Page 4 | Teaching my DD to ride a bike

Dresssos · 07/07/2021 07:56

Grandparents offering childcare and helping their grandchild learn life skills? How terrible for you.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 07/07/2021 07:58

DH was slightly disappointed that he’d missed out on teaching DD to ride a proper bike. I told him to stop being such an ungrateful idiot as PILs had put in hours of practice and had her riding competently without stabilisers when she was 3.

FieldOverFence · 07/07/2021 08:02

My Dad taught my DD to ride without stabilisers, and I think it will be a lovely memory for her to have if him later on. And my back is delighted I didn't have to do it 😁😁

Avocadowoman · 07/07/2021 08:12

If it was 3 months ago, grandparents probably heard it and mentally filed it under 'things we mustn't do this weekend' rather than 'don't ever do this'.

If she is ready, and she clearly is (you must be very proud) it would be bad to keep the stabilisers on.

If they are with her enough without you to take the stabilisers off, then you are unreasonable to want to keep all 'firsts' for yourself.

arethereanyleftatall · 07/07/2021 11:16

Once everyone realises stabilisers aren't necessary, and judging by this thread it's clear the message hasn't got out yet, 'learning to ride a bike' won't be a thing.

You have a balance bike till X years old (X being anything from around 2yo upwards depending on child plus opportunity).
They then get on a bike and go.
There's literally nothing else to it, no back breaking etc required

ChairOnToast · 07/07/2021 11:57

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at the user's request

TheGumption · 07/07/2021 12:03

Yabu if she has been asking and you haven't done it sooner. May as well let someone that was prepared to do it.

ElArco · 07/07/2021 12:36

Yes about balance bikes. I work with many nurseries and kids are whizzing about on balance bikes. Wonder if OP would be annoyed if her DD had learned at nursery?

Freckers · 07/07/2021 12:42

This was not the magical bonding moment with DS I though it would be many years ago. He would lose heart quite quickly and no cajoling or running alongside could help him. In the end was was out playing on the cul de sac one day and a girl a couple of years younger than him offered him a go on her bike, told him to sit up straight and keep peddling and voila - he could ride a bike.

MarianneUnfaithful · 07/07/2021 12:46

Keeping your Dc tied to (devil's work) stabilisers for 3 months if they were ready to learn was unreasonable.

So much bike riding is by feel and instinct - psyching her up, getting 'buy in' runs the risk of making her stiff and self- concious about the whole thing.

If there is a back story here, we need to know it!

doyouneedtowean · 07/07/2021 12:51

YANBU and need to have a serious conversation about “firsts” with them.

Ylvamoon · 07/07/2021 12:58

Oh you really dodged the bullet!

We taught DSS to ride his bike... it's now part of our "Family Ledgends"!

It took 3 days of temper tantrums, throwing himself into any available bushes and him putting the stabilisers back on!
He was 8 at the time and asked his dad to teach him on a sunny afternoon....

rainbowunicorn · 07/07/2021 13:26

Don't be ridiculous OP.

She can ride the bike. That is a good thing.

arethereanyleftatall · 07/07/2021 13:43

Really @ChairOnToast. I had no idea. Both mine just went straight off on a bike after balance bike. So I assumed that was normal as neither of them are particularly exceptional sporting wise. I hadn't spoken to any other parent about whether their t dc did. So, in my huge survey sample of 2 children, it's 100% straight to bike.

MrsTulipTattsyrup · 07/07/2021 13:55

Big fuss over nothing. Dad bought me a bike when I was 5 (balance bikes didn’t exist in my bit of the 70s), showed me what to do, pushed me along the pavement a couple of times shouting ‘keep pedalling!’ while holding the back of the saddle. On the third time he let go and I was riding! And I have the worst balance in the world; I can fall over on a flat pavement. Beloved Grampy happened to be the one who taught DBro, in the same short process. Why does it matter? (Unless you wanted some weird Insta moment). Your child has acquired a new skill. They’ll be doing a lot of that, and not all of them are significant. And kids don’t need to be psychologically prepared for everything. If they fall off, well, they’ll have a scraped knee, and try again. You can’t protect them from all feelings.

Dishwashersaurous · 07/07/2021 21:40

Any more context op?

Rosesareyellow · 07/07/2021 21:45

It’s their first bike ride, not their first meal you can’t be in charge of every single ‘first’. You’re being very precious.

kowari · 07/07/2021 21:53

@arethereanyleftatall

Once everyone realises stabilisers aren't necessary, and judging by this thread it's clear the message hasn't got out yet, 'learning to ride a bike' won't be a thing.

You have a balance bike till X years old (X being anything from around 2yo upwards depending on child plus opportunity).
They then get on a bike and go.
There's literally nothing else to it, no back breaking etc required

Agree, but if I had another child I don't think I'd bother with a pedal bike until about four years or when they can ride a 16 inch bike. DS learnt at three but still used his balance bike as well until four. I wouldn't bother with a 12 inch pedal bike again.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 07/07/2021 21:59

Oh OP you honestly aren't missing out! DS was a reluctant learner and I was frantically googling anyone I could pay to teach him during lockdown last year as it was so painful 😂 We got there in the end but I can't say there was any magic moments or memories created

sunglassesonthetable · 08/07/2021 08:53

Tbh OP it's hard work and wasn't much fun.
Was very pleased when one of mine taught himself.

I don't think it's the 'precious moment ' you think it is. You haven't really missed much.

Take pride in the fact they can ride and are enjoying it.

BusyLizzie61 · 08/07/2021 09:00

@Dav3nport

Aibu?

If you asked Grandparents not to take stabilisers off the bike because you wanted to do it, but then 3 months later you receive a video from them with the stabilers off and bike riding with no conversation having happened.
I had my heart set on this and I have been getting DD's psychological buy in over time.
Their justification is they didn't know / didn't remember, and what's the big deal anyway.

You've had 3 months!

Notjustanymum · 08/07/2021 09:19

Grandparents who want to do normal things (and some exciting things) and are able to do this, are goldmines! Think of this as your gift to them - a chance for their grandchildren to bond and have lovely memories of them as it’s likely they won’t be around forever...

thebabessavedme · 08/07/2021 09:52

We taught our then 3 yr dgs to ride his bike one afternoon last year, nearly bloody killed us! all that running and pushing and yelling 'pedal you plonker' he was desperate to ride like the 'big boys' thank god he 'got it' quickly, his mother was a pain in the arse with it, it seemed to take forever and even now I have palpitations when she says she is using her bike to go to the shops.

I would be mightily pissed off if we had been told off for teaching him though, we do a huge amount with him and while he is with us then his parents have to trust our judgement, they either want our help or they dont (and no, I dont do anything that I know his parents would dislike or upset them), learning to ride a bike is a great skill, OP would you be upset if the grandparents helped with reading or writing?, just another life skill after all?

eurochick · 08/07/2021 09:57

I'm paying someone to teach my daughter this summer. We have tried but she is just not getting it and our backs are knackered. So we are bringing in the professionals. It is not some magical instagrammable moment.