No Training Wheels!!
A few days ago, I was outside with the boys in the driveway. C and J were riding their bikes up and down the sidewalk and driveway. C came to me and requested that I take his training wheels off of his bicycle. I tried stalling, and suggested that we wait until the weekend when Daddy would be home.
Yesterday we were outside in the driveway again playing. C mentioned to me again that he wanted his training wheels off. Trying a different tactic, I suggested that he get a tool and take them off. I had spoken to B on the phone and knew that he would be home momentarily and thought he could dissuade C.
No such luck. C (with J’s assistance bringing him different size wrenches) removed one training wheel and was working on the second wheel when B got home. Since C showed such persistence, we knew that he was ready to learn how to balance and ride his bike without training wheels.
B made sure that the back bicycle wheel was secure (after the training wheels were removed) and went to helping C learn to balance on his bike sans training wheels. C got discouraged and wanted to quit, so B went inside to eat dinner. I stayed outside with the boys and C requested my help after a few unsuccessful attempts. I held onto the center bar between the handles on the front of the bike to help C balance and to give some helpful instruction. (B had used the method of holding the seat to help C balance.)
After about 15 minutes of me walking/jogging with him, he got the hang of it. He is still struggling with getting himself going, but once I help him, he is good to go for a bit, until he gets to a stopping part, stops pedaling and falls or jumps off.
C has requested that we put the training wheels back on, to make it easier to ride, but we have told him that he just needs to practice more that now the training wheels are off, they don’t go back on.
Oh, bother! The rain has started. I was hoping to help C practice some more after rest/quiet time.
Go, C, go!
Uh, oh!
Oh, no!
Crash!
Success!