We just got back from a family camping trip this week. We went to Illinois for Maria's family reunion. We took the girls bikes so they could run around the campground and not drive us nuts at the campsite. :-)
Audrey still rode with training wheels, but most of the other kids didn't. That meant she could keep up as well and felt a little left out. She asked me to take her training wheel off, so I did. I figured that she'd want them back on and sure enough, within the hour she did. It just seemed too hard. So back on they went.
The next day, as evening approached and it was time to go to bed, Audrey came over and we had this conversation:
"Daddy?"
"Yes Audrey."
"While I'm sleeping tonight can you secretly take my training wheels off?"
(Trying not to snicker) "Why, do you think if you don't notice they're gone that you'll be able to do it?" (Never mind that the bike won't stand up without them.)
"I know I can do it, Daddy! Please?"
"OK"
So, while she was asleep, the training wheels came off. The next day, she picked up her bike and pushed it over to the campground road. I was sitting watching her between the campers from my lawn chair, ready to go my Daddy duty and run behind the bike to help her if she needed it.
She got on the bike and started riding, disappearing behind her uncle's pickup truck. Not bad, I though. Then she reappeared on the other side of the truck, still riding! Wow. She disappeared again behind a camper and I went and got the camera. When I got back to the road, she was a couple of hundred yards away, still riding. It was if she had known how to ride all along. That picture was taken as she came riding back. I couldn't stop laughing about it.
There's a lesson in there somewhere about acting on faith or determination or confidence or something, but the story alone is good enough for me.
I love that story - I'll remember it for a long time.
Very neat and congratulations Audrey!
Laura rode her bike a lot when we went camping a week ago. She hasn't ridden it much before then but is doing pretty well, (with training wheels). I can relate to the picture and feeling proud.
That is a GREAT "daddy story" Doug.
We just bought training wheels for David, who is six. He has a bike but never gets to ride it because we keep it in storage and my wife has a hard time getting it in and out of there. And the few times I have taken him out I have done all the work because he didn't get the whole "peddaling" concept.
So as soon as I put the training wheels on, he's goin' out!!!
(And daddy's back said, "WOOHOO!!!")
Too cute. Miss Littles is ready to get going with her bike. She has two one at Papa's and one in the attic , I need to motivate her daddy to get that in working order.