Can't Ride a Bike at 8 - How Bad?

Kids have to learn at their own pace. That's why the schools fail. Trying to put each individual in a box with everyone else. I learned on a 26" girls bike, because that's all we had. My aunt was only 8 years older than I, and taught me by running along side, holding the seat. Then when she figured I had it, she let go without my knowing it. The problem with the last couple generations is, they have been force fed their amusement. They don't have to use their imagination. We created our own fun, sometimes with nothing more than a cardboard box and a tin can. Parents and teachers are both guilty of trying to push the kids in one direction. Let them pick their direction and then give them the help they need.

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PLEASE! Go directly to Parents magazine, August 1986 issue for a perfect article on "Teach Bike Riding in One Hour' by Michael H. Kelly. I taught all three of my children to ride a two-wheeler, no training wheels, using his method and it really does work. What kids needs is a huge open paved area to practice on. I used the courtyard at the elementary school. All of my kids could ride well by the time they started kindergarten. Good luck!

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I taught all my kids between 4 and 5 yrs old. Get a 2 wheeler sized to the child and let him ride every day with training wheels, lifting the wheels slightly as he progresses. After 6-8 mos. remove the training wheels. Find a stretch of pavement, with no obstacles about a half block long. By now, the bike will be a bit smaller for the kid and easier to handle. Show him how to ground to a stop by putting both feet to the ground. Proceed to have him pedal up and down the block with you holding your one hand slightly on the back of the seat and the other holding the handle bar. Give reassurance they're secure from falling. Do this for 10 minute intervals about 3 to 4 times the first day. Next day, 15-20 minutes 3-4 times and run a little faster with him.. By day 3, you will feel him gain his balance and you will be able to hold seat only, slightly until you feel he is gaining control of his balance. By the end day 3 he will be ride by himself with you teaching him how to turn and brake. Some kids get it on their own but most need security of a patient teacher willing to spend consistent training time with them.

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I agree with the people who said to break the task into smaller pieces and to check into vision and hearing problems.

I'd also like to add underachieving in reading and spelling to the list. Many students with dyslexia or other learning problems also have perceptual difficulties and that can affect balance skills as well.

Our academically gifted daughter learned at 9. She had a lazy eye and that affected her depth perception, balance, and her readiness to accept risk.

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I'm sorry,but this according to this present liberal ideology,this carries a connotation of child neglect and the authorities need to investigate.

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My nephew didn't learn to ride until he was 15. He kept trying but couldn't get the balance while pedaling. I read about a bike that was used to help teach kids that had no pedals. The idea is to learn the baIance first, then learn how to pedal.I encouraged him to sit on the bike he had, ignore the pedals and just push himself along with his feet until he could get longer strides and maintain his balance. Within weeks, he was pedaling along with the rest of the kids. Everything in it's own time.

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My grandson is 10 years old and he can not ride a bike. My grandson has ADHD and Asperger's (form of Autism) and their motor skills are not developed. My grandson has an IQ of 148 so it has nothing to do with learning the concept of riding. It has to do with "low" motor skills. Watch the way the boy tosses a ball, catches a ball, etc. If you see that his ability is not up to par, I would suggest you have him tested.

Step away from the pressure that he learns to ride a bike and look into the reason he can not.

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If I remember my childhood correctly, it wasn't until I was eight years old that I rode a bike. Taught myself by getting on and pedaling around our back yard.

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My daughter did not learn to ride her bike until she was 8 years old. We tried for many years to get her to ride and she quit every single time. We then found something called a Balance Buddy and within a half an hour..she was riding her bike.
If your child can't ride a bike, it is truly NOT the end of the world!

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My daughter couldn't ride a bike either. She faught me the entire time I was trying to teach her. Jumping off screaming that she couldn't do it. I talked to a specialist one day because I heard how it could be a sign of other "issues".
The specialist told me to take her horseback riding, how it teaches balance, etc, and is theraputic for most balance issues. I told her how she has her own pony and rides almost daily. Shows in the hunter/jumper circuit, etc. She said, "oh than it might all be for drama".
I went home and put her on her bike and told her simple things they say while riding a horse. "don't look down or you fall on the ground" "keep your eyes 30 feet ahead of you". And it worked, she got it and was riding her bike that day. Remember you have to show kids where 30 feet ahead is and keep repeating, "don't look down, or you end up on the ground". Good luck. He will be fine.

