What the heck am I doing?

[Dirtyhip]

I may have gone insane.

My co-worker has this little girl.  She Is about 7, I believe.  She wants to learn to ride and she is not learning with her Mom and Dad.  She has some behavior problems and a temper.  This little girl feels like a failure.  She has trouble riding her bike and is very fearful.  She actually wrote in a recent school report about what a failure she is on the bike.  Yes, she actually wrote about how she wants to ride like her sister, but she is a failure.  Wow.  Poor thing.

I am going to pick her and her bike up, and her booster seat...we are going to the school yard to do some laps and learning.  ?  I'll give her a few hours here and there.  

Any tips, parents?  HAHA

[bikeman564™]

Just now, Dirtyhip said:

I am going to pick her and her bike up, and her booster seat...we are going to the school yard to do some laps and learning.  ?  I'll give her a few hours here and there.  

 

[Randomguy]

2 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

I may have gone insane.

My co-worker has this little girl.  She Is about 7, I believe.  She wants to learn to ride and she is not learning with her Mom and Dad.  She has some behavior problems and a temper.  This little girl feels like a failure.  She has trouble riding her bike and is very fearful.  She actually wrote in a recent school report about what a failure she is on the bike.  Yes, she actually wrote about how she wants to ride like her sister, but she is a failure.  Wow.  Poor thing.

I am going to pick her and her bike up, and her booster seat...we are going to the school yard to do some laps and learning.  ?  I'll give her a few hours here and there.  

Any tips, parents?  HAHA

The only thing young kids like that respond to is fun and attention and encouragement.  Make it FUN!  She will get better with practice naturally, and the fun will make her want to do it more.

I want you to get out here and ride with RO, she would dig you!

[Dirtyhip]

I kinda want to make riding to areas a fun goal. Like with a reward at each check point. Little toys? 

Maybe pictures and things to read at each of the spots. 

[Dirtyhip]

A booster seat.  ?

[Razors Edge ★]

15 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Any tips, parents?  HAHA

I'd recommend the first session be much more about teaching her discipline, rather than actually learning to ride.  Show her your fleet of bikes, hand her a pail of soapy water, a hose, and other cleaning implements.  Get her to really clean the heck out of your bikes. Then, a really nice coat of wax for each too, using the proper application, removal, & buffing technique. 

You gotta built their mind and their focus first!

[Dirtyhip]

1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

I'd recommend the first session be much more about teaching her discipline, rather than actually learning to ride.  Show her your fleet of bikes, hand her a pail of soapy water, a hose, and other cleaning implements.  Get her to really clean the heck out of your bikes. Then, a really nice coat of wax for each too, using the proper application, removal, & buffing technique. 

You gotta built their mind and their focus first!

You are wrong!

[2Far ★]

7 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

A booster seat.  ?

I'ma guessing that's for the car ride?

[Longjohn ★]

If she can’t actually ride yet get a balance bike for her to work with. Kids learn really fast with those.

[Ralphie ★]

Just now, Longjohn said:

If she can’t actually ride yet get a balance bike for her to work with. Kids learn really fast with those.

Or for the cheapo version, you can remove or just ignore the pedals on a regular bike. 

[Indy]

Take the pedals off and use it as a balance bike to get the feel.

[Kzoo]

Make it fun and keep it fun.  Figure out quickly her makeup.  If she is competitive add some competition (and let her win).  If she like to goof off - goof off with her.  You have time set aside.  Make it her time.  If she is done after 10 minutes, you are done.  If she is done after 30 minutes, you are done.  Do not try to convince her to do more than she wants or the fun is gone and you won't get her back.  If you try to bribe her for a few more minutes the fun is gone and you won't get her back.  You can't think like her but you can figure out what she is thinking about.

[Razors Edge ★]

15 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

You are wrong!

I know what I am talking about.  That kid is destined for the dark side unless she first builds character and discipline.

[Longjohn ★]

1 minute ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Or for the cheapo version, you can remove or just ignore the pedals on a regular bike. 

She lives in a bike Mecca I’m sure she knows someone who will loan her one for a couple days.

[bikeman564™]

19 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

I kinda want to make riding to areas a fun goal. Like with a reward at each check point. Little toys? 

