Something happened to me over the past few weeks. I feel like all the interesting just got sucked right out of me. I'm not sure why. I'm not unhappy. I've done many fun things and enjoyed them. Maddie and Riley have been great—hilarious and generally well behaved. Sure, work is a drag, the condo hasn't sold, and I'm all kinds of behind on all kinds of projects, but all that's the norm.
In any case, my lack of interesting is the reason for my lack of posts. The Lack of Interesting Phenomenon (LOIP) began right around the time that Jillian Michaels started trying to kill me. Perhaps there is a correlation there. I have to say, over the past couple of weeks, I've done the 30-Day Shred most nights, and I even tried Level 2 (of 3) for the first time yesterday. I give the workout two thumbs up, although I was so sore the first two nights I did it that I had trouble sleeping because my aching muscles were keeping me awake. (By night three, it occurred to me that I could take Tylenol before bed, but by then, I was on the mend.) Anyway, this in and of itself is not interesting, but it's what I've been doing with my time.
In other News of the Not Interesting, my moms of twins club had its semi-annual tag sale this past weekend. I love this sale. This was the fourth or fifth sale that I've worked. It's a big commitment to price and tag all of the stuff you want to sell, lug it to the sale location, help set up the ngiht before, then work the whole day of the sale. It's worth it, though, on so many levels. For one, it's a great social outlet. On setup night and the day of the sale, I got to see lots of friends from the club who I otherwise rarely get to see in person. I also get to enjoy social time while working the day of the sale since my usual job is cashier. I love to see what people buy and have the inside line on how much (or little) of my stuff is selling. Best of all, though, is that sellers get to shop before the general public. Not only do we get first pick of the stuff, but we don't have to deal with the huge crowds; more than 700 people attended this past weekend's event. I had scoped out two little Maddie and Riley sized bikes with training wheels during setup and figured they'd be great birthday gifts. Unfortunately, I was aced out and someone beat me to them. Ah, well. C'est la vie, and I found plenty of other good stuff: floor puzzles, a few items of clothing, and a couple of Pack'n'Plays for Maddie and Riley's daycare, and bike helmets which the kids like so much I almost don't think we need the bikes to go with them.
All of this is leading up to something that is sure to bring more Interesting back to my life: asking the good people of the Internet for advice. Getting advice from the Internet is always Interesting, right? Maddie and Riley will be three in June. They have tricycles, which they are able to ride with varying degrees of skill; Maddie is pretty proficient, and Riley is proficient if proficient is defined by "very good at going in reverse, but totally unable to go forward." I heard from a few moms at the yard sale that bicycles are acutally easier for some kids than tricycles because of the position of the pedals, and between that and the fact that Maddie and Riley are OBSESSED wtih bikes, I think I (and by I, I mean their grandparents) would like to get them two-wheelers for their birthday. (We're finally almost to the questions.) Here's what I want to know (and yes, I know a bike shop could tell me all this , but that would not be nearly as Interesting as asking my good readers):
1. I've seen Dora-branded toddler bikes at Target and I know I could get a "real" bike at a bike shop. What are people's opinions on the quality/price break? I don't want to spend a million dollars since they will likely not use these bikes for more than a season or two before needing bigger ones, but I (a) want them to be safe and (b) don't want something that's just going to be a pile of loose screws and missing parts in a week. Brand recommendations? Price points?
2. What about balance bikes like the Skuut? Anyone have experience with those? The concept seems great and they are billed as being good for ages 2–5, so in theory Maddie and Riley could get two years of good use out of them and then be ready for a "real" bike. But are the balance bikes everything they claim to be?
Input appreciated! Make my life Interesting again!
**********************************
I have been watching Idol this season and have been meaning to do weekly updates as I did last season, but social obligations have kept me from being a super-regular watcher and work obligations and LOIP have kept me from being a super-regular blogger. For what it's worth, though, here are my thoughts on the Top 9:
Megan Joy: I'M SO GLAD YOU GOT VOTED OFF. Your crazy dancing was driving me nuts, and I think you might be insane. Beautiful, but insane.
Danny: I love you, Danny Gokey. That is all.
Adam: You, sir, can sing. That is all.
