Biker Girl

We have a biker girl!  This week is bike to school week, and I told Blythe I felt that this needed to be the week she learned to ride a bike without training wheels.  We have given that a try several times over the summer, but every time, Blythe has gone down the cul-de-sac and pretty much said at the other end, "I don't want to do this any more."  I have gotten frustrated and she has gotten frustrated, and we have left the training wheel-less bike in the garage.

But bike to school week has made a difference.  Blythe is not really able to keep up with Brandt when she is riding her tiny bike with training wheels, and that makes her mad.  She complains that he goes faster.  I have told her that is because he has a bigger bike and can pedal harder.  So yesterday she rode her little bike to school, but when she got home, I patched her front tire (small puncture from a bull's head), and told her we were going to get her riding before Dad got home.

And wouldn't you know it, it worked!  I exercised much patience and offered tons of encouragement, and I ran and ran and ran around the cul-de-sac alternately holding on and letting go, and Blythe got it!  She was riding!  She was wobbly and kept stomping down on the brakes and causing her back tire to jolt out from under her, but she got it.  When Kent got home, and in front of Grandma Sue who had dropped by with Donovan, Blythe rode up and down the cul-de-sac.  Turning, starting, and stopping weren't really happening, but she was moving along without me holding her.

This morning, almost first thing, she said, "I want to ride my princess bike without training wheels to school today.  Not my little baby one."  We agreed that that would be great, and so with Kent on a bike following Brandt, I ran along behind Blythe keeping her up while she pedaled along.  She did well, although she weaved off into the grass several times.  I ran along on the way home too, but when we turned the corner to come down the hill towards our house, she shot off so fast I couldn't keep up.  She was riding!

This afternoon I had to go down the street for two separate things, and Blythe rode her bike.  She was doing so well, moving along with poise and confidence.  After a break watching Sofia the First, she went right back out, and by the time Kent came home tonight, she was riding--turning, weaving, starting, stopping.  And grinning like crazy, pleased as Punch with herself.  I was grinning like crazy too, overcome by how marvelous it is to watch your children learn something, to succeed and to do it! whatever the "it" is.

Apart from dinner, the children have been out in the road riding and riding.  Blythe did crash rather dramatically and required a Barbie Band-Aid and some owie sauce, but she got right back on and rode again, later making a dramatic save when Brandt got a bit too close.  He rode right by her, she slammed on her brakes and skidded a bit, but didn't fall over, began pedaling again, and kept on going.  It all clicked.  Tomorrow's ride to school will be much easier.

Biker girl!

No training wheels, just speedy riding!

She turns, she weaves!

Brandt too.  

Speedy riding--turning--weaving

Our children ride bikes.

The injury following the dramatic crash.

Blythe's hand fell off the handlebars, she lost control, the bike twisted 

and she fell off onto the back of her head,

then scraped her ankle.  

Fortunately she had her helmet on.

And she bravely got back on and rode again.