Maybe pictures and things to read at each of the spots. 

?

[jsharr ★]

36 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

I may have gone insane.

My co-worker has this little girl.  She Is about 7, I believe.  She wants to learn to ride and she is not learning with her Mom and Dad.  She has some behavior problems and a temper.  This little girl feels like a failure.  She has trouble riding her bike and is very fearful.  She actually wrote in a recent school report about what a failure she is on the bike.  Yes, she actually wrote about how she wants to ride like her sister, but she is a failure.  Wow.  Poor thing.

I am going to pick her and her bike up, and her booster seat...we are going to the school yard to do some laps and learning.  ?  I'll give her a few hours here and there.  

Any tips, parents?  HAHA

Find a paved path with no curbs and lots of run off area on both sides.    Lower the seat so she can easily put her feet on the ground.  Let her use the bike as a push bike to learn to coast and lift her feet up.  You should be awesome at teaching coasting.

After she builds up some confidence raise the seat a bit and work putting feet on pedals into equation.  Let her coast and learn to balance that way.

Finally add in pedaling.

This is the method that worked best for me.  

Avoid narrow paths, streets with curbs, lots of slope, or anything else that will lower her confidence level.

I spent hours with a Scout at a camp out using this method in an empty parking lot with grass on the side.

He went from tears from being teased about not being able to ride, to riding all over camp by the end of the day.  he did not want to get off his bike.

[Dirtyhip]

3 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I know what I am talking about.  That kid is destined for the dark side unless she first builds character and discipline.

This part will come in time.  1st ride should be FUN!  Bitch slapping comes later.

[jsharr ★]

23 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I'd recommend the first session be much more about teaching her discipline, rather than actually learning to ride.  Show her your fleet of bikes, hand her a pail of soapy water, a hose, and other cleaning implements.  Get her to really clean the heck out of your bikes. Then, a really nice coat of wax for each too, using the proper application, removal, & buffing technique. 

You gotta built their mind and their focus first!

Good advice Mister Miyagi.  

[Randomguy]

24 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I'd recommend the first session be much more about teaching her discipline, rather than actually learning to ride.  Show her your fleet of bikes, hand her a pail of soapy water, a hose, and other cleaning implements.  Get her to really clean the heck out of your bikes. Then, a really nice coat of wax for each too, using the proper application, removal, & buffing technique. 

You gotta built their mind and their focus first!

Have you ever met a small child?

[Longjohn ★]

3 minutes ago, jsharr said:

You should be awesome at teaching coasting.

Nominated

[maddmaxx ★]

Don't bring the full face helmet.

 

aaaannd        do her parents know that you are about the create a badass for them.

[jsharr ★]

2 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

Have you ever met a small child?

Just one.  He taught him karate.  eventually.

[ChrisL]

How is your running?  I remember running behind my kids giving encouragement & picking them up after the biff that always happens.   Did a crap ton of 30 yard sprint repeats until they got it down.

Other than that, as others said make it fun with positive encouragement.  

[Road Runner]

I think you will do fine.  Just being there and showing you care will go a long way toward the encouragement factor.  The teaching part will probably come naturally to you.  Just don't be too serious and most importantly, have fun.  

If I taught my son to ride, surely it can't be all that difficult.  My only advice might be to find a really nice place to ride where if she falls, she will be less likely to suffer a hurtful injury.  IOW, I would avoid bumpy or gravelly asphalt surfaces.  

[Dirtyhip]

The two girls respect me and know me as "the bike lady."  LOL

[bikeman564™]

Just now, Dirtyhip said:

The two girls respect me and know me as "the bike lady."  LOL

nice to meet you, I'm known as bikeman

[Razors Edge ★]

38 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Find a paved path with no curbs and lots of run off area on both sides.    Lower the seat so she can easily put her feet on the ground.  Let her use the bike as a push bike to learn to coast and lift her feet up.  You should be awesome at teaching coasting.

I would only volunteer choosing a flat grassy FIELD (preferably recently mowed) instead of a paved path.  A small bike usually has relatively fat tires, and falling onto grass is infinitely less abrasive than a paved surface.

38 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Good advice Mister Miyagi.  

Scary that it took the other Mensa guy to catch on.

