Some Advice for Parents of Young Shred Girls from a MTBing Mom

Getting your kids out to ride mountain bikes can be challenging sometimes — but it’s always worth it! You probably remember the awesomeness that was the interview we just did with young mountain biker Isabella Macarelli... But now, we’re chatting with her mom, Katie Macarelli about how to raise a #ShredGirl of your own. I LOVED her advice, especially her first note about keeping it chill.

So if you’re hoping to help a younger girl get started riding bikes, read this first:

Make it fun

If cycling is a passion of yours, beware. This can backfire. Imagine if Steve Jobs was to teach his children coding. Keep it chill. Maybe your child rides their scooter down the block and you chase them with your bike. On the way back, they chase you. Share stories of how you learned to ride, how you fell, how you’ve fallen recently, a skill you’re trying to learn, how biking makes you feel, how your strength and over-coming challenges on the bike translates to strength and over-coming challenges in real life. Share your joy, not your intervals.

Make it normal

If you hop on your bike to return books back to the library or pick up a bag of tangerines at the store, your daughter will see that biking is transportation. Take her with you! Aim to replace one errand a week that you would have driven to accomplish and do it with bikes! Maybe you park in an area that’s easily bike-able and make it an afternoon bike-errands date…that ends with ice-cream. You don’t always have to don the race kit to ride.

Practice skills together

One of the very best places you can have fun on the bike is an elementary school playground/parking lot on the weekend. You have free reign of a follow the leader course. Practice riding painting lines on the black-top. Simon says/Red Light – Green Light. Riding through a bit of sand on the black top. Cornering. Riding off curbs. When they are older, more skilled, track stands, riding through sand, riding up curbs, etc. *For a really fun intro, watch this scene from Napoleon Dynamite with your daughter. #threefeetofair

Know (or continue to learn) your child’s limits

Any parent knows that crucial moment when their child is about to crack. Whether they are hungry, tired, frustrated, struggling emotionally regarding something completely unrelated, etc. it will be compounded when learning a new skill or when they are being pushed physically. “Out and back” bike rides are nice because you can get a good estimate on where/when to turn back. Pack extra food and water (or your wallet) because you will inevitably need it. Turn back before the crack.

Talk with your child…more importantly LISTEN

The best conversations I’ve been lucky enough to have as a mom with my daughters have been while we’re biking. So for this reason, I’d suggest urban cycling at an easy pace when you’re not under a time constraint. Trail riding is great too, but if you live in a really mountainous/technical area, the talking will need to happen during snack breaks. 😉 Listen.
Bleeding and bruising is ok. One of our favorite sayings in our family if someone crashes or gets bruised/broken/bloodied is this: “You wouldn’t get that by laying on the couch or playing on your phone.” Get dirty. Get bloody. Your child won’t break in half. Let them fall. Hug them. Tell them you’re proud.

Exemplify joy

I can’t stress this one enough. Breathe deep. Laugh hard. Take in the sights. Take pictures. Pet animals. Admire sunsets. This is time you will cherish forever and ever. Be who you want her to be.

 

HUGE thank you to Katie for these amazing insights. If you’re as inspired by this as I was, make sure you share it with the other parents / MTB advocates that you know!