Bike Riding

The Nilssen family is severely behind the curve when it comes to riding bikes.  We have bought our children bikes for Christmas and birthdays with hopes that our kids would take interest in learning to ride.  What kind of parent does not teach their kids to ride bikes.  Even as a 3 year old Soren was terrified of his bike.  I remember going to the mail box with him and he would slam on his breaks with white knuckles, take 30 seconds to try again, go 2 feet and slam on his breaks again.  Svea was never much more interested then Soren.  We decided with Liv to use a balance bike, a bike with no peddles that teaches balance as a different way to instruct.

I had gone home sick from work on Friday, and still had little energy on Saturday plus the weather was cold and rainy, so no hiking.  We decided to go to Lampe Park and bring the bikes.  I actually told Ashley "I am really surprised that Svea never learned to ride her bike, she is adventurous and coordinated."  I remember Chris learning to ride a bike in Kansas, Dad just pushed him down a significant hill and it was no big deal from that moment onward.  I put Svea on her bike at the top of the driveway and pushed her down.  She made it with some peddling. It was a success.  She jumped off her bike and was skipping around, high fiveing, really excited.  Ashley had a tear in her eye.  Here was attempt #2.

There you go, she had it!  We did that a few dozen times.  Not to say all rides went as smooth

If its skiing, hiking, swimming, or biking, Svea does not let the temporary setbacks or pains distract her from the goal.  By the time we went to the park she was in control.  She spent the afternoon going on giant loops around the park, over bridges, I think she understood that her territory had been expanded.  We rode again this afternoon and she has it.

You wonder as a parent where you went wrong when your kids can't ride a bike, so this is a welcome expansion of skill sets.

Liv of course saw what Svea was doing and picked it up right away.  The bike we have for her is a little too small which makes it a little difficult, but Ashley and I were done spending money on bikes until this weekends breakthrough

At the park Liv got even better

Soren is just as nervous about it as he was as a three year old.  He claims that on his mission he will use training wheels and has no interest in learning how to ride a bike.

Liv gave her first talk in church today.  The subject was the restoration of the gospel.  Liv wrote the talk last night and Ashley gave it to her today. It's good for kids to learn to speak in the public early.  It's a good life skill.