To just sell DC's balance bike?

[Meowstro]

My DC is nearly 3, we're getting fed up with DC wanting to take the balance bike out, sitting on it for one minute and finding it hard to do then leaving is trailing it around the whole park. The scooter can be just as bad but nowhere near an issue as the balance bike. I want to bloody give up and just buy a normal bike with stablisers. No amount of positive reinforcement or enthusiasm is helping.

DH thinks I'm giving up too easily and we're not putting enough effort in to help but there's no interest in it apart from if DC sees another child riding their bike. However, I know she can ride the bikes they have at her daycare.

Surely I'm not awful for suggesting that there's nothing wrong with getting a normal bike?!

She’s too young yet for a bike. The coordination won’t be there. Give it 6 month to a year and then have another go with the balance bike.

I'd put it away if I could - 3 is quite young for a balance bike. May be in a year's time it would go better.

I haven’t even considered one for DS yet because I know what his attention span is like (also nearly 3). I’m thinking of getting him one for Xmas instead.

Put it away and get it back out when she’s more ready for it.

Don't sell it

Just put it away for a few months and try again then.

What kind of balance bike? With my first I didn't know that you can buy really wide ones for about £25 from amazon. Amazing for making little boys tired.

@LellyMcKelly

She’s too young yet for a bike. The coordination won’t be there. Give it 6 month to a year and then have another go with the balance bike.

Nonsense. I know 3yos that can ride pedal bikes without stabilisers.

@BlueJava

I'd put it away if I could - 3 is quite young for a balance bike. May be in a year's time it would go better.

No it's not.. it's the perfect age

Which make of BB is it OP?

3 is the perfect age for a balance bike, definitely not too young!! Don't sell it maybe just put it away for a few weeks and then try again.

Dd would just sit in it, watch it fall down under her, make no attempt to pick it up and then abandon it for the rest of the day. Some days she wouldn't even do that. I gave it away. I had a bike with stabilisers when I was about 4, if she isn't bothered about balancing before peddling then I'm not going to try and force her.

So many essential things are a battle with a toddler, I'm not about to set out to have a new fight about something that doesn't matter.

That’s nonsense @lellymckelly

My twins were whizzing around on their balance bikes from three, very confidently. It just sounds like the OP’s child doesn’t like the balance bike. Is the seat too high?

But, yes, put it away for a month or two and try again. But bear in mind that there are stages to mastering the BB, just like there is a pedal bike.

I don't think 3 is too young for a balance bike. Ds has had one since he was 2.5.
We're getting him a pedal bike next month for his 4th birthday though.
If you think she'd prefer a pedal bike now though then just get it.

DD has just turned 6, we got her a proper bike for Christmas, so she was 5 and a half ish. She had just cried with frustration every time we tried the balance bike, from around age 3 to four and a half.

We didn't put stabilisers on the proper bike, just went for it. It took about an hour in an empty car park on boxing day to get her riding. Waiting until she was older was absolutely what was needed for her.

Her younger sister at 19mo has just been bought a balance bike (second hand bargain came up!) and I can see her being the exact opposite. She's already been on it a couple of times, with us holding her obviously, and is always really excited to go on it. Different kids just need different approaches.

Tbh my eldest was on his balance bike at 2 and my youngest is on it doing brilliantly at 3.5, so it's definitely not an age thing. A "proper" bike with pedals would probably lead to more frustration than anything.

Try making sure the saddle is low enough (too low works well at the start, so that they have confidence) then raise it as they get better.

Also my eldest absolutely loves his spokey dokeys and the noise they make, maybe try some of those?

I wouldn't. DS lost interest in his for a good 6 months to a year but picked it back up again. He was then ridiculously big for it so I wasn't sure if it was even helping him. However, he's nearly 5 now and just started using his proper bike that we bought him a year ago and he's learnt so quickly.

Some children have big interest in BB and pedal bikes and can spend hours on them from an early age. Others, inc my DD2, show interest for 5 mins then on to the next activity until they're older. Just put it away and try again later on - if he asks explain that it can't be taken out to be used for 5 mins then carried around at it's heavy etc so it will be brought out if he's going to give it a good go.

I agree that three is the perfect age for a balance bike. What about finding a gentle hill to practice on? Once they get their confidence, coasting down hills is much more fun, much faster and takes less effort than riding it on the level.

YABU.

What make/model of balance bike is it? Is it the right height for her and not too heavy?

We gave DS a balance bike for Christmas when he was 2y9m. He was very hesitant at first and didn't really want to try it. I worried that we'd wasted our money. But we didn't push it. Eventually he wanted to try and it didn't take long at all for him to get the hang of it. A few months down the line (he's 3y3m) and he's extremely proficient, so fast that we have to sprint after him. (My only regret is that we didn't get one with brakes, as his trainers are wrecked from stopping!)

My advice is to give it time, just be patient and take the pressure off but give her the option from time to time. She'll get there eventually. And balance bikes are so much better for learning than bikes with stabilisers.

I'm pretty sure we could now put DS on a bike with pedals and he'd get the hang of it really quickly. We'll probably wait for next Christmas though before buying another!

Why so keen on bike riding?

I have never pushed cycling on my kids.
They are aduts now and thankfully have no interest.

In an ideal world bikes are a great form of transport.

We do not live in an ideal world.

My first child could zoom around on the balance bike at 2 and was riding a normal bike just after her third birthday. My second is 2.5 and just sits on the balance bike for less than a minute and shuffles forward slightly and then comes off it. No interest or ability at all. I have seen older kids on them though and it's a good way to learn to balance before you cycle so I am going to just put it away for a while and get it out in another few months as a 'new' toy! And if there is still no interest, then repeat

DD has been riding her bike with stabilisers since just before she was 3. We did get her a balance bike aged 2.5 but she didn't get on with it at all. She'll now occasionally use the balance bike at age 3.5. If your DD likes the pedaling action of the bikes at nursery I can't see why getting her one with pedals to use at home is a problem, our experience is that when they are ready they will swap between the two.

@speakout it’s cycling not smoking.

Weird approach. Such a shame for a child to miss out on the freedoms of cycling. It’s great exercise too.

DS is 3 and he's got a balance bike he quite likes but it's still quite heavy for him. We got him one of these instead:
www.amazon.co.uk/BIG-Spielwarenfabrik-Classic-800056377-Scooter/dp/B07LCBFD1K?tag=mumsnetforu03-21
It's much lighter, the wheels are wider and it doesn't require as much effort. It's also easier for me to carry around when he cannot be arsed anymore.
It takes some time, so I wouldn't get rid of the balance bike, yet.

Waffles80

Not weird at all.

There are many cycling accidents in the village near me. Some have been fatal.

Cars and bikes don't mix.

I would never encourage my children to cycle.