There are those moments in life when you are so proud of your kids that you want to squeeze their guts out. For me it has always been when my kids have learned to right their bikes without training wheels. I remember Kira and Andrew's first experiences so well, and we have been working hard with Sean so we could have the same experience. For all three of them it started at Oceana High School, high on the hill in the empty parking lot. We always choose a sunny preferably less windy day, and the magic always seems to happen. It happened for Sean on the 7th of April after a trip home from Tahoe. He mastered the stop and start on his own and even mastered the speed bumps. I am sure I was a little teary when I took this shot and I will remember it forever.
After he got going on his own, we got him new larger bike and have been doing rides to the beach to perfect his skills. It is fun time, watching him cruise down the sea wall. It wasn't too long ago he was riding with me on my bike on these same rides. Now he is solo, one more thing to help him spread his wings, until he crashes and needs his mom.
Comfort after this came from his brother Andrew who told him a story of his first wipe out and let him see the scar on his elbow. It was also helpful that Andrew's wipe out was also on a red bike, just like the one Sean was riding for his.
The good news is he did get back on and now you can find Sean and I riding to the frog pond after school and hopefully avoid another wipe out. Next up, learning to swim this summer then I will really feel like an accomplished mother.
