A Proud Day

General
1

I bought my daughter a unicycle for her 4th birthday, because it was what she wanted. She was far too small to ride it, but I put wooden blocks on the pedals and she loved being pushed round on it.

Shortly before her 6th birthday, the wooden blocks came off and she started learning to ride. Every time she practised she made progress, but she didn’t practise very often.

She’s now nearly 9. A few weeks ago she mentioned that, during her NS cycle training last year, she’d told her friends about her unicycle and they didn’t believe that she had one. I suggested taking a photo to school of her sitting on it, but she decided she wanted to learn to ride first and then take in a photo of her riding it. So I suggested practising in the hall that weekend. I’d been making the same suggestion occasionally for a couple of years, but she’d never been keen. This time, with the right incentive, she went for it.

She’s been practising several times a week since then, and this evening she’s started riding the entire length of the hall under control and without touching the wall:

My 6yo son is also making good progress. They’re both keen to play hockey, so I promised them that they could have their own hockey sticks when they were riding well enough. I bought the sticks a couple of weeks ago, DD has now earned hers:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6275674&l=5e3a3b9af8&id=672669079

2

That’s great Danny. Proof once more that motivation is the biggest thing in learning.

3

Congrats! Proud moment indeed. Now it’s time to let Jenny out of the hall so she can really ride.

4

Great work! It IS all in the motivation! I filmed my daughter 1-1/2 years ago on her first “muni” ride. She got inspired to ride when her older brother and sister started riding with me and talked about how much fun it is. When my younger daughter started to learn it got my husband started too. It’s been great fun to ride as a family - but sad that the kids make the parents look so lame after a very short time… :slight_smile:

I think my kids would all love hockey…

5

Riding in the house.

Congratulations on raising a unicyclist. I admire that you let her ride in the house. That only happens in my house when my wife is out of town.

6

Like father, like daughter, like son! The next generation of unicyclists!

7

That’s great! I wish people in my family would be willing to try to learn. And I really wish I had learned when I was young, oh what things I could be doing now!

8

I predict that it will not be long until one of them is on a unicycle behind the FlyMo with a pint.

9

I don’t think so at all.

10

Quite funny to hear a 21 year old guy complain about that he is not young! :astonished: :stuck_out_tongue: :roll_eyes:

(I usually say: I begun unicycling 40 years too late …)

Best regards,
Sanne

11

haha, yes but I’m talking about when I was 5 or so. The first years make much much more of a difference.

12

She tried riding on the patio a couple of times last week, but it’s far too cold at the moment to really enjoy it (also my patio is far from smooth).

Some time I want to get the whole family out to the park with our unicycles to practise. DW is still at the 4 revolutions stage. DS looks like he might be riding the length of the hall by next weekend.

Bath Upchuck is in 3 weeks. I should have both kids riding happily round the sports hall by then :slight_smile:

13

I need to remember that comment when I get the lawnmower out in a couple of months…

14

As a follow on from Harper’s comment, before long they’ll be asking to borrow your muni (and bring it back trashed).

15

My daughter got one today for her birthday (age 4) both she and I are excited to get rolling!