Just 2 wheels!!
After many (actually probably about only 3-4 I think) attempts at getting Nigel to cycle on just 2 wheels, he finally did it this morning!! It's completely amazing!!
I equate it to the first time I saw him flip over as a baby, first time he crawled, and of course, the first time he walked!! This is the big next step in person evolution, the cycling on 2 wheels bit!! Watch the video here!
He's been cycling around on his (actually this is his second, or third if you count the tricycle) bicycle with trainer wheels for 3 years now, so this is a big deal. Every parent's worry, concern, nightmare if you wheel (I mean will), how to get your child to cycle on 2 wheels? Lots of running around holding the seat, knee-guards, helmet, elbow pads, one of those expensive German-made wooden contraptions (Gene's got one), it seems like a tremendously big industry for a skill that almost cannot be learnt, cannot be taught. My back still hurts from slight stooping while I sprinted in my slippers beside him!
But this morning at the East Coast Park, it all came together. It's the confidence, the courage and the attitude that got him going. He was pumped, raring to go. How does one balance? Your brain is the key, which is why confidence and the right attitude make all the difference.
But I think the key we found was that he's been spending the last 2 weeks riding around on a (two if you count his grandma's one as well) 2-wheeled scooter. If have to balance on that too you know - and if you ask Celest, that's actually more difficult to balance on compared to a bicycle. So really, his $39 Toys 'r' Us scooter did the trick!!
One down! Two to go.
I equate it to the first time I saw him flip over as a baby, first time he crawled, and of course, the first time he walked!! This is the big next step in person evolution, the cycling on 2 wheels bit!! Watch the video here!
He's been cycling around on his (actually this is his second, or third if you count the tricycle) bicycle with trainer wheels for 3 years now, so this is a big deal. Every parent's worry, concern, nightmare if you wheel (I mean will), how to get your child to cycle on 2 wheels? Lots of running around holding the seat, knee-guards, helmet, elbow pads, one of those expensive German-made wooden contraptions (Gene's got one), it seems like a tremendously big industry for a skill that almost cannot be learnt, cannot be taught. My back still hurts from slight stooping while I sprinted in my slippers beside him!
But this morning at the East Coast Park, it all came together. It's the confidence, the courage and the attitude that got him going. He was pumped, raring to go. How does one balance? Your brain is the key, which is why confidence and the right attitude make all the difference.
But I think the key we found was that he's been spending the last 2 weeks riding around on a (two if you count his grandma's one as well) 2-wheeled scooter. If have to balance on that too you know - and if you ask Celest, that's actually more difficult to balance on compared to a bicycle. So really, his $39 Toys 'r' Us scooter did the trick!!
One down! Two to go.