to ride a bike! Maybe op thinks it's easier for my kid to be taught by others since she won't listen to me.

Outsourcing=she's providing employment for another person.

Literally EVERY SINGLE aspect of parenting is easier if someone else does it. Mark my word, we aren't far off from people hiring people to come put their kids to bed for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m being a total bitch but really? You need to out source how to teach your child to ride a bike? Holy cow! Who taught you?

I find this hilarious as well. Like the parents can’t split duties to take one kid to a flat parking lot to practice once or twice a week (including weekends!).

I agree. FFS is there nothing that parents won't outsource anymore?

So what? I don’t get why you are getting so worked up about this. Sometimes it isn’t just about finding the time, just some kids respond better to adults other than their parents about thrive like this. Do you also get upset when parents take their kids to swimming lessons or driving lessons? Because the parents could teach those themselves, no?

[Anonymous]

Here'a few tips :

-Lower the seat, like a lot;

-Practice on the grass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m being a total bitch but really? You need to out source how to teach your child to ride a bike? Holy cow! Who taught you?

The person who taught me was a very patient boyfriend when I was 27. My parents gave up on me. I used to think it was funny but now I realize it’s because we were all miserable. I would’ve been much better off with a class. Similarly, I’m not confident enough on a bike to safely teach my kids. Luckily my husband is into it, but if he wasn’t, I would definitely use a class.

[Anonymous]

This is such a strange post, I had never heard of outsourcing this. It took my kids my 3 kids all of 30 minutes on a long empty parking lot to learn how to ride their bike. We did it the Spring after each turned 6 years old. Even my non athletic (at all!) middle child learned. My husband taught them, it was nice bonding time. I guess it makes sense for single parents who work long hours/weekends and just don't have the time/energy. I believe they had a bike riding couple of weeks at school also, but they were much older.