Category: Parenting

Learning how to ride a bike is truly a liberating feeling, and your bundle of joy deserves this. For every child, pedalling and cycling without training wheels is a significant milestone. However, teaching kids how to ride a bike without training wheels can be draining.  This is especially true because kids are usually scared of falling and parents are even more afraid of hurting kids.

Yet, we’re still motivated to do it because learning to ride a bike not only helps them with healthy physical growth but also instills in them a sense of responsibility.

In the age of iPads and other gaming consoles, this post is vitally important to encourage kids to get outdoors.  Learning to ride a bit is a fun place to start.  So, in this post we’ll share some tried and tested steps to ease the process!  And yes, without training wheels!

Prepping Kids for Riding the Bike

First of all, you cannot force a child to ride without training wheels. So, before we start sharing the details, make sure that your child is ready to take up this challenge. Now, let’s see what you need to do before going on the pavement;

• Make sure the child wears a helmet, and it sits properly on their head (the helmet should be one inch above the eyebrows. In addition to the helmet, wear protective gear, such as gloves, shin guards, and elbow guards.

• Check the bike’s tires and brakes. Properly inflated tires will ensure a safe and smooth ride, and they will be able to coast well. And obviously, brakes will assist them to stop whenever they want.

• Learning a new skill is always stressful for kids, so try to take it easy, allow them to loosen up, and just laugh if your child fails (it’s okay, and you must trust the process)

The Learning Process 

1. Walking Without Pedals

• The first step is to take out the pedals and let your child walk the bike while sitting on the seat.

• Now, lower the bike’s seat to make sure the child’s feet touch the ground (they must be flat on the ground). This will help them gain confidence since they will be able to touch the ground.

• Allow your child to walk the bike on the flat surface so they feel in control. Moreover, it gives them get accustomed to the feeling of steering and balancing the bike.

• Show them how the brakes are to be used and have them practice braking while walking along side the bicycle.  Teach them that the back brakes should only be used while simultaneously using the back brakes, so that they don’t fall over the handle bars.  Use of the back brakes can be used alone but using both front and back brakes together gives more control at higher speeds.

These four steps should be followed until they perfect it. As a result, they will learn complete control over their bike.

2. Coasting On the Bike

• Let your child coast down the slightly declining slopes with their feet up. It will help them get aware of the momentum without making them feel scared. Also, it will teach them how to balance (it’s suggested to find small slopes, for this purpose)

• As a parent, you need to stay at the bottom side of the slope, so your child can see when they ride through the slope. It will help them feel at ease and have a target to ride towards

• When they are riding down the slope, start timing them. It will eventually turn into a game, and they will start riding down faster. Moreover, when they are able to coast on continuously for fifteen seconds, install the pedals.

It’s important to encourage a positive attitude towards the entire leaning process.  Speak confidence into your child and tell them they have more than enough ability to be an excellent bike rider.  Relay your own positive experience if you can remember it.

3. Riding Bike with Pedals

 First of all, install the pedals and teach them that the left pedal tightens with counter-clockwise movement while the right pedal will tighten in the clockwise direction.

• Once the pedals are installed, hold to their side and let them start the bike with pedalling (they learn to pedal quicker as compared to balancing, so hurrah!)

• Lastly, don’t forget to teach them about starting pedalling from the stopped position. For this, let them stand with a foot on the ground and have their opposite foot sit on the pedal at two o’clock point. This positioning will let them push the pedals down and create momentum, helping them gain balance (you might need to teach this a few times before they get the hang of it, so stay calm)

Additional Tips to Ease Bike-Riding Learning Experience

• The biggest mistake is buying a bigger bike, thinking, “my child will grow into it.” That’s because if the bike is too big, they won’t have adequate control over it. Of course, riding safety is the key concern but you also want to give your child the best experience learning to ride their bike. Consult this kids bike size chart to determine the proper bike according to their age and height.

• Rather than starting them on rough pavement, teach them on the grass patches because the ground will be softer even if they fall. Secondly, choose a place with lesser people, so your munchkin doesn’t get embarrassed (they must feel confident to learn well).

• When they learn a step or get accustomed to some movement, make sure the next step is manageable and nothing too advanced. If your child asks for a break, allow them because learning can be challenging.

• Lastly, don’t forget to keep your calm. It’s fine to get intimidated when kids aren’t able to grasp an idea, but your yelling will only worsen the situation.

The Bottom Line

Riding a bike without training wheels can be scary for your kids, but it’s something they must learn, right? It not only helps them commute on their own, but it brings a sense of self-esteem, confidence, and balance, which is vital for their personality development. So, when are you hitting the road (or may we say a grass patch?)

