I just taught my daughter to ride without training wheels. It was exhilarating and terrifying and also really annoying, especially when she toppled over and angrily flipped her bike (with surprising Superman-like strength), stomping and air-punching like Rocky on after a bad hit at a crack pipe, telling me she was REALLY MAD that she couldn't manage to keep her balance.
However, she kept getting back on. And on. And on. And I kept giving her overly-enthusiastic words of encouragement ("OMG, you're DOING it! LOOK at you! You go girl!!"-- so embarrassing), gripping the back of her little banana seat, ensuring her equilibrium before giving her a gentle push and actually letting go, watching as she pedaled off with those impossibly little-yet-strong, mosquito bite-smattered, sun-browned legs, pumping the pedals and keeping the bike going and going.
I think the hardest part of the whole experience was actually lifting my fingers off the seat and watching, yipes, with half-lidded eyes and Botox-like frozen-bared teeth, as she flew away from me. By herself. Knowing that she could do it on her own made my mama bosom swell with pride, but it was also almost impossible to believe and it actually hurt a teeny bit. This little girl, my kangaroo-pouch buddy, was off riding a bike by HERSELF?
Yep, she was. And it was awesome. The end.
5 comments:
interesting that the only comment I've got so far seems to be spam. Sweet.
Letting go is the hardest thing to do, yet the most rewarding!! Congrats to your little one, Way to GO!!
I sooooo don't want to hear about this. My little ones are right behind you and are talking about taking their training wheels off. I so want them to slow down on the growing up.
Way to go!! She now gots her some mad bike riding skills thanks to you!!!
DUDE - why did I not know about this blog before!!?? I LOVE IT!! I just read the post about attatchment parenting and about flipped my goard! And I used to love Barbra Walters, sad.
Anyhoo, sorry your blog got blocked but I'm thrilled to be able to go back and read these posts :)
And - awwwwwwwww she'll remember this forever you do know that right? I've NEVER forgot when my dad took off my training wheels, did the run behind and then let me go - NEVER :)
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