[jsharr ★]

Just now, Razors Edge said:

I would only volunteer choosing a flat grassy FIELD (preferably recently mowed) instead of a paved path.  A small bike usually has relatively fat tires, and falling onto grass is infinitely less abrasive than a paved surface.

Scary that it took the other Mensa guy to catch on.

No coasting on grasss usually.  It can be done, but I prefer a paved path, like a concrete walkway in a park with grass on both sides.

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, jsharr said:

No coasting on grasss usually.  It can be done, but I prefer a paved path, like a concrete walkway in a park with grass on both sides.

Fair enough. I vote for grass when pedaling is finally introduced. 

Another reason for skipping the paved path - in some areas - is that other folks are using that path.  If DH can find a place that has no folks using the path/parking lot/field, that is the best.  Folks teaching kids to ride on routes used by other riders, joggers, and dog walkers is just awful. Bad for the kid, and rude to everyone else.  I assume, since DH is horribly awesome, she wouldn't be one of those types, and would choose the best & proper spot to help this kid.

[jsharr ★]

3 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Fair enough. I vote for grass when pedaling is finally introduced. 

Another reason for skipping the paved path - in some areas - is that other folks are using that path.  If DH can find a place that has no folks using the path/parking lot/field, that is the best.  Folks teaching kids to ride on routes used by other riders, joggers, and dog walkers is just awful. Bad for the kid, and rude to everyone else.  I assume, since DH is horribly awesome, she wouldn't be one of those types, and would choose the best & proper spot to help this kid.

Here is the city park where we taught our boys to ride.  The park has a paved path that connects the various areas.  Flat and easy to go off the path and into grass to fall over or if you lose control.  This is what I had in mind and of course not at peak hours when the park is crowded.

[Razors Edge ★]

13 minutes ago, jsharr said:

This is what I had in mind and of course not at peak hours when the park is crowded.

Now we're supposed to be MIND READERS?????

And these arrows are a LIE!

[jsharr ★]

3 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Now we're supposed to be MIND READERS?????

And these arrows are a LIE!

I had to snip the image as the interwebs would not allow me to copy the image.  sorry.

[ChrisL]

54 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Fair enough. I vote for grass when pedaling is finally introduced. 

Another reason for skipping the paved path - in some areas - is that other folks are using that path.  If DH can find a place that has no folks using the path/parking lot/field, that is the best.  Folks teaching kids to ride on routes used by other riders, joggers, and dog walkers is just awful. Bad for the kid, and rude to everyone else.  I assume, since DH is horribly awesome, she wouldn't be one of those types, and would choose the best & proper spot to help this kid.

To the grass point, what kids don’t realize and many adults forget is it’s easier to ride a bike fast than slow.  Centrifugal force keeps the wheels stable and they are wobbly & tipsy anyway.  Grass would make it harder to learn on albeit a softer landing when they crash.

Smooth asphalt is fine, preferably a wide area with no other people and obviously no cars.  They are low to the ground and aren’t going that fast.  They sometimes lose a little skin but nothing a little dirt on it won’t fix.

I remember when I got my son the first real BMX bike with hand brakes.  The look of horror as he’s pedaling backwards, not stopping and about to plow into a block wall was classic.  But he survived just fine.

[Prophet Zacharia]

My greatest parenting moment: my son was trucking around on our brick patio on his tricycle, probably about 5 years old. He hit something (probably a seam in the patio/driveway junction) and crashed hard. He popped right up and exclaimed “my bike!” in horror that it may have been damaged.

[12string]

Patience.  Tons of it.  Don't let her see you sweat.

Not being her parent will make it easier for her to want to listen

[Ralphie ★]

A good situation is a smooth sidewalk with grassy hills on the side(s). That way they can do an Artie Johnson style tip over to minimize any injuries. 

[shootingstar]

12 hours ago, jsharr said:

Find a paved path with no curbs and lots of run off area on both sides.    Lower the seat so she can easily put her feet on the ground.  Let her use the bike as a push bike to learn to coast and lift her feet up.  You should be awesome at teaching coasting.

After she builds up some confidence raise the seat a bit and work putting feet on pedals into equation.  Let her coast and learn to balance that way.

Finally add in pedaling.

This is the method that worked best for me.  

