I could boast or brag or whatever about Caleb's academics. He's such a smart boy, part of it natural maybe, part of it because we expect it of him, part of it because we work with him. He's a healthy kid, and that's why he never misses school. He's a great student from what his teachers tell me, so it makes me happy to know that part of his life is going well.
But, as smart as he might be, it took him until today...five days before he turns 8...to FINALLY take off his darn training wheels!
We really don't know why it took so long. Did we not encourage him enough? Did he not trust that we would be right by his side, running along with the bike? Was he that afraid to fall? Afraid to fail? I HAVE NO IDEA! It started to drive Josh crazy, but then one day someone said, "Are you really concerned for his sake or for your own? Are you worried what other parents will think, or is this really about riding the bike?"
Deep thoughts. We decided we were too concerned about image (in our own minds), so we backed off the issue. It wasn't a character or behavior issue, it wasn't really that much of a developmental issue, so we had to let it go.
So today, for whatever reason, when Caleb asked to go outside to play, I whispered to Josh, "Please take off his training wheels...I think he'll do it." I have no idea why I had a feeling. Maybe it was because the boys across the street are constantly riding bikes, and today Caleb asked if he could ride out there, too. I had a hunch that peer pressure would finally work (good peer pressure if there is such a thing). Maybe seeing those boys would finally make Caleb realize that he was big enough to do this.
As I stood inside the house, I prayed. I asked God to give Caleb a spirit of calmness, not a spirit of fear. I asked Him to give him the confidence he would need to do it. And as these words came from me, I looked out the window and saw my son flying by on his bike! It was like he had been riding like that for years.
I still don't know why it took so long.
I share this for two reasons. First, as I stated above, I like to record such things on my blog. But second, just in case any other mom is pulling her hair out because her almost-8-year-old isn't riding without training wheels, it's ok. You really have to let it go. "It's not a right of passage," as someone told us.
Which is true. I did love seeing the smile on Caleb's face, though.
And the smile on Josh's.
5 comments:
Yay Caleb! Juliet just started riding this past year- at eleven years old. :-)
Okay, this might be a little but like your pride issue about the training wheels- we got a strider balance bike for Daniel because I don't want him relying in training wheels. So check back with me in a year to see if it worked!
Do you feel the same about water wings being a crutch?
Yay for him! My oldest just started last summer and he was 6. Of course I was bummed that I wasn't home but loved getting the phone call from him telling me all about it and hearing the excitement in his voice.
Yay!
Way to go Caleb!!!
YAY Caleb! That's so exciting! It's hard to not push our kids to do something when we see that most everyone else's kids are already doing it! But fear not, when he's an adult, none of it will matter! At least that's what I tell myself with my barely-reading 8-yr old son! ;)
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