Lil Rounds: You have not hit your stride. I'm not sure if it's poor song choice or nerves or what, but I really hope you break out of whatever shell it is that's surrounding you and blow us all away one of these weeks soon or I fear we'll be saying goodbye to you.
Kris and Matt: You are both boring to me. That is all.
Allison: Sixteen? Really? Um, wow. I don't think you have the fan base to win, but you are amazing and I hope this experience ramps up your self-confidence, which is the only thing I think you lack.
Anoop: I don't think you're the best singer, but I love me a geeky guy, ergo, I love you. That is all.
Scott: You remind me of That Guy Everyone Knew in College, the one who could sit down at the piano in the dorm lounge and play old Billy Joel with great skill and charm and about whom everyone felt fondly. You're talented, and I think you're one of the smartest contestants Idol has ever seen. But I'm not convinced you're one of the best.
Who are the rest of you loving this season? Hating? Who do you think is going to go all the way?
Moi
- Snickollet
- I'm a mother and a widow, and a whole lot of other things. Here, though, I tend to write about parenting, grief, and their intersection.
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52 comments:
I think 3 year olds should be able to handle a regular 2 wheel bike with training wheels. I got them for my kids when they were 3, and it was perfect because when they were ready to learn to ride a 2-wheeler, (one at age 4 1/2 and one at age 5 1/2) we just took off those training wheels, and didn't have to buy new bikes. I think the ones my kids have are 12 inch wheels. Now, at ages 5 & 6, they are just outgrowing them.
You can get regular bikes like this at Walmart for around $30, or a store like Toys R us has more options, for a little bit more money. (ranging from $40-upwards).
Good luck, enjoy the bike riding!!
I wouldn't spend a lot on the first bikes. Even if you get the cheapest ones, they will still be worth the $5-$10 to the next family that buys them from you at a future tag sale. Our kids loved their cheap bikes when they were little and they held up very well.
Save up for the good ones for when they are in college and it becomes their main source of tranportation!
I haven't watched much of Idol this year. Just turned off by how they treat some of the ones at auditions. Especially that poor guy from Kentucky that told them to be careful.
I feel exactly as you do about all of the American Idol contestants except Danny Gokey who I love a little less than you do and Kris who is boring but CUTE.
I have nothing to say about bikes.
My first three kids had bikes from discount stores, but with the Kid I opted for a bike shop and I wasn't sorry. Yes, they were more expensive, but the quality was far better. And since you are good about yard sales and the like you can always recoup some of your investment.
Dude, my life has not been interesting lately, either. We had a multiples sale, too! That's about it.
Nothing to say about bikes.
I am watching Idol religiously. I feel about the same way you do. Adam is always fun to watch, at least!
Is there such a thing as a Skuut for grown-ups? Because although I have nothing useful to say about the twins and their bicycle situation (sadly), I do know that I WANT A SKUUT.
My Doodles will be three in May, and got Target bikes for Christmas. Huge hit, great success! They can literally ride them for a mile at a time. In my opinion, they're excellent quality. We have a Cars one and a Disney princesses one.
They didn't arrive in perfect condition. My husband had to do some manly fiddling with the chains to get them just right, but they've been perfect since.
We have no regrets for taking a slightly cheaper route.
I have a 5 year old who last summer proudly learned to ride without training wheels. He never did the skuut, although a friend of his did, and my son rides better now. Go for the less expensive bike.
just wanted to chime in about the skuut. we got another brand balance bike for our three year old and he loves it and we love that he can go so far and is developing such great balance. the problem with them though is that they can go so far and so fast, they can get away from you quite easily. we live in a hilly area and really can't let him ride it around here at all because he goes flying down the hills and could really hurt himself. if we go to a school or a flat bike trail it's great and he loves that he can keep up with his big brother and dad. I don't even like to take him on the bike trail if I'm alone walking, because he gets so far ahead of me. would be ok if I was on a bike though. also, if you get a regular bike with training wheels, get the 12-inch ones not the bigger ones.
Bike advice: go for the $30 Dora/Batman bikes, or whatever, for when they are learning. They beat on them and it's really not worth getting a small Trek at that age. My son is almost 10 and we just upgraded him to a "real" mountain bike, and I'm glad I waited. Before that, he had 2 el cheapo bikes that were more than fine. My daughter (6) has an el cheapo bike that she likes, but she uses her Razor Scooter way more than the bike. Save your money for later, when they'll want/need the more expensive bikes.
