Devon has had a bike with training wheels for a couple of years now, and a few weeks ago I decided it was time for the training wheels to come off. I had tried taking them off once before, but he was too freaked out by it. Anyway, I decided to try again. My basic approach was this: take it slow. I would take Devon out every day for short sessions, and I'd try to ensure that he didn't fall, and he'd be riding in a week. It has taken more like 3 weeks, but we're almost there. The (almost) daily lessons are extremely short -- 5-10 minutes. Sometimes we just ride to the end of the block and back a couple of times. At first, I held on to the seat the whole time, running behind the bike. After a few sessions, I could let go briefly. Now I only hold on to get him launched, and we are practicing starting from a stop solo. After that, it'll just be practice.
I should say that Devon is a nervous kid -- not exactly a daredevil -- so biking is scary for him. Other kids would throw themselves into it, and learn after a few falls. But Devon needs a gentle touch. I think he is gaining some self confidence by being able to ride without training wheels.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
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