These days, if I’m not helping my teenager learn how to drive, I can be found in a nearby field helping my almost 7 year-olds learn how to ride their new bikes.

I’ve been riding a bike for 40 years and, like driving, most of the skill associated with it is unconscious after that much time. That’s what is so interesting about teaching anything – you have to be conscious of how and why you do things.

My instinct with riding a bike was to take them to a flat grassy area and run behind them holding the seat. This seemed to work reasonably well a couple of times. Then, I collapsed on the ground in spasms. (I’m not much of a runner these days.)  While there were moments of pedaling and staying balanced without me holding on, it was fleeting and disaster lurked at every turn. But there were no disasters – which qualifies as a downright success for the first day of trying to ride a bike.

Back at home, LA found a good web site that laid out a more common-sense methodology. Lower the seat so the feet can be flat on the ground. Start with balance, then add actions likes pedaling. So, on the next outing, we found a flat grassy field with a slight hill and they glided down the hill without pedaling and practiced stopping without falling down. Add in some enthusiastic encouragement and confidence-building compliments and we have some genuine progress. We also tried riding with me running behind again – also with some success.

So, we’re on the path toward learning to ride. Failing a breakthrough, we’ve signed them up for Pedalheads this summer – a camp that specializes in teaching kids how to ride.

Even LA got a new bike – with a basket. There aren’t many activities you can do as a family, but cycling is one of them. I can’t wait for them to ride, so we can all go on rides together.