This past weekend the weather was gorgeous, the kids were all riding bikes outside, and my husband and our 5 year old daughter (our 4th child) decided it was time to take the training wheels off her bike.
My husband informed me of their intentions and asked me if I was ready to help. My mind immediately went to all the chores I had waiting for me inside, but I resigned myself to assisting with what I imagined to be a good hour or more of steadying a bike, encouraging a child, and bandaging knees. We have taught our 3 older children to ride bikes and although the 1st was the hardest by far, they all took some training and helping and encouraging to learn. Some of them even got training wheels back on for a while because they just couldn't seem to get it and we all decided to take a break for a few months before trying again.
And I can't even count the hours I've spent holding the back of a bike steadying a new rider, walking/running alongside when they didn't want me to let go. There was a time in my life I wished for a camp that taught kids how to ride a 2-wheel bike; I was willing to pay money to send my child!
My husband got out his tools, the training wheels came off, and Little Girl got on the bike . . .
AND SHE RODE OFF!
That was it! Seriously! No falling! No parent holding onto the back! No tears! So easy!
And that, my Friends, is how the 4th child learns to ride a bike!
That's awesome!
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