To be a little worried about my five year old

[HannahBanana87]

She’s five and a half. Oh I know she’s only little and she is who she is. She is wonderful. She is kind and funny and affectionate and my best little pal in the whole world.

She is in P1 and one of the youngest in her class. She has made some friends at school but she’s very “young” compared to a lot of the girls in her class. Loves Paw Patrol, dolls, that sort of thing. The girls in her class are all into LOL dolls, zoom chats and drawing (DD enjoys drawing but her attention span is very short).

The latest thing is that we are trying to teach her to ride her bike without stabilisers. It’s a nightmare. She’s too frightened of falling off. The minute I let go of the bike her feet come down and she wobbles to a stop. Three full days at it and no improvement shown.

In the meantime kids a good year or two younger than her are cycling past her. Then we met a boy in her class who said “my bike is much bigger and I’ve been riding without my stabilisers for ages”. DD is too young and naive to feel any shame about it, thank goodness.

I know she’ll get it when she’s ready and I have no intention of trying to make her something she’s not. At the same time I don’t want her to be left behind. I don’t want her to be made fun of for being the baby.

Her three year old sister demonstrates a great deal more courage and independence than she does.

[SummerDayWinterEvenings]

Also all of mine are cutting watching Mr Bean, Paw Patrol or something else Robobots or something. They rotate what they watch but I don't see the older ones buggering off when Paw Patrol comes on -they are are high achievers academically and the youngers ones can ride a bike my DC aged 15 no chance -she's given up now and I don't blame her far more stress that it's worth. Her brain just can't compute what the legs do. She's now at the point that she knows she will injure herself. So it's just not worth it. She can run 10K and jump nice jumps on her pony but can't bike. The kid can put up a shelf on her own but can't cycle down the street. You win some -you lose some.

[Tistheseason17]

My 2 DC were simply not strong enough to ride a bicycle when younger. They have just started now aged 7 and 8. Don't compare, she will get there. They also weren't into LOL at that age - try Facebook video chat with special effects. Even with that mine only last 5 mins talking to friends. Relax.

[Sultanainasalad]

I'm reading this like my just turned 5 year old loves paw patrol toys, teddies, CBeebies, can't ride a bike, isn't into Zoom. It has never occurred to me that this is anything but normal and it's kind of depressing that some people would.

[mumofone2818]

I was around 5 when my parents first tried to teach me to ride a bike & i couldn't do it until i was around 9/10, everyones different and it depends on the interest too of what there learning!

[andannabegins]

My 10 year old DD is learning this week to ride her bike on the road and deal with roundabouts. She also has rediscovered during this lockdown a love of dollies. Kids grow too fast these days, who cares if they act 'young' sometimes

[Pygmyseahorse]

She will get there

Our dd has a few development delays and health issues so is behind and has been compared with cousins her age or younger but I'm certain she's doing better in other areas.
Children choose what they are into, it may be that peers will away her soon or you can include older toys for birthdays etc. If you want to encourage that but if she's happy that's the main thing
5 is still so young

[lanthanum]

She'll get there. Mine was 7 when she got rid of stabilisers - prompted by a big cycling event at school linked to the Tour de France. Even then, there were kids from every year who opted to scoot instead of cycle.

[Bulletwithwings]

She sounds perfectly normal and lovely to me

[Thistles24]

DC 1 was 6 when he learnt to ride without stabilisers and think he’s been on his bike about 10 times since- it’s just not something he’s into! DC2 was 3 when he learnt, and loves his bike- they’re all so different! In a few years you’ll never be able to tell who did what first!

[NoClarification]

I have three kids. There was a variation of nearly three years in the age at which they learnt to ride a bike! And interestingly the child who learnt latest has the best road sense and hazard perception, by a country mile.

[mogtheexcellent]

DD is nearly 6 (in 4 weeks). We have just today raised her stabilisers on her bike and now she is cyling around at a weird angle . She plays with dolls (sylvanian families mostly) and cuddly toys.

It would be a sad world if children couldnt play with what they enjoy most regardless of others.

[HannahBanana87]

She does seem to want to learn. We were chatting about it tonight and I said “we can leave it a little while if you don’t fancy it. We can try again another time” and she was adamant that she wants to go back out and try again. So we shall persevere. I’m going to try to take the pedals off her bike though that sounds like good advice.

Can I ask though - why would some of you not allow your kids on zoom? The idea is that she talks to one or two of her pals on it. Fully supervised. She’s not that keen on it anyway (sometimes they draw together though and that works quite well) but I don’t really see the harm?

[Lougle]

Take the pedals off her bike and drop the saddle so her feet can touch the ground.

She's only 5, she's a baby. She doesn't need Zoom chats, I promise you.

