Learning to ride a bike - how old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took my kids to a baseball field to learn how to ride their bikes. Falling over on dirt hurts a lot less than falling over on concrete or asphalt. Plus, the bike doesn't getting going so fast on packed dirt.

Took them a day to learn. Once they got the hang of it I took them to an empty parking lot to ride around.

Yes, but this takes time and patience. Something most parents in 2017 do not have. Much easier to sign up and pay for classes to delegate almost anything.

Unfortunately this is all too true. Pretty soon you'll be able to parent from your Smart Phone.

we pay people to teach our kid 100 other things (sports, swimming, music lessons, tutoring) , why is it such a big deal to pay someone to teach your kid to ride a bike? Sometimes kids learn better that way and it reduces a lot of parent-child tension, especially with older kids who are reluctant, for whatever reason, to learn. does it make you feel better to essentially tell someone they are a crappy parent because they hire out this one thing? Give me a break.

Oh sweetie, if you think the majority of the kids in our country have tutors, private coaches, music instructors, and even a pool to go to learn how to swim in - you need to go see how your maid lives. 40% of kids in America live in poverty. But if it makes you feel better to say all that, to justify paying for a class to teach your own 8yr old how to pedal and balance a bike, go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By 8 they can ride a bike and go off to the park or visit friends without parents. If that isn't incentive enough, not sure what is.

I would also not drive them anywhere that is bikable.

Don't all their friends ride bikes all over the neighborhood?

Sorry, at those ages it is tough love. No more coddling.

Where do you live? For most people who live in DC or the DC suburbs, this is not the norm, nor is it good parenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took my kids to a baseball field to learn how to ride their bikes. Falling over on dirt hurts a lot less than falling over on concrete or asphalt. Plus, the bike doesn't getting going so fast on packed dirt.

Took them a day to learn. Once they got the hang of it I took them to an empty parking lot to ride around.

Yes, but this takes time and patience. Something most parents in 2017 do not have. Much easier to sign up and pay for classes to delegate almost anything.

Unfortunately this is all too true. Pretty soon you'll be able to parent from your Smart Phone.

we pay people to teach our kid 100 other things (sports, swimming, music lessons, tutoring) , why is it such a big deal to pay someone to teach your kid to ride a bike? Sometimes kids learn better that way and it reduces a lot of parent-child tension, especially with older kids who are reluctant, for whatever reason, to learn. does it make you feel better to essentially tell someone they are a crappy parent because they hire out this one thing? Give me a break.

Oh sweetie, if you think the majority of the kids in our country have tutors, private coaches, music instructors, and even a pool to go to learn how to swim in - you need to go see how your maid lives. 40% of kids in America live in poverty. But if it makes you feel better to say all that, to justify paying for a class to teach your own 8yr old how to pedal and balance a bike, go for it.

LOL....both of my kids actually learned to ride a bike before 4. One actually learned to ride a few weeks before turning 3, but thanks for your judgement. My husband also took our kids to the pool once a week all winter long to teach them to swim. oh and my kids attend a title 1 school so I understand poverty and I am probably one of the few people I know who doesn't even have a house cleaner. However, the vast majority of DCUM are among the pretty elite. Most of us have pool memberships, pay for expensive swim lessons and so forth so suggesting a $60 bike riding lessons for a kid who is not motivated to learn seems reasonable and I don't think someone is a crappy or lazy parent for doing so. Sure the kid could probably eventually figure it out, or maybe not if she is really not interested or motivated, but hey go on judging if it makes you feel better.

[Anonymous]

NP here and I wanted to thank the PP who posted the classes at Jones Point. My DD age 8 and DS age 6 also do not know how to ride bikes yet. My son will scooter like a little speed demon, but DD is not as coordinated and unsure of scootering. But she really wants to learn. We live in a very urban neighborhood where there haven't been opportunities for them to easily learn or ride (except a busy parking lot). So we are going to register for one of the classes.

[Anonymous]

PP Again - To the posters who think 8-year-old kids who don't yet ride bikes are just sitting around and surfing on the ipad: Not everyone in the DMV lives on a culdesac and can easily send our kids out to ride bike. My 8-year-old DD doesn't ride because we haven't had the opportunity for her to learn, and she hasn't cared much about learning until recently. She dances three days a week, and is involved in other activities like music and drama, and we don't live in a community where a bunch of her peers are out in the neighborhood riding bikes around because we are in a much more urban environment. It wouldn't be safe for me to send her out alone to ride bikes, and I think that's pretty common for a lot of close-in-DC DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are bike classes that focus on kids learning to ride a bike. You might try one of those.