Don't spend a lot on first bikes (or second, or third..) they grow out of them so darn fast. Keep on looking for second hand ones if possible. Try Craigslist perhaps? Mind you the smallest of bikes don't cost too terribly much if bought at Walmart or similar.
We bought our daughter's "Barbie" bike from Target, already assembled. If I remember correctly, it was about $40 or $50. We are pleased with the quality. No problems at all. Good luck!
Our neighbor's girl has a balance bike and she's a whiz at riding it. However, my neighbor just told me that her daughter gets really bad sores on her girl-parts when she rides around a lot. There's nothing to take the pressure off your seat. Just something to consider.
Get the Skuut first and then a 2-wheeler bike once their balance is established. My son (he's almost 4 now) got a similar balance-bike for his 2nd b'day and 'cos his balance was well established, he progressed to a 2-wheeler (with NO training wheels!!) the week before he turned 3. Granted, his dad is a bicycle-nut who did more than his fair share of "encouraging" to go without training wheels as soon as possible :) He alternated between the 2 bikes for another 6 months or so and now he is a confident rider who loves the idea that most other kids his age need training wheels.
I hardly ever comment but I just wanted to say how much I enjoy reading your blog, thanks for letting us peep into your world.
I am an American now living in a German city that has extensive bike pathways. I see the little ones on the equivelent of the Skuut. These people know biking!
Bikes with training wheels don't teach them how to balance or that a certain speed = balance. I would go with the Skuut.
I agree with your Idol observations - that megan-turkey dance was getting on my nerves too.
I've always thought the Skuut looked like a great way to transition to 2-wheeler by allowing them to be more intuitive about balancing - and good for the leg muscles. I had tricyles for our kids--because that was my first bike & I figured that was the best first-step. But my kids didn't take to trykes either - even when they learned to pedal, they didn't enjoy it-and always wanted to ride the neighbor's little 2-wheeler.
Lack of Interesting Phenomenom happens to me regularly - I have just learned to go with the flow and sooner or later, Interesting comes back and it's sweet. MIME
Have you thought about regular little bikes, but with the pedals taken off at first? They could develop their balance first like on a skoot, and later you could the pedals back on when it seems they're ready to use them.
I don't think training wheels are so great. I remember when I rode those bikes that because the wheels are a bit off the ground you'd have a very weird way of leaning sideways when you were leaning on one of them, not learning to be balanced at all, just bent. And when they were close to the ground the bike was very stiff when going around curves, but doing curves is the part where you are most likely to fall when you never got the feel for it. I agree with the commenter that said it's also important to learn that speed=balance. So, I'd either get skoots or regular bikes with pedals taken off at first.
I'm not familiar with a Skuut, and I don't have much to say about cheaper bikes vs. bike store bikes. We've bought both with success. But I do want to recommend Pedal Magic. It's a video I found when my youngest was learning to ride a bike. Says it can teach your child how to ride a bike in minutes without using training wheels. I was skeptical--but it worked like, well, magic. My daughter watched the video, we practiced a few minutes following the video instructions, I took her out to the street, she got on the bike and took off. (And this is my non-athletic, non-confident child!) I would assume you can still find Pedal Magic online.
My daughters have always had inexpensive bikes (WalMart, Kmart, etc) and we've never had any issues with the quality. I've always been pleased with the bikes.
Tammy
Snick, My husband works @ WalMart as an assembler and he assembles every bike like it was for his own kids. WalMart will cheerfully assemble any bike for their customer. I have purchased several bikes from WalMart and wasn't disappointed. They carry good quality bikes at a very good price. Bike shops tend to be a bit pricey but same quality.
As for AI....my 2 favorite picks are Adam & the gentleman that is a music leader in his church....both men have excellent voices and aren't too bad on the eyes either. I totally agree ole Monster Mash Megan had to go, that dance was rather annoying.
Definitely the Skuut or equivalent. They become balance and racing demons. They won't need training wheels then when they get a real bike in my experience.
