No More Training Wheels

I know, I know. It is way past time for my 6 year old to be riding without training wheels. To give me some credit. 1st, I didn't ride without my training wheels until I was 7 or 8 (pathetic, I know) and 2nd, Isaac didn't until he was seven. Third, we really don't have a safe place to ride bikes here in Japan except at the bike park which involves loading all three kids, three helmets, three bikes into the van, driving to the park and unloading all of those items. While I know I should do it more often, I just don't.

Anyways, on to feeling guilty...Brynnie had been asking me for several weeks to take her to the bike park so she could ride without her training wheels. I kept putting it off saying that I wanted Daddy to be there so he could help her (he taught Isaac). The time was never right so finally I sucked it up and took them alone.

We arrived at the park and she asked me to take off the training wheels first thing. I refused and said I would just raise them to see if she could ride and balance and then I would take them off. She failed each time and I refused to take them off. She got mad, yelled at me and told me she knew she could do it. Like the good, understanding mother that I am, I responded, "Ok, I will, but if you fall and get hurt, I will NOT take you to the hospital."

We took them off, she got on the bike and struggled for about 10-15 minutes. Then, I turned around to hear her screaming, "Mom, look, I did it!"

Sure enough she did. This isn't the first time she has done this. She came home the first day of school and chewed me up and spit me out because I hadn't taught her how to read. Two weeks later, she was reading and had taught herself how to. The other day, Isaac was doing backward somersaults on the floor. She said, "I can do that!" Took her two tries and she got it. Man, that girl! When she gets it in her head that she wants to do something...she does. But the reverse is also true. I.E. giving up her blankie and teddy.....that is our next thing to tackle!