bike riding

[michele]

Has anyone else here had the trouble of getting a TS child to ride a bike? My six year old son seems so scared to take off his training wheels. Everytime I take one off he refuses to get on or ride. Is this common with young kids with tic disorders? My son has poor motor skills, crossing midline and core muscle weakness. Does anyone have suggestions? He is in OT currently and I have brought his bike there too. He does fine with the training wheels on except he leans to the right, and is not afraid at all. It is getting bad when all the four year old neighbors now are riding without training wheels. Should I be concerned? How can I help him when he is scared? Thanks.

 

Michele

[Pudgeo]

Hi Michelle, I know how you feel..My son is just scared of falling off his bike. So 2 years ago I bought him a bike from an Ebay company called California scooters..they make big wheels for bigger kids. My son loves his because it's low to the ground and very cool looking. He has no desire to ride a 2 wheeler andI'm not going to push it until he's ready or wants to learn.

He has never liked to climb up high either..Sarah

[Pudgeo]

I looked again and the Ebay store is called California Scooters trikes wagons..My son got the low rider trike and it's very cool with the flames on the seat..all the neighborhood kids want to ride it!!

I found with my son I can never force him to do anything (like ride a 2 wheeler) so that's why I got this bike! Sarah

[Pamela Kay]

I remember when my son was about that age or maybe a bit younger, we got him a big boy bike for Easter. It did not have training wheels but we planned on putting them on. He was so mad and flipped out. "Why did you get me a bike without training wheels?". Well we were patient for a couple years. He actually learned last year at seven. The first bike we got him was actually to big and we had to pay a bit extra to get one that was not a typical size. He could reach the ground though and it made him feel much more confident.

[faith]

Michele (and others)

I really think this is an issue all kids have, some are ready early, some later. I know a few kids who were still not confident to get on a two wheeler by second grade, and they are not ts kids. For my son, I know he was not confident to try, but when he was I guess six or seven, can't remember, I took him and a friend who was two years younger to the park with intention of practicing on a grassy baseball field. I held onto the back of the bike's seat with one hand while he rode and ran along side of him, while giving instructions to just keep peddling and not look back. I would let go for about five seconds and then say "see, you were doing it!" and kept this up till he just finally saw he could stay up on the bike by himself. They just need alot of encouragement and prompting, just keep explaining how the bike stays up by itself when they are peddaling. When they see they can do it for a a few seconds, they will keep trying, but you need to keep encouraging and promise you will be right beside them. I even taught a friend of mine's daughter who was eight last year and was still not riding without training wheels, my friend enlisted me because she was getting too frustrated with her and it was not fun for either of them.

 

If he has certain fears, you may just have to work on those one by one. Just keep trying, and as I said, an open field of grass is the best place to learn. You'll be so proud when he does it-- and then you'll want to kick yourself because then he'll be off and zooming down your street!

 

 

Faith

[michele]

I know many kids have trouble with bike riding but for him it is a fear issue. He is scared of so many things. He was doing fine with the training wheels on and then refused to ride it with even one training wheel off. I guess I will have to put them both back on and wait for him to be ready! We even tried the tandem bike where he ides behind my husband and he freaked out on that too and refused to ride. All you do on it is hold on you don't even need to pedal. Can you come over and help him learn?

 

Michele

Michele (and others)

I really think this is an issue all kids have, some are ready early, some later. I know a few kids who were still not confident to get on a two wheeler by second grade, and they are not ts kids. For my son, I know he was not confident to try, but when he was I guess six or seven, can't remember, I took him and a friend who was two years younger to the park with intention of practicing on a grassy baseball field. I held onto the back of the bike's seat with one hand while he rode and ran along side of him, while giving instructions to just keep peddling and not look back. I would let go for about five seconds and then say "see, you were doing it!" and kept this up till he just finally saw he could stay up on the bike by himself. They just need alot of encouragement and prompting, just keep explaining how the bike stays up by itself when they are peddaling. When they see they can do it for a a few seconds, they will keep trying, but you need to keep encouraging and promise you will be right beside them. I even taught a friend of mine's daughter who was eight last year and was still not riding without training wheels, my friend enlisted me because she was getting too frustrated with her and it was not fun for either of them.

 

If he has certain fears, you may just have to work on those one by one. Just keep trying, and as I said, an open field of grass is the best place to learn. You'll be so proud when he does it-- and then you'll want to kick yourself because then he'll be off and zooming down your street!

 

 

Faith