Not so everyday newbie rides again

[Kano]

And I have a question from some of you with more recent experience than I have!

Our Xander is coming to visit today, and wants a ride in the trailer. That's the easy part. He's also bringing his new bike, training wheels, helmet, and all other padding. The plan is to practice some on our much flatter than his driveway.

Xander turned two last weekend, and it seems to me that might be a bit young to really have the pedaling thing down, but apparently, "he can do it on the trike that lives at Nickie & ****s" so he's supposed to be able to do it on the new bike, but he doesn't do it very well yet.

SO,

Since his daddy tends to be mighty voluble and insistent, any hints from anyone out there for ways to a bit more quietly and perhaps successfully help our wee dude learn this? Daughter says that daddy wants to be able to take him to the mailbox (down the street and around the corner) in the evenings, and that's not working yet. I suggested a "leash" on the bike for when the child doesn't go fast enough to suit the dad!

I'll be looking at where they put the seat height and such...

(there could be more newbie biker pix later tonight, but most likely no new booger stories, since he got over that cold!)

Karen in Boise

[mimitabby]

good grief, the kid's only two years old?!??!
some people... sorry no suggestions..

[KnottedYet]

SKnot had a bike at 2. He really liked it. (it was when we took the training wheels off another bike years later that the biking thing fell apart) The seat was low enough that he could touch the ground and he mostly pushed himself with his feet. Pedalling came later. (before the bike he had a plastic trike without pedals, so he had the foot-push down)

Can Xander have the goal of just making the thing move, instead of trying to get a certain distance? Or is it his idea to go to the mailbox?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I'll speak my mind....
Sounds to me like the DAD should go back and forth to the mailbox and back on HIS bike and stop pushing and pressuring a toddler so that things that could be pleasant wind up being something the kid wants to avoid.

I have a brother like that- always there with his sons- little league coach, cub scout den leader, go cart building, YMCA swim lessons, skate boarding clubs, science museum camp-outs,....poor boys couldn't breathe, and could never live up to everything he wanted them to do well that he never was able to do as a kid. He wanted to relive being a boy with them, but with them cooperating so that everything would be perfect this time around. Not good!

I would suggest to let the kid sit on his own bike and make it move if he WANTS to. Just have someone sit nearby ready to be helpful if the kid asks for help or falls over or walks away to do something else. If someone wants to pull the kid along, I would suggest putting him in a little wagon.

Sorry to open my BIG MOUTH- but I do it so well!

[Kano]

Lisa, no apologies needed! You and Mimi share my opinion: he's only two!

I get the impression that the mailbox trip is a goal down the way -- something daddy and Xander do anyway, and maybe it would be a good time for the bike. Meanwhile, it appears that they need space for the wee guy to learn a few bike skills -- starting, stopping, and steering. Their driveway is too sloped, their patio and kitchen are way too small. And that's how our driveway won the "where to practice lottery."

Fortunately, he gets to use the training wheels that came with the bike!!!

Xander had two play sessions on his bike today (no trailer ride, dang it!) and enjoyed the second one a LOT! The first one shouldn't have been timed as it was: daddy was a bit impatient to play, woke Xander from a nap, and took him out to play before he was really awake.

Ride two, though, Xander was all smiles, laughter, and mischief! He could use a wee bit smaller bike at this point, to make it easier to reach the pedals at the bottom of the circle, but of course he doesn't care that this makes him get stuck at times! Xander also doesn't care that sometimes he suddenly puts on the brakes instead of pedaling himself along... I'm pretty sure this wee guy has an innate ability to have a good time doing stuff no matter what someone else says about how to do it, y'know? With luck he'll keep this skill, since he may need it!

Fun things to do: ride into Auntie 'Licia's car bumper, because it made a cool noise on impact(see pics). Ride into the hedge -- until it stops him! Especially fun -- the wee hill where two sections of driveway meet("I'm went down a hill!"), and even more -- getting a good head of steam going down the main driveway, which of course slopes just a little bit toward the street and making daddy run to catch him before he runs right into the road! Feet go up and out as he "flies" down the slope, and daddy's running after hollering "the brakes!!!!"

Yes, Xander needs some time and physical maturity to learn how to control his new bike, but he sure does seem to love to ride, and until he learns some control over where he's going and the starting and stopping, he'll have that daddy of his running ragged! (do we think daddy deserves this?)

My younger daughter suggests abandoned basket ball and tennis courts for his practice sessions if they want to avoid all possibilities of riding into the street until he's big enough to put it all together. Sometimes, this second child of mine shows signs of returning intelligence!

Karen in Boise

[Denise223]

What an adorable lil' boy !

It sure looks like he's having a wonderful time on his bike.

Have a great day!

Denise

[HipGnosis6]

That is officially totally cute!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh my God, TOO CUTE!!!!!!

[mimitabby]

well, from the photos, i would say that dad's overzealous behavior has not dampened the spirits of the child!

thank goodness!
thanks for the nice photos.

[KnottedYet]

What great pictures!! Reminds me of SKnot when he was that age.... Big smile on the bike!

(sniff. now he's almost as tall as I am.)

[JamamaSpoke]

Suggest a Tag-a-Long. The parents connect it to their bike and he can pedal when he wants. We used them for our kids and they loved them. But I must say they were probably 4 or so.

[Kano]

Suggest a Tag-a-Long. The parents connect it to their bike and he can pedal when he wants. We used them for our kids and they loved them. But I must say they were probably 4 or so.

That's a really cool idea! I think four is probably about right for those -- currently, mom and dad don't bike, but we do, and we have found a trailer for Xander to ride with us when he's visiting. I think one of these will be a great addition to our "stable" when he gets a bit older, since I'm pretty sure that Xander will love it!

(the other day, I saw a dad with one of these AND a trailer for his even younger little guy -- that's quite a train to trail!)

Karen in Boise