Author’s Bio
Ned Anthony Taylor is an editor in chief of Daddy of Steel. A health and fitness Resource portal especially targeted to young dads. Who are kind of lost at the in kids, bills and Netflix.  It’s an attempt to encourage them to break this hamster wheel and have more energy, better health and enjoy more quality time with their kids.

As a parent, you know how important it is to meet the basic needs of your children. Most parents understand the benefits of proper nutrition and exercise for their kids. But, when it comes to making sure kids get enough sleep, there can be struggles.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, school-age children should get anywhere from 9-11 hours of sleep each night. Unfortunately, studies have shown that many children only get around 7-8 hours each night, and sometimes even less.

There are a variety of factors that can play into your child’s sleep health, but technology is a big one.

We live in a digital device society, and kids are getting smartphones and tablets in their hands very early on. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s important to set boundaries when it comes to technology – especially when it comes to getting better sleep.

So, what’s the real issue with tech and sleep? If your child is having trouble getting to bed each night, what can you do to establish healthy boundaries between them and their devices? Let’s look at why your child needs to get more sleep, how technology could be hindering it, and how you can help.

Why Sleep is Important for Kids

You’ve probably heard that sleep is important for healthy growth. If your kids have had trouble sleeping for a while, you may have even said that as an incentive for them to get some shut-eye. But, making sure your children get enough sleep is crucial for so many different reasons beyond basic growth and development.

Not getting enough sleep, even as a child, can lead to problems like:

• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Increased risk of depression

Additionally, a lack of sleep can impact your child’s quality of life and how they get through each day. They might start to struggle in school, perform poorly in extracurricular activities, and even develop issues in their relationships. Their behaviors and attitude can change at home, especially if their mental health becomes impacted.

So, while sleep is vital for physical development and healthy functioning, it’s just as important for their mental and cognitive states.

How Technology Can Create Poor Sleep Hygiene

What does technology really have to do with kids not getting enough sleep? First, it’s been proven that most digital devices emit something called blue light. Blue light causes the body to produce less melatonin – a useful hormone that helps you feel drowsy. Exposure to blue light at night can distort the body’s natural circadian rhythms – the signals in the brain that tell your body when it’s time to be asleep and awake.

When your child’s circadian rhythms get out of sync, they’ll have a harder time falling asleep at night. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make them any less tired. Their body still needs sleep. So, they might start napping during the day or even falling asleep when they shouldn’t. That can create a vicious cycle. If they take a nap during the day, they’re less likely to sleep at night, throwing off those rhythms even more.

Digital devices can also stimulate your child’s brain, especially if they’re playing games or watching videos. That makes it even harder for them to get into a relaxed state and fall asleep. So, while many kids might have their phones or tablets by their bedside, it’s likely time to set boundaries to preserve their sleep hygiene.

What You Can Do

Not sure how to set those boundaries? It may not be easy, especially if your child is used to having their device(s) before bed. One of the best ways to make a change is to develop a routine with your child. That should start with them going to bed around the same time each night.

Part of the routine should include something you can do to replace technology. One idea is to try mindfulness with your child. When done correctly, it can reduce stress levels and bring them into a calmer state of mind. Especially if your child already practices it at school, you can practice mindfulness at home in a variety of ways, including:

• Guided meditation
• Breathing exercises
• Listening
• Journaling
• Gratitude practicing

Your main goal should be to establish an environment of relaxation and let your child know that their bed is for sleeping, not for scrolling through Instagram. As part of their routine, cut off electronic devices two hours before bedtime. This will give your child’s mind and body a chance to adjust and for the blue light to “wear off,” so their natural circadian rhythms won’t be disrupted.

Because we live in a world saturated with technology, these boundaries are difficult but necessary. Now that you know the importance of healthy sleep for your child, and what technology can do, try to implement a better routine and get them back in sync with healthy sleep habits. Talk to your kids about why these particular boundaries are important. When they have a better understanding and know the benefits of healthy sleep, they’re less likely to argue against the limits you’re putting in place.

We all want our kids to be successful in life. Teaching them to have a rewarding career that keeps them financially secure is a great goal. But to succeed, children need to learn career-building skills.

As parents, we can help our kids learn what they need for the future. Before your child is a graduate seeking a university options, that teaching can begin as early as pre-school.

First, though, we need to understand what skills can help them thrive.

Two Kinds Of Skills Your Kids Need

When we think of job skills, we often think of job-related skill sets, or hard skills. Doctors, for example, need to be well-versed in human anatomy and medicine.

