my bikers
This morning we were in the garage tidying up a little, and the kids were playing on the driveway and in the garage with their bikes. Steven had taken the pedals and the training wheels off the bikes a few weeks ago, convinced that the kids could sit on the bikes, push along with their feet and coast, magically figuring out their balance.
I thought it looked a little ridiculous. I actually biked with them to the library a couple of weeks ago, pedal-less and I must say it was a little embarrassing. I'm sure people probably thought we were poor folks who couldn't afford "whole" bikes for our kids.
Today I said to Steven: "Put the pedals back on, and let's let them try."
So he did.
I had visions of Steven and I running up and down the street, holding onto our kids' seats, and trying to keep them from careening into trees and slamming into parked cars.
That is soooo not what happened.
We put the pedals on the bikes and left the training wheels off. Jordan and Tennyson took their bikes onto the street and biked away.
Can you believe it? Me neither!!!! I think Steven and I were both a little stunned. There was no helping them get started, no holding onto seats, no skinned knees or battered heads. We tossed the baby into her stroller and plunked Mitchie on his bike (with training wheels) and headed down the street after them. We made it down to the school at the end of the block and the kids biked around the school yard and parking lot, in straight lines, big swooping circles, tight little circles, fancy brake-work - you name it. They just got on their bikes, pushed off, started pedaling, and looked like they've been doing it forever.
We then took them to island park and watched as they biked lap after lap around the duck pond. Were there a few little spills? Sure, but they'd just dust off and hop back on, yelling "Mommyyyy!! Daddyyyy!!! Look how fast I'm biking!" - and they were fast, and nobody ended up in the pond.
Jordan and Tennyson are quite proud of themselves. I'm pretty proud too.
Pictures to follow.
I thought it looked a little ridiculous. I actually biked with them to the library a couple of weeks ago, pedal-less and I must say it was a little embarrassing. I'm sure people probably thought we were poor folks who couldn't afford "whole" bikes for our kids.
Today I said to Steven: "Put the pedals back on, and let's let them try."
So he did.
I had visions of Steven and I running up and down the street, holding onto our kids' seats, and trying to keep them from careening into trees and slamming into parked cars.
That is soooo not what happened.
We put the pedals on the bikes and left the training wheels off. Jordan and Tennyson took their bikes onto the street and biked away.
Can you believe it? Me neither!!!! I think Steven and I were both a little stunned. There was no helping them get started, no holding onto seats, no skinned knees or battered heads. We tossed the baby into her stroller and plunked Mitchie on his bike (with training wheels) and headed down the street after them. We made it down to the school at the end of the block and the kids biked around the school yard and parking lot, in straight lines, big swooping circles, tight little circles, fancy brake-work - you name it. They just got on their bikes, pushed off, started pedaling, and looked like they've been doing it forever.
We then took them to island park and watched as they biked lap after lap around the duck pond. Were there a few little spills? Sure, but they'd just dust off and hop back on, yelling "Mommyyyy!! Daddyyyy!!! Look how fast I'm biking!" - and they were fast, and nobody ended up in the pond.
Jordan and Tennyson are quite proud of themselves. I'm pretty proud too.
Pictures to follow.
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