Spin the pedals so that one is slightly above and forward of the other. Looking from the side with the front wheel to your left, the pedals should be roughly in the 4 o’clock and 10 o’clock positions. If they’re right-handed, the right pedal should be forward, and vice versa. While supporting them but not gripping tight, have them put their dominant foot on the forward pedal. Tell them to push on it as they lift their other foot onto its pedal. Remind them to control the handlebars and look ahead as they do so. Don’t push on them or the bike to “get them started.” Practice with them until they can build up their own forward momentum. Your kid’s first attempts at pedaling forward will likely be short-lived. Eventually though, they’ll be able to sustain forward motion. As they improve, reduce your contact with them steadily while walking or jogging beside and slightly behind them. As before, catch them and guide them down during a fall instead of holding them up. Practice making slight balance corrections and gentle turns with the handlebars both before and while they’re in motion. If they turn too sharply and begin to fall, guide them down and try again. Likewise, practice how to use the brakes — whether they’re pedal or hand brakes — both before and while the child is in motion. Some kids will want to take off and leave you in the dust, while others will feel better with you right beside them even after they’ve mastered pedaling forward. Act as a source of confidence, not as a crutch that holds them up and keeps them pointed straight. Even when they’re ready to ride without you by their side, they will almost certainly “wipe out” here and there. If they’re on a flat surface, going at a low speed, and — most importantly — wearing the proper safety equipment, their chances of serious injury are minimal.  Check that they’re okay, but don’t go overboard with coddling or consoling them. Say something like “Whoops! Are you okay? Everything seems alright, so let’s get back on the bike and give it another try — you’re doing great!” Learning that you can fall and get back up is a valuable biking lesson and life lesson!
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One-sentence summary -- Teach them the “ready position” for starting. Let them build their own forward momentum. Loosen your contact but remain alongside them. Make sure they know how to steer and stop. Stay close by until they are confident riding solo. Accept that they’ll fall a few times.


You can bedazzle just about any type of shoe, from wedges to heels, canvas sneakers to flip flops. Plain shoes without a lot of embellishments (at least on the area you want to bedazzle) will work the best. News shoes will work the best, but you can use older ones as long as they are clean and in good condition. Because of how quickly they show wear and tear, flip flops and canvas sneakers should be new. You will be working with strong adhesives, so it will be difficult to fix mistakes. Take a look at your shoes and now and decide where you want the rhinestones to go. Because of how heavy the rhinestones can make the shoes, it's not recommended that you cover the entire shoe. Here are some ideas to get you started:  Cover the entire heel portion on a pair of high heels or wedges. Cover just the fabric part on a pair of canvas sneakers. Consider covering just the rubber toe cap on canvas sneakers. Keep in mind that the rhinestones may fall off. Cover the straps on a pair of flip flops. Depending on the material, be aware that the rhinestones may fall off. Silver or clear rhinestones will work with just about any shoe. You can also use colored rhinestones, but make sure that they look good on your shoe. You can use rhinestones that are all the same shape and size, or play around with different shapes and/or sizes. If you are using rhinestones that are all the same size, it would still be a good idea to get a few odd sizes in order to fill in any gaps caused by curves.  For a pair of high heels, wedges, or very expensive shoes, use tiny, high-quality rhinestones. Sizes between 5ss and 16ss will work especially well. Large, plastic rhinestones will look tacky. If you are covering a pair of casual or inexpensive shoes, such as canvas sneakers or flip flops, you can use larger and less expensive rhinestones. A jewel setter is a small, plastic stick with a ball of wax attached at the tip. If you can't find one, roll a small piece of wax into a ball, and stick it onto a toothpick. The ball should be about the size of a pinhead.  This is only necessary for tiny rhinestones. If you can easily pick the rhinestone up with your finger, you don't need a jewel setter. You can also use a pair of jewelry tweezers. They look similar to cosmetic tweezers, except that the tip is longer and thinner. You can find them in the beading section of an arts and crafts store. If you can't find a tray, a clean, plastic lid would also work. Make sure that the flat, back side of each rhinestone is facing down, and the faceted side is facing up. This will make the rhinestones easier to pick up.  If you are working with a lot of rhinestones, pour out only a small amount first. If you are working with different shapes and/or sizes, it would be a good idea to sort them out first. Use different trays/lids if necessary.
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One-sentence summary --
Choose the shoes you want to bedazzle. Plan out your design. Buy your rhinestones. Buy or make a jewel setter, if needed. Pour the rhinestones onto a tray.