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My 6 year-year-old daughter was not anxious to learn how to ride a bike. Then I offered her cold hard cash ($20) to ride around a paved circle in the park. I didn't think she could do it. She did! Now at 13 she and I are avid trail bike riders. We'll do a 20 mile ride with the local bicycle club whenever they are scheduled in our area.

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I am a little shocked that she is stressing so afterall my mom and motherin-law cannot ride a bike or drive a car. It sounds like he is unwilling to get hurt and doesn't realize that after the first 5 minutes he will have the hang of it. Then it is natural. I would and do have my kids ride beside soft ground and tell them that if they think they will fall just lean to the dirt side of the road--maybe get him knee pads too. They sort of fall once or twice and never again. Also use a really cool older kid to help encourage and goad him to newer heights of learning--thats where brothers help

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Does the kid want to ride? My son did not. His younger sister taught herself @ 4 (because waiting til Saturday for help would have been unbearable LOL). So when Saturday rolled around & I suggested taking my daughter on a short bike ride around the block, my son suddenly wanted to ride & he hopped on had a couple (seriously only 2) wobbly minutes & that was it. There was no motivation & in the scheme of things, it wasn't important so I did not push it. He had to want it. It's not like being unable to ride will keep him out of Harvard. Too many video games might do that but one battle at a time right?

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There is nothing wrong with your child learning to ride a bike when theyre 8. My son is almost 10 and he learned when he was 9. I bought him a brand new bike when he was 6 with training wheels and he rode the bike. Soon after that, I took the training wheels off and told him if he wanted to ride the bike, he had to do it on his own. He pushed the bike with his feet. He said he was scared he was going to fall, but I kept letting him know, if you fall, you can get up again. One day my family was outside and he just rode right past us. I asked him why he finally decided to ride the bike, he said he wanted to keep up with his friends and that he wasnt scared to fall anymore. Kids do things at their pace and we as parents cant force them to do things they think they are not ready to do. Most parents think something is wrong with their child if they dont do something that the other kids are already doing. RELAX PARENTS. All kids are different and are not going to do everything at the same time.

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Try going to a Baseball diamond. Start at home-plate and ride on the hard dirt going to first base. Once they make it to first base try making the turn and going to second base. Before you know they will be riding around to all the bases. The best part is if and when they fall over they will be falling onto the grass of the field not hard pavement. I have been in the Bicycle business for over twenty years and have shared this advice with numerous generations of bicycle riders. It does work!

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Consider this mom...........YOUR frustration and anxiety are quite apparent to your child. From my experiences as a mom (sons now grown).......and I have much wisdom cause I've made the same mistakes......by your EXPECTATIONS youre setting your child up for not only failure but for dimishing his/her self esteem. Relaxxxxxxxxxxxx and allow your child to develop according their ability. Enjoy and praise their accomplishments as they come. Kids need all the praise and self assurance they can get in todays world. Focus on that and enjoy your precious baby :)

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I am 32 years old & I can't ride a bike. People are universally appalled when I tell them this, which is so funny to me. Really, what's the worst consequence of not knowing how to ride a bike? You WALK to where you need to go. My mom tried to teach me but I eventually got so frustrated that I refused to try again. I'm an intelligent woman, if I do say so myself. My lack of bike riding ability hasn't had any effect on my long term success or satisfaction. I mean, really. It's a bike. As for the suggestion of having him screened for autism: are you kidding me?! I have an autistic teenager & I also have 5 other children. The suggestion that a child disinterested in what society deems as normal must be handicapped is frightening. Some of my kids can ride, some can't. The ones that can't have other interests. No big deal. Riding a bike is very low on the totem pole of what's important in life. Check your priorities.

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