So how do you teach one child to learn to ride a bike while...

[WishIWasRimaHorton]

... carrying the other one under your arm, along with her scooter (which she insisted on having but then refused to ride), the bag and all the coats?

DS is 4 and defeatist. Cries at the slightest thing. He rides with stabilisers but just rides on one of them at a funny angle. If I help by supporting his body, he can stay in the centre. But I can't do that all the time because of DD (2).

What do the rest of you do? How do you manage activities such as this which do require 2 people. Is it ok to leave DD crying on the path while concentrating on DS for a few minutes? It's just soooo hard.

Have you not got something you can distract dd with while helping ds? Some toys or something to play with while you're helping ds. Is there a friend you can go to the park with who will look after dd a little so you can help him, or will help him while you see to dd? If their own child is also learning you can help each other

You might find ds needs to be left on his own a bit to get to grips. He won't learn to ride without stabelisers while they are still on his bike. They need to come off. If he is ready he will be fine. It just takes a bit of time and effort on his half, obviously enough space and some plasters. Are you absolutely sure he's ready to do this? Ds tried at this age, fell of his bike and hurt himself and wouldn't try again. It was when he was at a friend's a couple of years later and they were all doing it that he tried again and he managed it practically straight away.

i agree - i need to take his stabilisers off which is what i would like to do. but his father disagrees and i think it is confusing to have them on at one house and off at the other. (don't ask why he has 2 bikes. long story...)

he wants to do it and i think he is probably capable. but he is so defeatist... i'm not sure about distracting DD - i think another pair of hands if almost a must but wondered if anyone else had managed it.

4 is actually quite young to master riding without stabilisers..
But yes, leave dd (in fact take a pushchair and strap her in) and help ds.

My ds (4) rides well with only 1 stabiliser on. In fact I should really take it off because he doesn't need it now.

second the idea of the pushchair for the younger child though or go with a friend.

I wouldn't push him at only 4, ds2 didn't master it till he was 6, but my dd is 4 and keen to ride a bike. She has a balance bike and often takes both feet off the ground and balances for quite some distance. Could you take the pedals off his bike, (a local bike shop might be able to help you) make sure the seat isn't too high.
Are you near a beach? ds1 learnt to ride on the beach, no need for plasters when he fell off.
Strapping dd into a pushchair is a good idea as well, at least you will know she is safe.

You need to take the stabilisers and the pedals off and lower the seat so his feet comfortably reach the floor. He then needs to learn to scoot and balance and when he can balance with his feet off the floor for decent stretches, you put thepedal back on. (or use a balance bike)

DS1 was very defeatist about his bike, but this method got him from not wanting anything to do with the bike to hardly being off it in a week (c. 1 hour per day over half term) It also means you don't need to hold the bike, so no problem with your other DC.

I agree with create - it is exactly how we got DD going... pretty pain free method for everyone involved!

great gals - that sounds like a fab idea. will do that. must admit i don't like stabilisers. can't see how they really help you to learn to balance. bit like arm bands for swimming really.

oh and i can get pedals on and off myself. . there are all sorts of things i can do by myself that i didn't realise. like build IKEA flat pack furniture. put together kids' bikes. amazing what you can achieve when you don't have someone putting you down all the time!