DD's ready to take off the training wheels! Need advice!!

[clutter]

It was so long ago.... How do you teach your kid to ride a two-wheeler??? I moved the training wheels up a little and she practiced for hours trying to stay on the two wheels, and did pretty good.

Now what? Any pointers? We'll probably go to one of the cul-de-sacs in the neighborhood, or to the pool parking lot to practice at first...

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Take them off...hold on to the back of the saddle for a minute and off she goes. Make sure you have ice and band aids.
You should be able to judge when she is ready by having the training wheels raised, if she is still depending on them I would work with her a little more.

 

[clutter]

Thanks, I think I'm more scared than she is!!!! (I was thinking about calling a friend and inviting my dd over to her house one afternoon so I don't have to watch it!!!!)

She was doing really well tonight, and I know she'll be on the bike every chance she gets this week. So by the weekend, she should be really ready to go.

Yikes. When did she get so big?? Seems like just yesterday she couldn't do the trike very well....

 

[JasonLyons]

start off on a big hill

 

[BrerMom]

Originally posted by clutter
It was so long ago.... How do you teach your kid to ride a two-wheeler??? I moved the training wheels up a little and she practiced for hours trying to stay on the two wheels, and did pretty good.

Now what? Any pointers? We'll probably go to one of the cul-de-sacs in the neighborhood, or to the pool parking lot to practice at first...

Helmet, long pants, knee pads, wrist pads, gently sloping area or driveway. They're not as afraid of getting hurt if they know they're wearing protection.

 

[browneyes]

With my dd, I did Alex's method (add in biting all my nails off to that though ). With my ds, he cheated me on the chance of experiencing too much anxiety. He took his trainers off shortly after his 4th bday party. His dad loosened the bolts for him, but he took them off the rest of the way. I was in the house putting stuff up. They said he just took off like it was nothing (and hasn't stopped yet ).

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

What a coincidence -- DH took the training wheel's off dd's bike this weekend. Up until now she wouldn't allow it, but I think that seeing the boys in the neighborhood riding without training wheels pushed her. The first day she could barely get one rotation before she put her feet down. She got real frustrated but she wanted to keep working at it.

Today she was going all the way up the street. Now she just has to practice. I am so proud of her!

 

[KimRaye]

clutter & Beth, how old are your DD's?

Mine is 5 and, she's in no hurry, tried it once, didn't like it. I had forgotten about raising the training wheels though.

 

[CamColt]

Ditto Alex & BrerMom, and dont push if they arent ready.
We took DS's off last summer. He couldnt do it right away so he didnt even want to try. He rode very little for the rest of the summer. Well, I started him up again a couple weeks ago and he got it within a couple days. Now I cant get him off the bike.

 

[amid chaos]

My youngest took her big brothers little bike and took off...very scary at 3 1/2...yes three and a half years old!!!!!

I always did better by taking the training wheels off with the other 2 kids , putting them in the back yard and going inside. They always figured it out on their own without my assistance.

 

[goofy4tink]

If you can find a grassy slope somewhere it helps. That way the falls aren't quite so hard. Just don't have her try to 'ride' back up the slope. When she gets the hang of staying upright, move onto something more firm. That's what we did and it saved a lot of bandage use!!

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

My daughter just turned 8! So I know that she is probably kind of old, but she is my "scared one." This weekend was only the second time she was on the bike this season. It took her a long time to like the bike even with training wheels.

 

[d.kurz]

Such a milestone!! DS(16 now!) is LD and has coordination problems. He wanted, at 5 yo, to ride like the rest of the neighborhood kids. I took the training wheels off and the neighborhood kids taught him a bit. He just couldn't get started by himself. I have a vivid mental picture of him, grinning EAR TO EAR as he sped by me while I was hanging wash shouting about how he did it himself!!

Time does fly. He brought home a Jostens booklet to choose a high school ring. I was so confused....why are they giving him that so soon? Then I realized...a JUNIOR next year!! It was hard not to start crying!!!

Good luck!! Keep us posted!

 

[clutter]

Thanks all!!

DD just turned 6. We're on a bit of a busy street, with enough slope to make the sidewalks tough. But there's a long, flat driveway next door she's allowed to use as long as I watch.

KimRaye, a mom told me yesterday that raising the wheels were a disaster for her daughter, from the wobbling. I had to lower one back a bit yesterday, as it was a little too high.

 

[ToyStory Fan]

My kids are still too young, but my neighbor swears by this method...go to a park/baseball field and let her ride on the grass, still hurts to fall, but maybe a little less painful than asphalt.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

What everyone said...Grassy gentle sloping downhill place is best. Walk it back up.

Don't forget your camera!!