Avoid narrow paths, streets with curbs, lots of slope, or anything else that will lower her confidence level.

I spent hours with a Scout at a camp out using this method in an empty parking lot with grass on the side.

He went from tears from being teased about not being able to ride, to riding all over camp by the end of the day.  he did not want to get off his bike.

Ok. I'm abit lost.  Don't some children's bikes have training wheels that can be taken off?

When she's comfortable, put her on grass area/ very, very gentle hill and have her try pedaling.  She might feel safer falling in the grass, not on hard pavement if she is fearful/nervous.  

It needs to be fun.    

She's at a good age still to learn.  She can strap on her teddy bear, doll to give them a ride too.  (This is for motivation.. a slight distractor so that she's not always worried about herself.)

[Dirtyhip]

58 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

Ok. I'm abit lost.  Don't some children's bikes have training wheels that can be taken off?

When she's comfortable, put her on grass area/ very, very gentle hill and have her try pedaling.  She might feel safer falling in the grass, not on hard pavement if she is fearful/nervous.  

It needs to be fun.    

She's at a good age still to learn.  She can strap on her teddy bear, doll to give them a ride too.  (This is for motivation.. a slight distractor so that she's not always worried about herself.)

She can ride.  She just crashes into stuff and is very very fearful.

[Randomguy]

7 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

She can ride.  She just crashes into stuff and is very very fearful.

You know this already, but explain to her that she should look at what she wants to crash into.

[Dirtyhip]

1 minute ago, Randomguy said:

You know this already, but explain to her that she should look at what she wants to crash into.

 

[jdc2000]

A large empty parking lot would not have much to crash into.  Maybe a course with cones or something similar that would give if hit to work on bike handling.

 

[Longjohn ★]

8 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

She can ride.  She just crashes into stuff 

That sounds like me. 

[Parr8hed]

8 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

She can ride.  She just crashes into stuff and is very very fearful.

Is her name Nate?

[MoseySusan]

Just tell her to quit being a little pussy, birch up and ride that damn bike like she stole it. 

Worked for my kid. 

[Dirtyhip]

6 hours ago, jdc2000 said:

A large empty parking lot would not have much to crash into.  Maybe a course with cones or something similar that would give if hit to work on bike handling.

 

I am taking her to a school yard. Big empty school yard. 

They have a few walkways near the grass. They have big flat areas of concrete.  

[Dirtyhip]

1 hour ago, roadsue said:

Just tell her to quit being a little pussy, birch up and ride that damn bike like she stole it. 

Worked for my kid. 

Her mother has given up on her. Her thing now is like I can't deal with you ...ride your bike ... Don't ride your bike...I don't care. This little thing has a temper. She gets mad and she throws her bike on the ground. Like violently. I hope to harness the rage she has and put it into the pedals 

This is gonna be challenging. Her temper reminds me of another spirited little Philly. Lol

[Longjohn ★]

8 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Her mother has given up on her. Her thing now is like I can't deal with you ...ride your bike ... Don't ride your bike...I don't care. This little thing has a temper. She gets mad and she throws her bike on the ground. Like violently. I hope to harness the rage she has and put it into the pedals 

This is gonna be challenging. Her temper reminds me of another spirited little Philly. Lol

She needs to grow up and act like an adult.

 

[Dirtyhip]

I think I will start her day at our bike garage.  Show her our fleet, show her some of the medals and pics and show her what is possible.  Explain how much I care for this fleet and how much I respect it.  She knows me, but I have never let her in my world.  I want her new taste of biking to be like the first time an addict hits that crack pipe.  

[smudge ★]

23 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

The two girls respect me and know me as "the bike lady."  LOL

So talk to her like a person, not like she's a child. Talk to her like a prospective bike person. Yes, encourage like she's a kid; but don't over do. Remind her balance is at your middle, not the handlebars. Talk to her like a bike person. That's how she knows you and is counting on you. Be the leader, not the babysitter.

[bikeman564™]

1 hour ago, Dirtyhip said:

Her mother has given up on her. Her thing now is like I can't deal with you ...ride your bike ... Don't ride your bike...I don't care.

This is so sad I'm glad you're taking this on and exposing her to the wonderful world of cycling. Wait a week or so before you toss her down the wtf sections