I can also highly recommend whatever teh US equivalent of an Islabike is - there must be one - these are proper light weight bikes designed for children with gear ratios for specific ages, brakes they can actually use etc. They are absolutely great. My daughter learnt to ride a bike in 20 mins with one of these. Worth every penny. (www.islabikes.co.uk)
I have 3.5 year old twin boys. I bought a wood balance bike 2 years ago (2007)as a Christmas present. I only bought it b/c it super reduced at Target ($25.00). I was amazed that one of my boys was able to find his balance and ride the bike down our driveway when he was a little over 2.5 years old. They say children can learn balance on a two wheeler b4 they know how to pedal. My boys still aren't very proficient with the pedals. I bought a couple of metal balance bikes on Amazon for about $35.00 each as presents for this past Christmas. The metal bikes are heavier so my boys would not have been able to handle them last year but I am anticipating much enjoyment this spring and summer. I am a big fan of balance bikes if you can get them at a reasonable price.
When my daughter was 4 she got her first bicycle with training wheels, prior to this she had had a tricycle.
A friend suggested that when she was ready for the trainers to be removed that I take the pedals off too and she could use it as a balance bike without having to outlay the extra for one. She used it this way for only a month or two, got her bearings and then we put the pedals back on. She was off like a rocket immediately.
The best bit about doing it that way was that she got the hang of steering without the distraction of the pedals and the removed trainer wheels. My son did it the other way, we just took off his training wheels and let him go...he concentrated so hard on his balance that he forgot how to steer and had a number of crashes.
It's probably a good idea to get a reasonably priced first bicycle, they won't be on them for too long, when they are ready for the next size up you can spend a little more and get a better quality bicycle.
Good luck, keep us posted...they are growing up so quickly.
C
Cheap bike with training wheels is the way to go. You can take the pedals and training wheels off and have it be a balance bike if you want to go that way... works great.
Definitely go with the cheaper (still safe) bikes. My stepson is almost 8, and Target/Wal-mart bikes have been perfect for him so far. If he hasn't destroyed one yet, the twins will be perfect on one. I'd just go over the screws and everything to make sure they're safe.
Both of our boys got nice bikes with training wheels when they were young (one at three and one at two), but they only got nice bikes because my husband is a bike freak. I would say to with the cheapos - no need to fork out the cash for the good ones. As for the balance bike, I'm pretty skeptical. Both of our boys were riding without training wheels before four and didn't need a balance bike. I would bet that no one who has commented here had a balance bike growing up, yet I would also bet that all of us can now ride two-wheelers proficiently and have reasonable balance (I say reasonable as I know I am somewhat of a klutz!). Bottom line - I think balance bikes are one of those new things that appeal to the hyper-parent in all of us, but are totally unnecessary.
My husband works at a bike shop, so all of my info is secondhand. There's nothing wrong with buying a bike at a toy store or Target, but those people who are assembling the bikes there? They don't know what they're doing. Make sure if you buy cheap bikes there that you take those bikes immediately to a bike shop to have them check to make sure it has been properly assembled.
I will say that the quality will be a bit better at a bike shop, but a three year old probably won't notice!!
(My husband has some strong negative words about training wheels, but frankly we've never had kids or even taught a kid to ride a bike, so all I can say is he thinks it's a bad (evil) idea!)
skuut bikes are fantastic!
-SL
uh oh... potential commenter-fight brewing between the woman who's husband works assembling bikes at Walmart and the woman who's husband hates bike assemblers from Walmart? oy - so much advice. I checked out the videos on the skuut website and I'm practically sold.
My twins have balance bikes called Kinderbikes. They also have tricycles, but are outgrowing those. They have been able to ride the balance bikes since age 2. They prefer them to the trikes.As they age, they are definately getting faster and learning to balance.
and, OMG, I thought "That Guy Everyone Knew in College" only went to my college. This is a huge paradigm shift for me, I may still be reeling from this tonight, brace yourself.
I don't think I got my first bike until my 7th birthday (banana seat with blue and yellow daisies, blue tassels from the handles...). We had Big Wheels for those interim years.
I've watched Idol a couple times this season. Jrex resists the siren call so I usually get voted to a different channel. I agree with your assesments.
