Easy Riders

(Events occured June 8, 2010)
Nathan and Evan got bikes a year and a half ago for Christmas.  It was my hope that their training wheels would never be used.  But moms have a way of discouraging such "harsh" introductions to new things.  So, I reluctantly attached them and the boys rode the bikes that way for a year.  One day I decided it was time.  I took off the training wheels and hauled the boys and their bikes to the church parking lot.  It would be a grand occasion!  Nope.  It was a flop.  Nathan cried and Evan tried, but was discouraged by Nathan's fears.  So... we put that on hold.  They got scooters this year for Christmas, and took to them like fish in water.  When I would try to encourage Nathan to get on his bike, he would request that the training wheels be re-attached.  I told him it would be easy, now that he's so good at balancing on a scooter, but he didn't buy it.  He would try once or twice with me holding the back of the seat, and then get scared and stop.  I took off the pedals and lowered the seat all the way - a trick I picked up from a "how to teach bike riding" instructional video online.  The idea is to just let the kid  scoot/coast around and get comfortable balancing on the bike.  Every once in a while, Nathan would do this, but not often.

Then, we got some new neighbors.  Charles is the same age as Nathan - same birth month.  Charles has a bike the same size as Nathan's.  Charles' bike has training wheels.  BUT, the last couple of days, Charles has played at our house and has attempted to ride Evan's smaller bike (with pedals and no training wheels).  Today, he GOT it!  All of a sudden, Charles was zipping around on Evan's bike like a pro!  And the boys stood there and took notice.  An unspoken challenge had just been laid at their feet by their new friend.  As Charles rode around with a big smile and his mom, another neighbor and I all shouted praises, Nathan accepted the challenge.  He came running to me and said, "DAD! I want you to put the pedals back on my bike!"  (Huh?!) "Ok, sure, Pal, let's do it!"  "No, Dad, I don't want you to help me.  I wanna do this myself."  "Ok, Nathan, but I'm here if you need me - YOU CAN DO IT!"  He got on and scooted over to the cul-de-sac where Charles lives.

Meanwhile, Evan had driven into a small drop-off beside the street in the boys' PowerWheels car and needed help getting it out.  I hurried over to help him, and just as we were coming back toward the house, NATHAN PECK came RIDING HIS BIKE out of the cul-de-sac, with a BIG, TOOTHLESS GRIN on his face!!  "NATHAN!!  YOU'RE RIDING YOUR BIKE, DUDE!!  I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!" "DAD! This is EASY!!"  Charles was still riding Evan's bike around, as several neighbors were now witnessing these young boys becoming BIG boys!  As soon as Evan got the car in the driveway, he jumped out and told me, "Dad, I'm ready to ride MY bike, now."  Though he didn't break free like the other boys (it got dark too fast), he DID ride free from my hand-hold (unknown to him) several times.  I think we'll be ready for family bike rides by Friday!