It’s equally important today to have soft skills that appeal to employers. These are the intangible skills necessary to succeed in any job, such as a good bedside manner. They are more akin to positive character traits.

There are several soft skills that employers seek in a candidate. These include curiosity, creativity, a strong work ethic, and problem-solving abilities.

The groundwork for both hard and soft skills begins before they even get to school.

Preschoolers: Laying the Foundation

Little kids have an innate curiosity about the world. You can nurture this trait by helping them to explore jobs that make the world go round. Expose your children to a wide variety of experiences at this age:

• Let them dress up for different careers: firefighter, doctor or nurse, scientist.
• Visit educational or immersive places like museums, nature hikes, or kid-centered science centers.
• Let them watch or read age-appropriate programming and books that focus on different careers to discover their interests and gifts.

You can also teach soft skills:

• Adaptability: Ensure your children can handle a break in their daily routines. Disrupt the schedule from time to time to teach them this skill.
• Creativity: This can be as simple as arts and crafts! Try to find kid workshops outside the home as well as at-home activities.
• Teamwork: Teach your children to work together for chores or while playing games.

Preschoolers may not yet get a good handle on soft skills. Their early school years will help build those skills.

Elementary School: Where Soft Skills Grow

As children interact more with their peers, desired soft skill traits can flourish. Schools that foster the best of these skills help students mature. For example, if a school awards students for kindness, children are encouraged to help others and develop leadership talents.

Hopefully, your child’s school fosters relationships and teamwork in addition to providing academics. If you are worried about this, get your child involved in extracurricular activities. These can help him build team skills, dedication, leadership, respect for others, and more.

At this age, children can learn more about the hard skills needed for a particular career path. Ask them frequently about their desired future career. Help them to discover in-depth what is involved in pursuing that field.

Middle School: Career Planning Begins

By now, you may be able to see areas where your child shines academically. This is the best time to help your child discover his career path. Take a good look at grades, teacher comments, extracurricular activities, and anything that gets your child excited.

For example, if your child gets steady high grades in math or science, she may want to prepare for a job in science, tech, engineering, or math. These STEM careers are some of the fastest-growing fields for college graduates today. Many of these jobs pay well too.

While kids under 14 are often too young to work, some can do volunteer work. Even if this is not in their field, it will give them a good background in hands-on work. All of these things looks good on a resume!

Middle schoolers can also look at specialized high schools that focus on their desired field. Students can study resume examples that suit the industry they are interested in.  They can also begin their college search to prepare for high school goals that get future applications noticed.

High School: Skills That Land The Job

Some teachers will tell you that the entire goal of high school is to prepare you to work in the real world. No doubt the most intense preparation begins at this level.

Your teen should be ready for their first job search, and you can assist them. Help them write their first resume for a job that requires little to no experience (stock clerk, YMCA lifeguard). What do you include in a resume? Important items include:

• Key skills, especially soft skills which might be the bulk of their resume.
• Action verbs that highlight what they have achieved so far.
• The goal of a resume is to stand out in the hiring manager’s mind. Teach your teens to share their personality and their unique talents in a serious, professional manner.

Help your teenager to create relationships outside of school so they can build a network full of opportunities. Networking can also provide them opportunities such as job shadowing, giving them a good idea of what a job entails beyond the required hard skills.

For example, if your teen wants to become a nurse, there is a clear educational path but several key soft attributes they need as well. Teens can study a cover letter for nursing to learn what these skills are while learning how to write such a letter.

A Final Note for Kids

Setting Realistic Goals for a Your Future

For many people, a brand new year means a fresh start. For others, there is anticipation about upcoming events, such as another birthday or a special holiday trip. As one year rolls into the next, you may be looking for clues as to what the future holds. Here are 100% genuine true predictions you can count on.

1. You will hear or read something that will hurt your feelings.

Unfortunately, this is a fact of life. Remember that everyone sees the world differently and everyone has a different opinion. And just because you hear or read something that stings you, the commenter might not have meant anything mean.

The key is to not take things too personally.  Expect that people will disappoint you from time to time. Humans make mistakes and often do not intend to hurt others.

2. You will try to reach a goal and fail.

Winning at anything means taking steps along the way and stumbling. Every time you fail at reaching a goal, you get close to actually getting there.

Many famous and successful people have said that there is no success without failure. It is an essential stepping stone to greater things as long as you keep on trying.

3. You will try to reach a goal and succeed.

It might be a small goal, like getting a great mark on a pop quiz or finally being able to make a super-serious friend laugh at one of your jokes.

