Over a third of Scottish parents would rather pay for bike lessons than teach kids

NEW research has found teaching children skills is being outsourced by parents.

Activities such as art (32%) and even reading (19%) are being avoided by parents in favour of splashing cash on a professional.

Teaching your child to ride a bike, what was once considered quality parent-child bonding time, now sees three in 10 parents swerving the responsibility stating fear and frustration as the cause.

34% of Scottish parents admit they struggle with having the patience and would rather pay for bike lessons, spending an average of £175 per child – representing £20.65M across Scotland and a massive £841M across the UK.

39% were scared their child would hurt themselves, 33% admitted they don’t have the patience and 20% were unsure of how to instruct to their child effectively, according to research from MyVoucherCodes.

One in four Scots also said they were unable to teach their child because they didn’t know how to ride a bike themselves.

Top reasons parents give as to why their child can’t ride a bike:

Child can’t get the hang of it (30%)
Can’t find someone to teach child (23%)
Do not have the time to teach them (18%)
Can’t ride a bike themselves (12%)
I can’t be bothered to teach them (10%)

This parental disinterest seems to be having an effect – 43% of children are now older than the national average age of 5 years old when they master the skill, and 9% still haven’t learnt how to ride a bike by the age of 18.

Chris Reilly, Managing Director of MyVoucherCodes who commissioned the research said: “Considering 91% of parents described their own experience of learning to ride a bike as positive, it’s surprising to see the number, let alone expense, of parents outsourcing such a key childhood milestone.

“Perhaps mums and dads just need a bit of help and reassurance, so we’ve teamed up with a cycling coach to create a hints and tips video which can be viewed on MyVoucherCodes.co.uk. We hope this inspires parents to give teaching their child to ride a bike another go!”

Top Tips:

Safety first – ensure their helmet is securely fitted, they can comfortably touch the ground with both feet, the brakes are working well and that you’re in a safe environment, free from traffic and obstacles
It’s all about balance – scooting is a great way for kids to learn how to balance on two wheels. Simply remove the pedals on your child’s bike, let them gather speed using their feet and then balance with their feet off the ground. Balancing is a vital first step, so practice, practice, practice until they’ve got it mastered!
How to stop – walking with the bike, let them practice gently squeezing both brakes until they come to a controlled stop. Once they’re ready, practice on the bike. Hold them and gradually increase the pace.
Pedal power – Support them under the armpits while they get used to pedaling the bike and controlling their direction and speed. Gradually reduce the amount of contact until they’re riding all by themselves, but stay close by in case of any tumbles!
Be positive – Be patient…and congratulate them at every stage. If they fall off, don’t panic or get upset, simply give them a big cheer and get them straight back on the bike.
Short and sweet – Keep your cycle-sessions short and sweet. If they’re getting tired, hungry or losing interest, call it a day! Give each other a high-five and celebrate a successful ride…perhaps with a delicious ice cream or chocolate treat!