As a child I had two bikes. O.K. I maybe had three bikes, if you count the tricycle, by the time I turned 18.
I was given my first two-wheeler, for my birthday when I was six. My second…a larger 24”, (I’ve no idea why I remember the size.) I was given when I was perhaps 9 or 10. And that was it until college when I bought my own, which was subsequently stolen when I, rather stupidly left it chained overnight in the bike rack at my inner city university... what was I thinking?
The one with which I replaced the stolen bike was my last. A few years later I discovered rollerblading and I’ve felt little need to buy another bike. Actually I haven’t found a reason to buy another pair of roller blades either come to think of it. I’m only on my second pair in 20 years.
In contrast, my child, at 6, has had:
2 ride on toys
1 tricycle
2 bikes
1 scooter
1 pair of roller blades
And, based on the various riding apparatus I see in other people’s homes, he is perhaps under privileged. No, we didn’t get him a Big Wheel, or a $250.00 motorized vehicle or those new bikes without pedals that are all the rage. He still has his 3-wheel scooter and he only ever had one tricycle. But, his list is still longer than mine at that age…way longer.
In today’s world we parents of course, have been suckered into purchasing a lot more stuff. Ride on toys in infinite variety assail us at Toys R Us. Electric vehicles have become a must have for the suburban set. Rollerblades, scooters, skateboards and the accompanying equipment are made in ever smaller sizes.
It’s a bit sad. Those itty bitty two wheelers consign that magic “first bike” moment to the netherworld of a three-year-olds memory – not likely to be remembered much longer. Too bad because that was a moment that those of us born in an earlier age savor.
Now, as my son rides on his new “big boy” bike, it’s just another vehicle. He’s had a bike to call his own for years now. This is just the new one to be replaced by the next “new one” and then the next.
It’s just tougher to make “magic moments” these days.
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5 comments:
I understand, my bike as a pre-teen was my world. I went everywhere on it, of course 40 years ago my parents didnt worry if I went all over town on it. My son is 3 and he has only one (the old fashioned kind) tricycle. I have no plans to get him a big wheel either!
You are so right on this one. My wife and I try to keep everything very simple with the children.
I honestly think that children who have all the wonderful new toys are usually lacking some parental attention and the new toys compensate for this absence.
chris at watdawat dot com
I think children have so much now that they really don't treasure things like we used to, which is sad. I inherited my mum's bike when I was around 9 years old. I called him "Grandfather Kronky" and I loved him!
How funny--we just gave our 4 yo daughter one of those Skuut-type bikes for her birthday. They supposedly make it easier to learn to ride a real bike later. But I take your point about how we seem to be overdoing it a bit these days. My son would love one of those motorized cars to ride in, but there's no way. he can ride his real bike.
Maybe it's just that I grew up in an affluent suburb, but my brothers and I and our friends had most of that stuff as kids. I can remember my younger brothers being disappointed at my parents' refusal to buy a PowerWheels Jeep like many of their friends had. A decade later, the owners of the PowerWheels received brand-new cars as 16th birthday gifts, which many of them proceeded to crash within the first year of ownership :-(
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