Every time you try to do something, it makes you stronger and more confident. Most people make lists of huge, towering resolutions and ultimately break them before the year has even started. Make lists of small goals and soon you will find bigger goals easier to tackle.

4. Something you do will have a major effect on your life.

It could be a friend that you make. It could be some nice act you perform for another person that changes how you feel about yourself. It could be a new skill you learn or an achievement in school or online eLearning.

You might not even know that this “thing” is important until years later. Still, this year will make a difference for years to come. Think about that when you get up each morning.

5. One of your idols will do or say something idiotic.

Yup. That’s a guarantee. As a matter of fact, all of us will do or say something idiotic in the future.

It could be in person or online, but every single living human being will say or do or post something that will look silly to others. That’s why everyone of us should expect to say, “I’m sorry,” or “I’ve made a mistake” at least once.

6. You will make at least one decision between right and wrong.

Doing the right thing in the face of adversity is never easy. You may be approached to cheat on a test or be tempted to ignore a good friend because of peer pressure.

You may see someone being bullied and want to help them but be faced with fear of what will happen if you do.  Accept that you will make mistakes like every other human on the planet.   The important thing is to decide now the kind of person you want to be and surround yourself with the type of people that will help you “be that person”.

7. You will work and you will play – and you can have fun doing both.

A good life is about balance.  All play and no work brings discontentment.  We all need goads to strive for.  All work and no play will stress you out and is not healthy.  Plan now to make sure there is balance in your life… between sports and school, between family and friends and even your own “alone time”.

The next year is going to be an interesting one. The person you are when it begins is not the person you will be when you celebrate the next new year.

Life for a child is about making small changes with the help of your parents.  All those changes add up to exciting growth to ensure you are read to choose a lifelong career when the time comes.  In the meantime, enjoy the changes in your life and around the world.

Alphabet, or letter recognition, is a foundational skill that is essential for learning to read and write. Children with a solid grasp of letter recognition can identify both upper and lowercase letters, in different contexts, in any order.  Letter recognition goes beyond singing the “ABCs,” which only teaches children to recite the alphabet from memory.

To be proficient with letter recognition, children also need to be able to distinguish the physical characteristics of each letter.  Letter recognition can begin at a very young age, with reading babies and toddlers alphabet books.

There are tremendous benefits to reading aloud to children, and books about the alphabet are no exception. Alphabet books provide children with exposure to letter names and their appearance. There are board books, storybooks, and books written in rhyme to choose from.

After your new baby arrives at home, education on letters and words is the last thing on your mind, even though their learning journey as already begun.  As children get older, they may begin recognizing some letters of personal significance, beginning with the letters in their name.

It is not uncommon for children to recognize the first letter in their name and later, to begin identifying others. This is a great starting point for teaching letter recognition. Take advantage of teachable moments to point out letters in the environment. For example, show your child how the letter on the sign is the same as the letter in her name.

Young children can benefit from tactile ways to interact with letters. One way to provide these opportunities is through the use of alphabet puzzles. In addition to the letters, alphabet puzzles often use pictures to represent the sound each letter makes. This is a great way for children to start associating letters with a picture, which can act as a cue to its sound.

Another tactile way for children to use letters is through the use of playdough. They can create the letters, either on their own, or with the help of a playdough mat that shows the outline of each letter.

Alphabet printables provide many different ways for children to work with letters. Choose from activities like mazes, spinners, tracing sheets, letter hunts, and flip books. These activities help children learn the letter names, distinguish their physical characteristics, and begin learning the sound each letter makes.

It can be helpful to have the alphabet displayed for children to refer to. This can be a premade alphabet chart or cards that you purchase from a store. Typically, they show the correct formation of each letter along with a picture that represents the letter sound. Alternatively, you can involve children in the creation of alphabet cards and have them choose pictures or items that represent each letter sound.

Having them choose the pictures can make the activity more meaningful and help them remember the sounds more easily. For example, children may choose to associate the letter “f” with a frog. The hope is that when they see the letter “f” in another context, they will think of the frog and be cued to the correct sound an”f” makes.

When focusing on letter recognition, it is important for children to learn both the upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet. In addition to the activities outlined above, matching provides another way for children to see the physical differences between upper- and lowercase letters. Provide them with opportunities to use materials like magnetic letters, letter tiles, stamps, or stickers to match the upper- and lowercase letters. It can be overwhelming to work with the entire alphabet, so begin with a few known letters and add in one or two new ones.

There are lots of ways to teach children the letters of the alphabet. Choose different activities to keep them engaged and provide lots of encouragement as they begin the exciting journey of becoming a reader!

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