[altiara]

It’s fine, you don’t put riding a bike on your CV!
My DD has stabilisers off a few months after her 6th birthday. We couldn’t help her learn to ride her bike at all! Her best friend came over and said DD can ride a bike, held the front of the bike and said ride. DD then rode off. Apparently at school, they had a bike with one stabiliser! I had previously ridiculed this, but was proved wrong by 6yr olds!
A couple of weeks later, we then bought DS the worlds tiniest bike (10 inch wheels I think) and took the stabilisers off before he had it, he rode that age 3. Had a balance bike before that for a year so never needed stabilisers.
They’ll all so different and catch up at different times.

[Bumpette]

Honestly, do not worry! She sounds perfectly normal for her age. My son couldn't rise a bike until he was 7. My daughter is nearly 10 and still loves playing with dolls, teddies, sylvanian family etc. She also likes lots of other things her peers like. I love that she still plays with them! Kids grow up too fast these days. I used to have a sneaky play with my dolls as a teenager.
And bike riding etc depends a lot on character. My daughter rode her bike early but she is a very determined and courageous little thing who throws herself at stuff like that - no confidence with her academic work though. My son is the opposite, very bright but very cautious about things like bike riding, swimming and surfing. They are all different. From my experience 5 and a half is quite young to be riding without stabalizers if I think of my friends kids. She sounds bang on where she should be at her age.

[Sultanainasalad]

I don't not allow it, she just has no interest in it, would much prefer to use her imagination or play with her things.
She's happy to see her fiends from school but wouldn't want to zoom them...

[VenusTiger]

Don't give it a second thought @HannahBanana87 my 6yr old son is getting a bike for his birthday shortly, he's never ridden one without stabilisers (hasn't ridden a bike for years! as he loves his scooter) but do you know what, he's top of the class in maths and has even done some yr 6 level maths! He's good at this and not so good (yet) at that. Every child, every adult is different. My son is a summer baby so is also one of youngest in his class - I couldn't care less where he "fits" into his social circles - he's had swimming lessons (important skill imo) and now for his 7th bday he will learn to ride a bike for the first time and I will never ever compare him to anyone else, ever.
Let your DD be herself by her own merits, by her own choices, at her own speed.

[MrMagooInTheLoo]

Tried for years to teach my ds to ride a bike without stablisers. Gave up when she grew out of her bike at 8.. Brought her a bike her 11th birthday and wham it was like a miracle, she's little wobbly, fell off once.. But by jove she go it. I did show her a video on you tube before hand

[seeyoubugaboo]

She sounds like a little sweetheart! I have a brash and sassy 6 year old, she's the eldest in her class but would be in the same year as your daughter. I wish she would act her actual age sometimes it's way more endearing, but she has a ten year old sister and she idolises her.

[LeveretWalks]

I have had to read this a few times to check I haven’t accidentally written it! Everything you’ve said describes my DD too. She’s the youngest in her P1 class, still can’t ride a bike, is an excellent reader, has lovely little friends but isn’t bothered about Zoom calls etc, she’s just delighted to hang out with me all day and lockdown has suited her fine. She loves Paw Patrol and plays mostly with her dolls house and Maileg mice, she is still a CBeebies watcher, and enthusiastically believes in fairies. Strangely all of her best friends are deferred (February) or March birthdays and seem so much older, but she keeps up socially in her own way. I’m really, really not worried - she’s the youngest of 3 here and they grow up fast enough (although not being able to ride a bike yet is frustrating for family cycles - but I know she’ll get there in her own time). It’s nice that she doesn’t pester me for iPad time all day like her siblings!

[Rosieandtwinkle]

DD9 had no interest in the stabilisers coming off until she was 7. We tried and tried before that but she really struggled. One day she asked us if she could have a go without them, she cracked it within 20 mins. She’s a very clever, strong, confident little thing in so many other ways but in the end it wasn’t going to happen until she was ready...,.,just like everything else!

[Walkaround]

HannahBanana87 - in a few years time, you’ll wonder why this bothered you. Tbh, I seldom see groups of girls off riding their bikes together, anyway, so what does it matter? Trying too hard to fit in attracts bullies, anyway. Your dd sounds happy just the way she is.

[Waxonwaxoff0]

My DS has only just learned to ride a bike without stabilizers during lockdown, he turns 7 this month.

[HannahBanana87]

She is happy. She’s lovely and wonderful and clever and kind and you are all entirely correct. It’s not that I don’t enjoy her at all. I love the bones of her and she makes me so happy and proud. I just don’t want her to be bullied. That’s really all it is.

[SunshineCake]

I think you are putting too much pressure on where it isn't needed and I don't mean to learn to ride a bike.