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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that I am a failure as a parent because my dd aged 10 doesnt know how to ride a bike

121 replies

sonu678 · 18/04/2013 23:21

Because I have been so caught up in my own work, that I haven spent time taking her out. And her old bike has not only died in the rain where her father left it all year, and I didnt notice. And even if it was prisitne, she is too tall for it, and wouldnt be using her muscles properly on it anyways.

please tell me Im not as bad as I think I am. She hasnt done the bikability in school this week, along with 9 others, because she hasnt got a bike.

OP posts:

steppemum · 18/04/2013 23:26

of course you are not a bad parent. Kids can't all have everything.

But if you want ot get her a bike, there are often bikes on freecycle, and you can get a decent one for not much on ebay and gumtree.

sydlexic · 18/04/2013 23:29

My DS is 12 and can't ride a bike, I did try. Dont honk it is important.

lurkedtoolong · 18/04/2013 23:29

I'm 37, still can't ride a bike and think my mum and dad did a pretty good job.

Cravingdairy · 18/04/2013 23:29

I can't ride a bike! My parents aren't failures. I still mean to learn some day. It's a great skill to have and she can learn any time. Perhaps you could hire bikes for a day somewhere?

Original poster

sonu678 · 18/04/2013 23:29

thank you.
Its the time, rather than the money that is the issue tbh. I still dont know when i will find the time to take her out. :( and yet ive always felt cycling is a life skill.

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 18/04/2013 23:31

I haven't ridden a bike in 34 years. Still here. Hasn't done me a lick of harm.

pigletmania · 18/04/2013 23:32

My dd 6 sn can ride by not without stabilisers. She is not tat keen on riding tbh so I don't push her

GlitterySkulls · 18/04/2013 23:33

I can't ride a bike either, I don't resent my parents for it. no biggie, imo.

PTA · 18/04/2013 23:34

I would not worry too much, as steppemum says, kids can't have everything.

Can she really not ride a bike or is it just that she doesn't have one? I was beginning to panic as ds1 now aged 10, has only learnt to ride a bike in the last few weeks, a big proper bike without stabilisers.

I was worried as I thought he had missed his "window of opportunity" to learn because I had never taken him out on his bike for various reasons, not least being that I actively dislike cycling and haven't ridden a bike since I was about 10 or 11.

andubelievedthat · 18/04/2013 23:36

so, your 2 busy to notice ,? your husband doesn"t pay enough attn ?and anyway, the bike is the wrong size ?and u work in the medical arena, as in ,"she would not be using her muscles properly ? you are not a bad mum ,your making excuses . >can she swim? and hear comes the "how dare i ..... "but , be fair , u asked .o.m.o

expatinscotland · 18/04/2013 23:37

I don't care for cycling, either. It's dangerous, too.

There's no such thing as a window of opportunity, it's a motor skill, you can learn them throughout your life.

cestlavielife · 18/04/2013 23:38

If you busy with her doing other stuff then don't sweat it...but it reads like you don't spend any time with her at all ???

What time do you spend with her ? Eg in weekend ? What do you do In that time with her?
If you want to teach her it is about time management

But it is not a big deal if she doesn't ride a bike ..do you have one yourself ?

But maybe you do need to find time to spend with her doing something or change that time to bike riding if she /you think it is important .

sinpan · 18/04/2013 23:40

My ds was older than your dd when he cracked it . I never learned myself. A neighbour did the job. I do think if it had been left too long he might never have learned, which is what happened to me. It became a big deal . But definitely plenty of time left for a ten year old

WizardofOs · 18/04/2013 23:40

I can't ride a bike either. I am 30 more than 10.

My Dad had a fear of bikes (yes really!) so I never had one. I have not really missed it to be honest.

sinpan · 18/04/2013 23:41

A neighbour did the job of teaching my ds, I meant!

auntmargaret · 18/04/2013 23:42

It's a life skill.

expatinscotland · 18/04/2013 23:42

Swimming is a life skill. You can live long and happily without riding a bike. Never saw the reason myself.

Pleaseandthankyou · 18/04/2013 23:45

My dd is sharing a flat at uni with two nineteen year olds who can't ride a bike. They are talented in other ways ....

auntmargaret · 18/04/2013 23:46

To get from A to B, quicker than Shank's Pony? Where would the Resistance have been without bikes? You did see Chummy in Call the Midwife?
That is all.

Startail · 18/04/2013 23:47

My DDs tyres are flat, I get realy nervous of them cycling on our narrow lanes. I don't encorage them to cycle as much as I should.

I used to go miles, but we had less traffic and wider roads.

Osmiornica · 18/04/2013 23:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

expatinscotland · 18/04/2013 23:48

I don't watch Call the Midwife.

Like I said, haven't been on one in 34 years and don't fancy it ever again.

It's over-rated.

Schooldidi · 18/04/2013 23:48

I haven't ridden a bike since i was 18, and I'm fine with that, I don't intend to ride a bike again if I can help it (a nice tricycle with a basket maybe, but not a bike)

Dd1 took herself out on her ancient bike about 3 weeks before school did bikeability, and she taught herself. It took her 2 weekends of almost constant practising but she got there. She was 11. So, no I don't think you are a bad parent because your 10yo can't ride a bike. Other things are far more important.

auntmargaret · 18/04/2013 23:49

Oh, go on. It's fun

expatinscotland · 18/04/2013 23:51

Drinking wine is fun. Going out to lunch is fun. Visiting friends is fun. Doing crafts is fun.

Riding a bike? Meh. Another fecking thing to store and another thing to spend money on.

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