A conversation with a nay sayer

wackydeirdre said:

While talking with my daughter who always is on my case about cycling this evening I explained how much I enjoyed it also that it is very addicting. She replied "so are drugs. If you do them long enough they will kill you also". It probably was one of those "you had to be there" moments, but I found it quite funny and thought I would share.😄

When your little girl starts resembling the Michelin man she will be banging her head against the wall - that will be on her 30's - for not tagging along with mom and learning how to stay lean and mean.

Fitness discipline is learned BEFORE the age of 18 ( those are the CDC numbers on the last report on obesity)

Of course if a child has healthy eating habits is less likely to be obese as an adult, but fitness is a different whole game.

I am grateful for my parents that bugged the [censored] out of me to go and play some sport.

I would rather take the risk of cycling than sit in Krispy Kreme all day😄

wackydeirdre said:

While talking with my daughter who always is on my case about cycling this evening I explained how much I enjoyed it also that it is very addicting. She replied "so are drugs. If you do them long enough they will kill you also". It probably was one of those "you had to be there" moments, but I found it quite funny and thought I would share.😄

She's still young enough to have to do what mom says? Time get her a bike and make her come with you 😄 - who knows maybe she'll get "addicted" too.

Cyclist14 said:

I would rather take the risk of cycling than sit in Krispy Kreme all day😄

Amen to that!

Eden said:

She's still young enough to have to do what mom says? Time get her a bike and make her come with you 😄 - who knows maybe she'll get "addicted" too.

I bought her a bike before I even got one for myself and have continued to get them as they grow. I've always felt bikes were a priority for kids. She prefers roller blading to cycling but since turning 13 has been refusing to wear protective gear. I say no protective gear, no roller blading. She'd rather not skate than wear gear - I guess it isn't cool. I tell her a bashed brain is what is un cool. She still prefers a silent protest of not skateing. She sometimes will go out on her bike when I am not looking without a helmet knowing she will face the music when she returns home. I guess that's teenagers for you. By the way, she'd never be caught dead cycling with mom. Teenagers are just too cool for that.
One question for anyone who may know, how do I get my nearly 10 yr old son to start riding? I've tried everything. Blinking lights on the wheels when the bike is in motion, really cool helmets, a promise to get a CAT computer once he starts going and telling him how much I look forward to the day he can ride with me. He wants to ride but was motor delayed when younger and still clumsy. He is terrified he will fall and hurt himself.

wackydeirdre said:

One question for anyone who may know, how do I get my nearly 10 yr old son to start riding? I've tried everything. Blinking lights on the wheels when the bike is in motion, really cool helmets, a promise to get a CAT computer once he starts going and telling him how much I look forward to the day he can ride with me. He wants to ride but was motor delayed when younger and still clumsy. He is terrified he will fall and hurt himself.

Perhaps find a used "Trail-A-Bike" so he can get used to being up on 2/3 wheels and the balance involved. The once he's comfy with that he may start on his own bike. Rent a tandem?

Also consider putting him on a bike that's a bit to small for him. He'll be lower the the ground and can easily put his feet down. That way he can build his confidence as his cycling improves. You might put lots of pads on him - elbow, knee, skating wrist protectors - which will help with his fear of getting hurt.

Is he still geting any Occupational Therapy? If not, and he's in a public school, you should push for him to get services.

good luck!
Tim

lumpy said:

Perhaps find a used "Trail-A-Bike" so he can get used to being up on 2/3 wheels and the balance involved. The once he's comfy with that he may start on his own bike. Rent a tandem?

Also consider putting him on a bike that's a bit to small for him. He'll be lower the the ground and can easily put his feet down. That way he can build his confidence as his cycling improves. You might put lots of pads on him - elbow, knee, skating wrist protectors - which will help with his fear of getting hurt.

Is he still geting any Occupational Therapy? If not, and he's in a public school, you should push for him to get services.

good luck!
Tim

I took him off the training wheels when I got him down to 1 wheel. He got way too big for the smaller bike and I donated. He was getting nowhere with his knees hitting the handle bars. They don't even make training wheels for the bike I have for him now. I keep adjusting the seat and handlebars but it's no good. He was in OT but the school discontinued it last year. He is really fine physically now. He also is extremely ADHD though. When his meds wear off he's everywhere. This is where the clumsiness comes in and he is very aware of it. I think this is what frightens him. ~ That and the fact that he twice has seen me come home all bloodied. The first time I fell was the first day his twin brother finally began riding. I was really afraid it would scare him off cycling completely but I think when he saw me go out on my bike the very next day he became considerably more determined to ride until he didn't fall anymore. I told them to practice in the backyard so they would land in the grass if they fell.

@Dreire ... for the boy.
What about those small really old school 10 speeds?

I guess you can find them for next to nothing.

Are you sure that his equilibrium is ok? Or is just coordination?
Those make excellent incentives since they are infinitivelly faster than whatever they rode before.
Some drills on control over the bike at really low speeds might help too.

huhenio said:

@Dreire ... for the boy.
What about those small really old school 10 speeds?

I guess you can find them for next to nothing.

