The Day I Learn to ride a bicycleLearning to ride a bicycle is probably one of the earliest opportunities for children to experienceA true sense of accomplishment. I also think that the way we learn to ride can be a strong predictor of how we will approach other challenges later in life.
I was lucky; my dad seemed to have perfected the perfect balance of offering gentle guidance and assistance while also giving me time to practice and master the skills on my own as well. I had some friends who were simply given a bicycle Id “ Learn how to ride,??? with no help or guidance and others who were allowed to languish in the world of training wheels for far too long or others who simply never learned to ride at all. Children need a balance between loving support and letting go to master many tough challenges along the way.
My dad let me ride with training wheels for a few weeks in order for me get the feel of the bike but then removed them and took to running along behind. With the aches and pains that generally begin to set in around that time in life I now recognize what a tremendous act of love and nurturing that really was. He says that once you learn to ride a bicycle it is a skill that you never forget. I think thats true but I also believe that you never forget the extra lessons that come with how you learned to ride the bike. With growing arthritis I seldom ride my bike anymore but I use the other skills that I learned from Dad during our bike riding lessons every single day. While riding Dad would sometimes offer encouragement or helpful advice like “ Lean a little more to your right” or “ Pedal a bit faster!” But thankfully, he neverShouted at me in frustration or made me feel stupid for failed attempts or left me to flounder with no advice at all. And I learn to ride a bicycle completely on every road but now also I am afraid of speed of other vehicles coming behind, forward or along with me because I don??™t like sped in vehicles.