So, DH and I decided that we want DS to learn to ride a bike with a strider bike, so my mom bought him one for Christmas. He's not quite 2, so a little young for it. He seems apprehensive about getting on it and mostly likes to lay it on its side and spin the wheels. No big deal. He's pretty young and barely tall enough to try riding it anyway.
MIL apparently decided that he needs a tricycle because he's scared of the strider bike, so she bought one. DH told her we don't want to let him learn on something like that because we don't want him to get used to it and not have to learn to balance. It's apparently pretty contentious, though she did put the trike away.
So, what say you, ML? Do we let the kid use the tricycle or hold off and push the strider bike when he's a little older?
Post by mooselovah on Mar 23, 2017 12:17:13 GMT -5
He need to learn both. They are both good for different things. The tricycle will teach him to peddle the strider bike will teach him to balance and glide.
Post by Mrs. Meerkat on Mar 23, 2017 12:19:41 GMT -5
Special Snowflake.
Let him use both. They both help develop different skills. The strider for balance and the trike for pedaling. DS uses a trike and is excellent at pedaling. His BFF had a strider and now will NOT pedal on his new bike.
I think if he has both available he'll use what he's most comfortable riding.
Does it really matter if he never uses the strider and prefers the tricycle?
My kid was one of those that never liked her Strider bike. At most, she'd walk with it between her legs. She just found the tricycle more fun. So she's still using training wheels on her bike at 4.5. Eh, whatever. She'll learn to ride a bike when she's ready. It's just for fun and it's not the end of the world.
I did not know this was something that was controversial. I let DD use whatever she wants. Especially if it is free (meaning, I don't have to buy it for her).
Both! The trike is fun now. Once he's kind of used to riding, he may realize that he can go MUCH faster on the strider bike.
At one point, we did put away DS2's trike because he didn't want to give the balance bike a chance...but his trike didn't have pedals. It's back out now but never gets used. He's ready for a regular bike now...except he can't figure out the pedals just yet!
Post by flamingeaux on Mar 23, 2017 12:21:46 GMT -5
Your H is right. As parent his opinion will always override hers. Now if the trike was your idea, I would say, that I think the trike would help him learn to pedal, so that he wouldn't be trying to learn to pedal and balance at the same time. But this is you and your H's decision, not hers.
I'd let him have the tricycle. FWIW, my son had a Radio Flyer tricycle from 2-3, then went straight to riding a bike with training wheels at 4. We skipped the Strider and he never had any problems balancing and the training wheels came off when he was 5 - his main issue was and is stopping, LOL.
Ok. First of all, I love you, you know that, right? Second of all, you and your H are being a tad ridiculous. Lots of kids have tricycles and also learn to ride a bike, lol.
Post by RexManningDay on Mar 23, 2017 12:26:09 GMT -5
I'd be annoyed and not want her to "win," but in the end I'd just offer both. L has a strider bike, a trike and a scooter and she uses them all in different ways. I don't think you'll hinder the balance bike progress (maybe delay it a bit, but he'll be ready when he's ready) by letting him ride the tricycle.
Most kids ride a trike AND a bike. It's not like riding a tricycle sets you up for lifetime biking failure! Kids LOVE trikes. Let him ride whatever he is comfortable riding and all the skills will come in time. There's no reason he needs to be trying to formally build bike-riding skills at age 2. Who cares when he starts to ride a 2 wheeler??
In the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter. The important part is showing your MIL that she doesn't get to make decisions, right?
So I would push the strider.
(And also, kids learn to ride a bike without training wheels much faster when they've used a strider over a tricycle, but unless your kid is entering the Tour De France next year, you're not on some sort of bike-genius timeline, right?)
Post by thebreakfastclub on Mar 23, 2017 12:40:37 GMT -5
Let him play with whatever makes him happy any given day. My 4yo's interest in his bike, trike, scooter, whatever seems to change by the day. He'll have fun with both.
We used both and both kids were competently riding bikes wo training wheels before their 4th bday. One is very coordinated, the other is definitely not. And it didn't matter, we just spent LOTS of time outside so they quickly figured the balance out.