Following on from Sarah Mansel's message. . .
We have read about techniques for teaching your child to ride a bike, but
they all assume that your child will let you run alongside them holding them
up. He is too nervous to go fast enough to even attempt to balance for a
microsecond. Has anyone got any ideas!

Fear is ummm 'psychological'. You knew that. It's obviously important
to deal with it as a matter of principle before 7-yo becomes used to
ducking out of /everything in life/ that involves a bit of risk and
effort.

Naturally you wouldn't do something you're terrified of unless there was
a good reason. That is there has to be some reward. _You_ can see the
value of being able to ride a bike but 7-yo can only imagine grazes and
frustration and possibly humiliation.

The other replies here along the lines of take off the pedals and scoot
are perfectly valid - They make it easier by reducing the fear of
falling.

BUT even a little bit of fear will outweigh no reward. There are
various ways of getting rewards - The traditional one is peer pressure
which is a _big_ motivator. (Hence the importance of kids playing on
their bikes.[1]) But you can use all sorts of bribes for really small
but significant efforts. Some overall value that means a lot to 7-yo is
handy. eg When you can ride your bike we'll cycle to see Thomas the
tank engine (or whatever).

Finally. There is a possibility that 7-yo has an additional problem you
don't know about. For example a vision problem[2]. (Children's visual
system is still developing up to say 9 and things like lack of spatial
awareness is why letting them out on the roads on their own is not a
good idea.)

[1] Plus the kids that know how to do things can be good teachers as
well as motivators for those that don't.

[2] This covers a lot more than short sight. If 7-yo is no good at
catching a ball or has reading problems then this should be worth
checking - pronto.
--
PETER FOX Not the same since the deckchair business folded

www.eminent.demon.co.uk/wcc.htm Witham Cycling Campaign
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/rides East Anglian Pub cycle rides