Happy Skuut mom here. IMO, kids go somewhat slower and have less falling-down type accidents on balance bikes than they do on regular bikes with training wheels and push breaks. But balance bikes seem to be loads of fun -- in fact, my oldest kid has a regular bike now, but always wants to borrow her younger sister's Skuut.
I think it's important for you to go with the option that has slightly less chance of someone flying out of control away from you, since as a single mom of twins, you are on "zone defense" while they learn to ride.
I purchased each of my children a bike from toys R us and my husband/father in law assembled them. We had training wheels too. I purhcased bikes that were 14 inches so I could get the most use out of them.
My son (tall for his age) used it from 3-6, he out grew it at 5 but we used it to teach him how to ride without the training wheels. By 5 he was clearly too big for the bike but he could touch the ground comfortably and knew the bike well enough to have great confidence. Last year when he turned 6 we got him a bike that has both pedal breaks and hand breaks so he can get used to them. He loves it and he will be able to use it until he is probably around 8.
My daughter (4) is tiny for her age and she was freightened to be on her bike most of the summer last year. She would only ride it if and adult was holding it. Now she is able to ride it by herself (with an adult with in arms reach), the seat is still on the lowest setting so I am pretty confident she will still be in it at 5 and then we will replace it with something better. Hers is a red dora bike with the backpack on it.
where you have two little ones you may need to make different choices. I have the luxury of only one dependent on me for full attention at a time. You may need to have a small bike at first to allevieat alot of the fear. It is quite high up compared to a tricycle.
Have you thought about the three wheel scooters? My kids loved them--my oldest now uses a two wheeler.
I went with bike shop bikes. 2-wheelers with training wheels. The bikes will grow with them. Both my kids havwe Trek bikes.
I am an avid biker, though, so I have a biased opinion.
Heh, my life hasn't been interesting in years. I get pissed off at my mom wanting to do "How was your day, dear?" on the phone every night because I literally have nothing to say about my day.
We love bikes at our house. My twins will be four in June. They definately ride the bikes better than tricycles or big wheels. I would get the ones that are 12 inch frames. This will last them till they can ride without training wheels. We got our daughter this one http://www.amazon.com/Huffy-Princess-Girls-12-Inch-Bike/dp/B000JFDCYM/ref=pd_sim_sg_2
She used it from age 3-7, and the boys now even ride it. They even fight over the princess bike! I wouldnt pay more that $60 bucks or so. We got our bikes at Benny's (we live in CT, but they are also in RI and MA) they have great deals on kids bikes.
Good Luck! Love that you are back to your idol recap...hope you can keep up!
Cath
s
Ditto on the don't go crazy on the first bikes. I got the boys their first bikes last summer....so that was when they were 4 1/2. They were using the trikes before that. Now they have the 2 wheeler w/training wheels and I'm using 2 wheel scooters to teach the kids balance.
As for Idol.....I couldn't tell if you were being sarcastic about Allison lacking self-confidence. B/c I don't think she lacks it at all. I find her borderline arrogant. But that's just me.
I'm feeling Matt or Adam going all the way.
Allison reminds me of Janis Joplin
Girl, you totally need to consult with my husband the bike nut on this one. We just went through this whole process and he did a lot of research on the best way to do this, including whether to buy the balance bikes first or not. Email him on Facebook, he will be thrilled to give you the benefit of his knowledge on the subject of first bikes. Also on his page somewhere there is a cute video of our boys and their first bikes. They are so thrilled and proud that it makes me cry to watch it. Email me if you need a reminder who my husband is...I am somewhat anonymous on blog comments so I don't want to post it here. kathleen99900 on aol.com
Gio--
I'm totally not being sarcastic about Allison lacking self-confidence. I think the arrogance is a guise for shyness. I don't think she lacks confidence when she sings, but her youth really shows when she gets interviewed. That said, she pulls off an interview on Idol a lot better than I would have at 16!!!
Kathleen999--
I remember who your husband is. I will definitely send him a FB message re: bikes for kids. Thanks for the tip!
-snick
I remember there was some time that seemed incredibly boring to me. It had to be before the huge frenzy of dating, cause that never really let up. So it must have been around 15-16 months after Gavin's death
I was just like, "okay, I'm competent, but I know I can't hack it economically but I don't want things to change back to bad" And that boredom helped me wonder, "what is the new me going to be like, anyway? Hopefully not like this."
