This is a new one: Regarding riding a bicycle

[Merrida]

I'll answer this before I ask it:

Answer: Approach it like you'd approach anything else in the same circumstances.

Question: I have an opportunity to teach a young 11 year old girl who is mentally retarded to ride a bicycle. Her dad is very, (very!) emotionally distressed because he has 2 daughters, both with disabilities of sorts. This one is more the challenge. He has tried himself to help her but can't get it. This is when I suggested or offered that I'd be more than happy to help.

I tend to be very good at difficult situations, (and NO, I did not say this or anything like this when we spoke),...working with challenging people,....(and likewise tend to suck a bit when it comes to working with elite athletes). He's embarassed, and I'm hoping I didn't embarass him more because I approached it with enthusiasm. I already teach two mentally retarded individuals, and one autistic child. These things are just totally non issues for me.

I think he's so close and feels so responsible and is taking this personally. I also believe an outsider may have better luck.

So,...if any of you were in this position, and the dad agreed to let you have a go at it, is there anything you would or would not do? Common sense things are what I explained to him (by avoiding refering to her in any way other than by her first name,.....she's a young 11 year old girl, period, end of story,....I do not make any deal out of her differences).

Anything you'd do, say, avoid, don't say, try, approach,....yaddah yaddah yaddah?

This isn't related but for some weird reason I also end up training dogs that people give up on.....before they want to put them down for being too hard to handle, I get them, and voila. It seems to be my thing. Again, working with difficult situations in general.

But as I said, give me someone or something normal and it's a clusterfrak (go Battlestar freaks). (Bleh).

Thoughts?

.

I don't know how to help, but I think the dad is just stressed from having to deal with this situation (two times over) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and it's great that you're stepping in to help relieve some of that!

One challenged child would drive many parents nuts, let alone two.

[Atlas]

My little brother was autistic and brain damaged. He could not do much for himself (walk, talk, eat...) but we found improvement in his abilities through a program that involved disabled children in horseback riding to help balance and muscle response. I would try something that teaches balance first and foremost. Then the act of pedalling. Basically in pieces and then putting it together.

Things I would avoid are detailed progress reports because it WILL be a slow process and may seem pointless to the father eventually. Sad but true.

Other than that I bet you will do great! Good luck and I really admire you for taking on such challenges!

[Bob44]

This is the way I taught all 3 of my girls to ride a bike. I am not a believer in the training wheel method. To me it teaches them to become dependent on the training wheels for balance instead of themselves.

I found a gentle down hill slope in our yard on the grass. I did grass because it is a lot easier to fall on grass then on a hard surface. The slope needs to be steep enough that she will coast using gravity without pedaling. And I used a bike with pedal brakes.

I would face the bike down hill and have her get on with the brake applied. I would have her let the brake off and coast, while I was holding on just in case. I would have her continue to coast and put the brake on several times until she became confident in how to stop the bike.

Depending on the girls personality she may be ready to stop after a few tries. My oldest was very cautious and my middle was a daredevil. If she wants to continue, keep doing the coasting and stopping and allow her to try to maintain more of the balance on her own. At first I would run with her and help with balance.

I would continue this process until she became confident in stopping and balancing the bike. Then I would introduce the pedaling. I think one of the main points is for her to see other kids and adults riding and enjoying themselves. When it comes to training kids, the best advice I ever got was to stop while they are still having fun, so they want to do it again.

Good luck and this can count as your interval training.

Bob

[Merrida]

Originally Posted by Atlas

but we found improvement in his abilities through a program that involved disabled children in horseback riding to help balance and muscle response. I would try something that teaches balance first and foremost. Then the act of pedalling. Basically in pieces and then putting it together.

I am actually part of such a program. My little slimy tentacles seem to reach out to the strangest of places, and what interests me seems to be all but the pure, athletic, perfectly healthy, motivated individual. Nope, give me some problem child (or adult) and I'm in my zone, I thrive, and I'm kept on my toes. That's for me.

Odd question: But given what I like, given those who get referred to me, and given the types of people I enjoy working with,....is there some type of way to make a living in this sector alone, and if so,...other than a physical therapist, just what would that be?

.

Give that merrida a gold star for offering to help a fellow in need.
You could try teaching her on a tri cycle that will eleviate balance problem while she learns hand leg eye co inordination