Getting children on a Uni

I don't have kids i am only 16 but this is my take on it.....
To me it would seem much harder to get a teenager into unicycling as
it's not "cool" where as an under 10 is not as bothered well i was not
anyway.
I can also see it being harder to get an under 10 to actually learn
but by the sound of your daughter she would really like to try! Also
with a unicycling father she can see what can be done on a unicycle and
have a teacher.I never had that i started the same time as some people
down the road i got far better then them and still am for example i can
coast and glide ect ect the struggle to ride backwards(sounds big headed
but i am not) until i met phil i had no one to show me how to do stuff.
So good luck to you hope this helps in some small way.....
Ben

--
thinuniking - U don't be playing me cracker!

I am heman with out the muscles or a cool sword
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Quoted message said:

To me it would seem much harder to get a teenager into unicycling as
it's not "cool" where as an under 10 is not as bothered

Some teenagers think its very cool.
I'm 15, i have two friends who are 14 and ride. I got another friend who
is 15 and can ride but doesn't own his unicycle.

I agree that most teenagers first reaction to unicycling is that its not
cool. When they find out a bit more about it (ie watch universe 2, or
watch us do tricks) many thinks its cool as such. Then there are the
idiots who will diss you no matter what....

When i "grow up" i want to have 3-4 kids and i want to teach them all to
unicycle as young as possible - 4 years + i guess

I am really annoyed because of the fact i only started when i was 15.
Its really annoying to think about how good i would be if id started at
8 or something. Thats why i want to start my kids off at an early age so
they can be really good.

--
nickvb123 - Freestyler

"He jumped off that with his one wheeled bike"
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O i did not mean i did not think unicycling was i did and know a few
people who think it is to. I think alot of people think it's a circus
thing but once they see pictures of ryan and geff or kris they do see
it's pretty damn cool!
I started when i was 15 it's a cool age to start NO offence to younger
people ok i know some can so some crazy stuff, but for trials and muni
it's a great time you can ride 24"s and you can go much further then
when your little and you have the strength for trials.
Ben

--
thinuniking - U don't be playing me cracker!

I am heman with out the muscles or a cool sword
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I have 2 kids aged 5 & 6. They have had access to a suitably sized Uni
for the last 3 years (I was lucky to up a 16" & 18" at a car boot sale).

The 6 year old has good balance (they both started stilt walking aged 3)
but is terrified of hurting herself, and is stubborn!

My technique is to just leave the unicyle in the house from time to time
and let them play when they want. We go out the front when they ask.
Both would refuse if forced.

Generally she is not that interesting in riding at home, yet take her to
a Uni-meet and she will spend a lot of time practising, they both like
the company of learning with other riders.

I get the impression they tell their school friends they ride, which is
nearly true as she can ride across a hall holding my hand.

The 6 year old is small for her age and is now using the 18".

Keith

--
keg
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Three cheers!

I learned with my daughter and it was a wonderful experience that we
still draw on. It was fantastic for our relationship and we had some
really great, quality time that we spent together, learned together,
played together, etc. Really great!

Now she is hopelessly (and temporarily) lost in the abyss of adolescence
but we, through unicycling, created a bond and imprinting that will
serve our relationship for the rest of our lives.

Tommy

--
Tmornstar - Grandmaster 2T

Tommy Thompson
[email hidden] (No PMs. please)
Memphis Unicycle Club
Please vist our web site:
http://www.memphisunicycleclub.com
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One idea: get her to a club where other kids her age are riding. Bring
some toys that she likes and let her just hang out and do whatever she
likes. Chances are pretty good that she'll relax and learn from the
other kids.

--
U-Turn - Member of Generation XO

Weep in the dojo... laugh on the battlefield.

'29er Tire Study' (http://u-turn.unicyclist.com/29erTireStudy/)

'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albup39)

'New York Unicycle Club' (http://www.newyorkunicycle.com)

-- Dave Stockton
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Good luck and take it slowly.

Having taught my daughter who is eight to ride a pony. Would I attempt
to teach her to ride a unicycle, umm the probable answer to that would
be no.

Reason being that I feel I’m not properly equipped, if I had a unicycle
in one of those frames that tilts then yes I would have a go.

JJ

--
fontiminal - Level 2 rider
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hmmm... all good food for thought.

like as I suspected, some sneaky subliminal hypno-suggestion sounds like
the best method. That way it's all her idea!

thanks

Mike

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mikepenton
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nickvb123 said:

*
When i "grow up" i want to have 3-4 kids and i want to teach them all
to unicycle as young as possible - 4 years + i guess

I am really annoyed because of the fact i only started when i was 15.
Its really annoying to think about how good i would be if id started
at 8 or something. Thats why i want to start my kids off at an early
age so they can be really good. *

It's 2 weeks of school holidays today Nick, you could get started on
those kids...

...Or you could make up for the fact that you didn't ride when you were
8 by riding every day in the next 2 weeks.

--
Robbie - Street Unicyclist

And how is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every
time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain.
Remember when I took that home winemaking course, and I forgot how to
drive? - Homer Simpson
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Quoted message said:

It's 2 weeks of school holidays today Nick, you could get started on
those kids...

I'm thinking about it....

Quoted message said:

Or you could make up for the fact that you didn't ride when you were 8
by riding every day in the next 2 weeks

Operation HU here i come.

(holiday unicycling)

--
nickvb123 - Freestyler

"He jumped off that with his one wheeled bike"
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There is a guy named Jason who had a lot of success with his boy,
MUniman. If you do a search on MUniman, you can find those threads.

I think he was lucky. My 6 year old has had access to a sized uni for
over a year. He will pull it out of the garage probably every 2 months
and try to mount it and then ask for help. We go up and down the
sidewalk one time, with me holding him upright. I'll say, "Let's try
that again." Generally, he responds with, "I am done."

It's a bummer for me, as I would like him to ride, but I don't push it
on him. I hope that he will become more motivated to ride, eventually.
He sees me ride and knows I ride. He has seen Universe I and II tons of
times, yet it has not been inspirational for him to start.

He's six...

I got two other boys, I hope will ride, one 5 and the other 9 months.
Right now, I just hope.

Good luck.

--
teachndad - aka The Munieer

Rod Wylie

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I bought one of the youth models (20"😉 off of unicycle.com along with
the videotape of teaching a child how to ride. When I return from
Kosovo back to Germany and my family in August, it is my peasant to him.
I hope that we have a good experience with learning and the tape should
help.

My boy is seven and I hope that he learns because I feel that it is a
valuable skill to have.

Duke

--
duke - AH-64, UH-1H, OH-58, Uni Pilot

Duke in Kosovo
"My Unis are smile machines"
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