NP, where?

Google took 30 seconds:
http://www.waba.org/youth-education/

not sure where you are located but the Parks programs in Fairfax also have them

Np. I tried googling but can't seem to find it. Could you post the link? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP Again - To the posters who think 8-year-old kids who don't yet ride bikes are just sitting around and surfing on the ipad: Not everyone in the DMV lives on a culdesac and can easily send our kids out to ride bike. My 8-year-old DD doesn't ride because we haven't had the opportunity for her to learn, and she hasn't cared much about learning until recently. She dances three days a week, and is involved in other activities like music and drama, and we don't live in a community where a bunch of her peers are out in the neighborhood riding bikes around because we are in a much more urban environment. It wouldn't be safe for me to send her out alone to ride bikes, and I think that's pretty common for a lot of close-in-DC DCUM.

Downtown and my 6 year old can ride. Being urban is not an excuse.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand the mean electronics posters. My kid doesn't want to learn either, but she's a whiz on the scooter and playing catch and running in circles. The tablet isn't her distraction...other preferred outdoor activities are.

[Anonymous]

I thought it was crazy that I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was 8, because my brother broke it, and everyone in my California neighborhood rode bikes at age 6 or 7.
Kids learned to ride at 9 and 8 respectively. Once the training wheels came off they each learned in under an hour.
The younger kid kept saying I can't do it, I can't do it, then got on the bike and started off without really realizing she was already doing it!

[Anonymous]

Son taught himself at age 4. He rode w training wheels. The wheels lifted of the ground so he was riding without them without knowing. Then they came off.

[Anonymous]

The FCPA classes are only offered during the summer as camps. The camps are taught by American Inline. My 8yo son went to a bike riding (not learn to ride) camp of theirs last summer and is begging to go again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took my kids to a baseball field to learn how to ride their bikes. Falling over on dirt hurts a lot less than falling over on concrete or asphalt. Plus, the bike doesn't getting going so fast on packed dirt.

Took them a day to learn. Once they got the hang of it I took them to an empty parking lot to ride around.

Yes, but this takes time and patience. Something most parents in 2017 do not have. Much easier to sign up and pay for classes to delegate almost anything.

Unfortunately this is all too true. Pretty soon you'll be able to parent from your Smart Phone.

we pay people to teach our kid 100 other things (sports, swimming, music lessons, tutoring) , why is it such a big deal to pay someone to teach your kid to ride a bike? Sometimes kids learn better that way and it reduces a lot of parent-child tension, especially with older kids who are reluctant, for whatever reason, to learn. does it make you feel better to essentially tell someone they are a crappy parent because they hire out this one thing? Give me a break.

Oh sweetie, if you think the majority of the kids in our country have tutors, private coaches, music instructors, and even a pool to go to learn how to swim in - you need to go see how your maid lives. 40% of kids in America live in poverty. But if it makes you feel better to say all that, to justify paying for a class to teach your own 8yr old how to pedal and balance a bike, go for it.

LOL....both of my kids actually learned to ride a bike before 4. One actually learned to ride a few weeks before turning 3, but thanks for your judgement. My husband also took our kids to the pool once a week all winter long to teach them to swim. oh and my kids attend a title 1 school so I understand poverty and I am probably one of the few people I know who doesn't even have a house cleaner. However, the vast majority of DCUM are among the pretty elite. Most of us have pool memberships, pay for expensive swim lessons and so forth so suggesting a $60 bike riding lessons for a kid who is not motivated to learn seems reasonable and I don't think someone is a crappy or lazy parent for doing so. Sure the kid could probably eventually figure it out, or maybe not if she is really not interested or motivated, but hey go on judging if it makes you feel better.

Thank you PP. Seriously - why are people so judgey. I don't know how to ride a bike myself, have a bad back and my DS has a coordination disorder (mild but still has one). And many kids learn much better with a teacher who knows what they are doing than from a parent. Yes, I'm fortunate I can drop $60 -- so appreciate the recommendations for places for lessons.

[Anonymous]

Rei has good bike riding lessons for kids.

[Anonymous]

Reward her for showing the least bit of interest. Is she hiding that she is scared with the stubbornness?

[Anonymous]

What is up with the posters mentioning classes? How did you all learn to ride a bike? Can we please stop teaching our kids that everything that needs to be learned has to be in a class. Take the kid out to a field. An 8yr old can learn on their own. Sit with a book. Help if needed.