With now having had unbroken contact with my son for close to a year now we regularly go in to our local park and other places on our bikes. he loves riding his bike with me but tells me that he never goes out on it with his mother or her partner…they just don’t seem to bother on that side of thing….they have a new child and seem to just le my son play in the garden despite being so close to the countryside.
My son loves going outside on his bike with me but I’m now starting to feel restricted for him that he’s never been without stabilisers.
I see his face drop as kids a lot younger go flying past him on their bikes and he’s still on stabilisers. I’ve tried him with just one and me chasing behind but he just doesn’t; seem to have the balance or confidence on the bike (mostly his mothers fault there for wrapping him in cotton wool all his life).
So anyone any ideas how to get a 6yr old (nearly 7yr old) to progress to riding without stabilisers? i know its a confiednce thing but i'm struggling against his mother on that side of things.
Hi there,
My step son was nearly 8 when I taught him to ride without stabilisors, all I did was hold the back of his coat to hold him up while he rode, he started by leaning on me, but after a while, and pushing him back up, he was balanced with just me holding his coat, after a short while I moved to holding under the seat and running behind him, and then when he wasn't wobbling i let go still running behind him he went for ages before realising I wasn't holding on.
from there he was fine.
GTTS
It's hard as it's all about confidence to do it without. My oldest two just kind of did it. Granted they can't go in straight lines properly but it's one of those things that come with time.
Have you tried the old trick of walking 'behind' whilst he gets his balance and using reassurance that you're holding on whilst he's peddling a bit but you let go?
Problem is he may well fall and that may dent the confidence but i'm sure you can dust him off and get his confidence back up.
My eldest had just turned 3 when he learnt, he made me take the stabilisers off, pushed it to the top of the drive and just did it.
My youngest though was 6, she just didnt "get it" then one day she just wanted to. We went to a park on a path where there was grass either side of the path so if she fell of she wouldnt hurt herself. She just got on, peddled and i held the seat, it only took a few goes and she got it. Its defo a confidence thing, loads of praise whilst your running behind holding the seat.
Good luck.
I did the same with mine - being on grass definitely helps as they know it's not going to hurt so much if they fall, so they don't worry as much, which in itself helps their confidence.