Bicycle Blues

Today I decided to take Brandon out for his first ride on his brand new Spiderman bike - training wheels, helmut and all (cute, isn't it?). Honestly I was probably more excited about the whole thing than he was. Well, things started off fine, but the problem quickly became apparent. He didn't quite get the fact that he has to pedal to move the bike- he was trying to move it with his shoulders and upper body. It was quite funny actually. So there I was pushing him while trying to get him to pedal and he just wasn't getting it. He thought that I was supposed to push him along. When I told him that he had to pedal by himself to get the bike to move, he began to cry. After another 15 minutes or so of trying and crying, we came back inside.

Initially, he wanted nothing to do with the bike anymore - (mean bike!). I wanted to encourage him so I promised that we would try again tomorrow and try and try and try again until he was able to pedal by himself. He became very excited about the bike again (nice bike!). This was a bonafide parenting moment. It almost felt like a television afterschool special. I realized that this is bigger than the bike; this is a life lesson...that I have to encourage him to get back up, dust himself off and try again....I think I am on to something here. Now that's one to grow on...for both of us!