Are you sure that his equilibrium is ok? Or is just coordination?
Those make excellent incentives since they are infinitivelly faster than whatever they rode before.
Some drills on control over the bike at really low speeds might help too.

I'm trying to get him to ride a mountain bike first simply so he is riding and figure I'll move him up from there once he builds confidence. I also figure having him ride in the grass will have him learn control at a low speed. I never thought about equilibrium but will ask his doctor about it. I do see the coordination disapear when his medication wears off though and see a definite corollation there. He is due for his eval in that area which is quite extensive so they will assess if he requires a higher dosage. He has grown quite a bit over the summer. I think he will do far better to learn control prior to speed. Once he is good in that area I will probably be able to get him an old 10 speed at a garage sale. I also feel the speed might work well for him since kids with adhd tend to be wound tightly "as if driven by a motor" to quote some written tests I have taken regarding his personality. I have to insist on confidence and control before he hits the street. I want him to have fun but have to ensure he is safe. Thanks!
Regarding riding alone. Do you really prefer it to group rides? I also ride alone but wish I had company. Someone to challenge me and make me train harder, perhaps even learn some training skills from. I really want to be ready to race by next summer. I unfortunately have to quit in the middle of December since my asthma really acts up when the really cold air hits my lungs and we get the snow shortly after. I was in bed for about 2 weeks on a nebulizer last year. Do you know if anything is made to cover the mouth and nose to curb the cold hitting the lungs? I probably could have ridden for a large part of the winter last year. I don't remember the snow being very bad. The town really killed the roads with sand though.

wackydeirdre said:

While talking with my daughter who always is on my case about cycling this evening I explained how much I enjoyed it also that it is very addicting. She replied "so are drugs. If you do them long enough they will kill you also". It probably was one of those "you had to be there" moments, but I found it quite funny and thought I would share.😄

My wife and I have the opposite problem. If we even mention the word 'bike', Shannon goes mental shouting 'BIKE BIKE BIKE'. We usually give in and take her for a ride on the bikes.😄

@ dreire

Time will tell with the kids. For the cold air there is not much other than the neoprene ski mask that is commonly found in ski stores. But with a story of asthma I would not gamble getting hurt like that with the winter air.

shannons dad said:

My wife and I have the opposite problem. If we even mention the word 'bike', Shannon goes mental shouting 'BIKE BIKE BIKE'. We usually give in and take her for a ride on the bikes.😄

Sounds like Shannon is still young enough to adore absolutely everything you do. My 9 yr old twin boys really love to see me cycle also. I used to fill the kiddie pool in the summer and tell them I'd be back in a while for a swim with them on those really hot, humid days. When I came back and jumped in with my clothes on they thought it was such a riot!

Wackydeirdre,

You sound like a great mom! Your kids are lucky.

There's been some interesting studies lately about ADD and ADHD and how diet can make a difference. Also some alternative therapies are getting interesting results - like biofeedback, and even aromatherapy.

I suggest you talk to the doc about how things change as his meds wear off. There are some new drugs that may prove more appropriate.

Insist he be assessed for OT. I assume it's in his IEP. If so, the school MUST provide it.

It sounds to me like his big issue is falling and getting hurt. The loss of control of his body when the meds wear off is surely scary to him.

good luck!
Tim

wackydeirdre said:

... One question for anyone who may know, how do I get my nearly 10 yr old son to start riding? I've tried everything. Blinking lights on the wheels when the bike is in motion, really cool helmets, a promise to get a CAT computer once he starts going and telling him how much I look forward to the day he can ride with me. He wants to ride but was motor delayed when younger and still clumsy. He is terrified he will fall and hurt himself.

WD - I have a daughter with Downs Syndrome. Each time I tried to take the training wheels off, it would end up with me carrying the bike home and her not having any further interest in riding. She seemed to have little natural balance and has always been a bit scared of falls and pain etc. I tried getting her to attempt riding on grass parks etc, but we got nowhere (my impatience would kick in, followed shortly by her stubbornness).
I basically gave up and put the training wheels back on. Her younger sister could ride and it must have been sitting in the back of her mind to keep trying. One time when we went camping down near a river, I returned back from a fishing trip to find that she'd taught herself (on a bumpy hill with branches and roots all over the ground. It was just the right time for her (she was about 10 years old). After that, it was easy. She'd pushed herself to take the step and had made it. Now she's almost 15 and is at High School where many of her friends still can't ride bikes.
I'd advise being a lot more patient than I was and just keep encouraging. The thing that makes it difficult for kids when they first start is that they are scared of going fast, and don't yet understand that it is harder to balance when you go slow. My Dad taught me on my sister's bike on our back lawn. He just ran along beside, holding on under the seat. He let me wobble and correct. I got used to him holding on until the time he found I could balance, and let go. The first that I knew I was riding was when he was running along beside me a few feet away. The light just goes on - "I can ride!". Keep it fun, keep trying and, when there are falls, don't let them become a big issue (that's how I wish I had taught my elder daughter). Don't give up - it will happen, but it won't be until he is ready for it - and when it does happen, you have no idea of how proud you will be.
Good luck...