I was grateful for the boringness but I didn't want it to stay that way, cause I know that's not me.
X
Supa
The Muffins are turning 3 next week and we're going with a Dora and a Thomas bike and a hefty dose of anxiety for Mumma.
I've been doing the 30 day shred for about a week too. I could barely walk for the first 3 days. It didn't seem so bad when I was doing it, but the after-effect. OMG.
I loved Danny but I'm afraid he peaked too soon. I wish the judges wouldn't be so gaga over him simply because it's turning people off. He's got a recording career regardless of what happens. He's just that good.
Adam - I wasn't sure about at first but I L.O.V.E. H.I.M. now. I think he'll win. Can't STAND Scott's singing. He's a nice guy - ispirational and all that, but he's so 1-dimensional. Lil Rounds (yawn). Allison Yes. Kris cute but too forgettable. Who are the rest? Oh Matt. I loved him for a while but he's losing me.
Adam, Danny, Allison - my top three in that order.
I've been pretty unimpressed with Idol this year. I don't think any of the contestants have any star power. I cannot stand Adam. I'm not sure what it is about him that I can't stand because I generally love campy (e.g., Cher), but this guy is like nails on a blackboard for me, dawg.
Snick: We have always purchased the target bikes (with removable training wheels) until this past year when older child was 6 and became a more serious rider. . . including 9 mile loops and some stunts. The cheaper ones have been fine. We transitioned from training wheels to 2 wheels by taking off the training wheels and _pedals_ to make our own version of the skuut and the kids learned balance by duck pedaling with their feet just as with the skuut. I learned about teaching them how to ride a two wheel bike w/o pedals via the internet. . . it's a german method, i think. I would go cheap for now - and you might get two years out of the bikes from target/walmart.
-chicken
Go for cheap bikes with training wheels. Each kid learns to ride without training wheels at his/her own pace anyway; I see 4 year olds who can do it sans training wheels and I see 6 year olds just learning without training wheels. It's not a matter of which bike they had or how hard the parent pushed them. It's just a reflection of each child's uniqueness, much the way some potty train earlier than others. But at whatever age your kids are ready/willing to get rid of the training wheels, it'll only be a couple of days/times of your having to help them before they master it. They'll be fine. Go cheap. Save your money.
Hi,
I have no idea what others suggest, but I say go cheap on the bikes. My husband is a serious biker and rides a carbon frame bike that costs more than I want to admit....And he got both our kids riding bikes when they turned 2 (with training wheels of course!).
Anyway, we just buy the cheap ones at toys r us and walmart. The big advantage of expensive versus cheap bikes is weight -- a lighter bike allows the rider to go faster. But little kids aren't trying to set any speed records so there is no point to spend more....Plus, given how fast they grow, they will go through 1 bike a season.
The one caution is that some of the super cheap super-small bikes have plastic wheels. Don't get those, proper wheels (i.e., rubber ones!) are much easier to ride on.
:-) liz
Oh I just wanted to add, the Skuuts are fun but as a few people have suggested, you can achieve the same thing by taking the pedals off a regular bike. That is what we did when my son was ready to get rid of the training wheels -- we popped off the pedals, in a week he figured out how to balance without the training wheels, and then we put the pedals back on.
Sorry for the multiple comments!
Oh wow, you *SO* need to read this site:
http://www.whycycle.co.uk/learning_to_ride_a_bike/
It's fascinating,a nd the technique is working great with me very uncoordinated 5 year-old. Get regulat small bikes, and takes off the pedals and tyraining wheels. Voila, a cheap Skuut that converts to a bike. I got my 12" bike for my daughter at a yard sale for $5, and we've promised her her own fancy bike when she can ride that one.
my grandson hated the balance bike,he had already been on a tiny regular one and would not make the switch. I saw them on sesame street and thought it would be great. it was a bust. Linda
Although balance bikes cost more than a beginner bike, you can't put a price on learning. Training wheels don't teach balance, they allow the child to rely on the training wheels. My son is 3 years old and started using a balance bike in April and is now riding a regular pedal bike. Sure gets a a lot of looks when he is on his Prince Lionheart bike.
Check out: www.balancebikeshop.com
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