Not to be Outdone ...
May 17, 2006
7:51 a.m., MT

Not to be outdone by Snolf the First's recent triumph, Snolf the Second tried mightily to improve her biking skills yesterday too. She won't allow us to remove her training wheels, which are, in my opinion, horribly misnamed. They don't train one for anything but dependence on an artificial support. It was my Sweetie who pointed this out, and who taught me a much better method of helping someone learn to ride a bike. But Snolf II's now used to her crutches and despite seeing her brother tooling happily about—and despite his enthusiastic endorsement of my call to remove them—she refused to let me do so.

She did try very hard to bike all the way up the road from the nice, flat field which is our test-biking site; she wanted to accomplish something grand just as Snolf I did. When we lived in the upper midwest a while back, we adults dubbed a formidable hill near our house The Big-Ass Hill; getting up it was quite a challenge, one that I never met without at least one break (but I did get to where I didn't entirely cave and walk my bike up the remainder). Snolf the Second decided that our current perch on a mountainside (quite low on it, truth be told; but with a decent grade, especially up our driveway) qualified as her big-ass hill; and she was determined not to walk her bike up it.

Well, she made it ... but not without some help from the Snake, which she knows, even if she doesn't fully acknowledge the extent of the assist. And to be fair, she did pedal farther up the hill than Snolf I did—but she didn't spend nearly as much time as he did biking down in the field.

She's certainly old enough to be learning to ride ... if we can just overcome her Princessy tendencies. Snolf II does not like the idea that things have to be earned; she wants things given her, because she's cute or just because she wants them. However, precisely because she's so cute and seems likely to grow into a very pretty young woman, I think the idea of earning one's way is even more important for her to learn now.

Sunni

Comments: 8 people have contributed to the conversation

On Wednesday, May 17th, at approximately 7:55 a.m. Mountain time, Ginny said:

My parents didn't believe in training wheels, so I learned w/o them. At the time it pissed me off, all my friends used training wheels..but then by 4 I was riding a two-wheeled bike, no problem.

On Wednesday, May 17th, at approximately 9:09 a.m. Mountain time, B.W. said:

It's amazing the stuff the average person can accomplish just by trying to do it - I suspect we all underestimate our capabilities. I don't know enough about child psychology to know whether the "just gimme it" thing is just a normal phase, but I think you're right in wanting her to earn it. Every day we see people who never grew out of "just gimme."

On Wednesday, May 17th, at approximately 10:09 a.m. Mountain time, lewlew said:

Every day we see people who never grew out of "just gimme."

Amen to that. We're having that bit of trouble ourselves, even though we're not "pass go and collect $200" parents. So, be vigilant, because this can be learned behavior, through peer osmosis.

On Wednesday, May 17th, at approximately 1:09 p.m. Mountain time, cowardly lion said:

Oh, it's learned behavior, all right.

We have a darling niece (no kids ourselves) who is a holy terror to her mom.

We treat her with respect and require it, and with us she's a doll, but she and her mom get in 'knock down drag outs,' as she puts it.

Oh, well.

On Wednesday, May 17th, at approximately 6:13 p.m. Mountain time, Paul said:

I really enjoy your tales of snolf adventures as I find them heartwarming and humorous.

I don't think you should fuss to much over snolf 2 being to princessy as she's quite young and still has a lot of growing up to do.Just keep encouraging them to take responsibility for their own lives and actions and as long as they have the intelligent and loving adult guidance I believe they have I'm betting they'll turn out great.

On Wednesday, May 17th, at approximately 8:27 p.m. Mountain time, Laura said:

This post reminds me of my frustration over another training device - one that's IMO potentially lethal - floaties, or butterflies, probably known otherwise too. They're the things you put on your kids' arms to supposedly keep them safe and afloat in water. And they teach a small person (so incorrectly) that they don't have to rely on their arms in the water! Not for me and my kids.....

What's your Sweetie's method for teaching bike riding?

On Thursday, May 18th, at approximately 7:27 a.m. Mountain time, cowardly lion said:

May I give my method?

Find a nice straight sidewalk or a no-traffic parking lot.

Hold the bike by the back of the seat and get the kid settled on the pedals and handlebars until comfortable.

Get them started pedaling and rolling while still holding the bike, jog with them (for as long as you can :-), then have them slow down and stop.

After just a few runs like this, less and less stabilizing is needed until you're running alongside and they don't even know they're on their own.

Then send them off on their first solo and watch the grin when they come back!

On Thursday, May 18th, at approximately 9:47 a.m. Mountain time, Monika said:

Re: cowardly lion's method- you could also put a long and thick stick slightly underneath the bicycle seat so that it's just more comfortable for you to run alongside the bike. that's how my dad tought us to ride our bikes and indeed, once I sped up and made a nice big turn and saw him far away from me, oy, the sudden fear! But the instant and prolonged excitement and pride...

Home
Previous entry: "Flying Further"
Next entry: "Brits to be Commanded to Yield PGP Keys?"