EoinC said:

WD - I have a daughter with Downs Syndrome. Each time I tried to take the training wheels off, it would end up with me carrying the bike home and her not having any further interest in riding. She seemed to have little natural balance and has always been a bit scared of falls and pain etc. I tried getting her to attempt riding on grass parks etc, but we got nowhere (my impatience would kick in, followed shortly by her stubbornness).
I basically gave up and put the training wheels back on. Her younger sister could ride and it must have been sitting in the back of her mind to keep trying. One time when we went camping down near a river, I returned back from a fishing trip to find that she'd taught herself (on a bumpy hill with branches and roots all over the ground. It was just the right time for her (she was about 10 years old). After that, it was easy. She'd pushed herself to take the step and had made it. Now she's almost 15 and is at High School where many of her friends still can't ride bikes.
I'd advise being a lot more patient than I was and just keep encouraging. The thing that makes it difficult for kids when they first start is that they are scared of going fast, and don't yet understand that it is harder to balance when you go slow. My Dad taught me on my sister's bike on our back lawn. He just ran along beside, holding on under the seat. He let me wobble and correct. I got used to him holding on until the time he found I could balance, and let go. The first that I knew I was riding was when he was running along beside me a few feet away. The light just goes on - "I can ride!". Keep it fun, keep trying and, when there are falls, don't let them become a big issue (that's how I wish I had taught my elder daughter). Don't give up - it will happen, but it won't be until he is ready for it - and when it does happen, you have no idea of how proud you will be.
Good luck...

Thanks! I've always felt the same, it will happen when they are ready. They have been showing interest since spring so I've been trying everything to get them riding. They are embarassed they can't ride and other boys may be picking on them though they'd never admit it. I have run beside him holding the bike for balance quite a bit but find he relies on me completely when I hold the bike and won't even pedal. He's better off doing on his own at his pace and when he is ready.

WD,

How about getting your son a "Razor Scooter" to help him work on his balance? Far less intimidating than a bike and it'll get him comfortable being on 2 wheels.

tim

lumpy said:

WD,

How about getting your son a "Razor Scooter" to help him work on his balance? Far less intimidating than a bike and it'll get him comfortable being on 2 wheels.

tim

I got him one of those years ago. At first he wasn't comfortable with the idea of having a 2 wheeled one and I managed to find one with 3 (2 small rear wheels, 1 in the front. I got his twin brother a 2 wheeled one. He started riding his brothers once in a while last year but prefers his own.

lumpy said:

Wackydeirdre,

You sound like a great mom! Your kids are lucky.

There's been some interesting studies lately about ADD and ADHD and how diet can make a difference. Also some alternative therapies are getting interesting results - like biofeedback, and even aromatherapy.

I suggest you talk to the doc about how things change as his meds wear off. There are some new drugs that may prove more appropriate.

Insist he be assessed for OT. I assume it's in his IEP. If so, the school MUST provide it.

It sounds to me like his big issue is falling and getting hurt. The loss of control of his body when the meds wear off is surely scary to him.

good luck!
Tim

Thanks! The school decided he no longer required OT last spring. I don't disagree. His hands are strong and his writing isn't bad though they hurt after long periods of writing and he has become ambidexterous to compensate. I fight with the school on a regular basis to get things added to his and his brothers IEP's. I've been trying very hard to get OT and PT for his brother who is very inwardly rotated, walks with a very awkward gait and doesn't have strength in his hands to zip a winter jacket or button his jeans. I finally got the school to assess him and they told me that since these were things not affecting him in the classroom PT & OT would not be given to him. A huge cop out if you ask me. He also will be re assessed for his ADHD soon. I managed to get the boys involved in a State study for adhd where they look at all methods of treatment. The assessment will take hours. The doctors look at everything and write a lengthy report. I know they will decide and insist on PT & OT for at least the guy who can't zip/button. As this is a state run program it ought to carry a good deal of weight for getting the school off it's backside, re assess and treat. The downside here is the budget failed twice last spring in my neck of the woods and it will be all the more difficult to get those people off their arses. If I had the money I might consider getting those people bikes and organize a TACA (Teachers and Administration Cycling Association). They would become happy, energetic, and svelt. By the way, are you a PT yourself? You sound pretty knowledgable regarding IEP's
Sorry for the very long reply.

Hey WD,

I'm a special ed aide. I work with kids that have all kinds of challenges. I'm also a credentialed teacher but don't want to work that hard!! My wife's a school speech therapist so we talk shop quite a bit!
Right now I'm working with a 6th grade girl who has a whole lot of stuff on her IEP. Emotionally disturbed, ADD, OCD, gets OT, etc. Last year I was in a Special Day class for pre-schoolers and kinders with identified issues. It was wild!

You can always go get an outside assessment for your kids. Unfortunately the school doesn't have to honor it. Also the school is only concerned with academic progress. So if it doesn't affect their ability to learn, they don't care. It sucks - I know.

Your guy with the buttoning problem probably has a hard time writing, so OT is pretty likely.

I hate to say it but you may have to go through your HMO and pediatrician to get what you need. But that big state study should carry a lot of weight!

hang in there!
Tim