I am sure to some of you this will seem like no big deal. Others of you may wonder why a 10 year old doesn’t know how to ride a bike in the first place. Let me just say, this is a HUGE accomplishment and you should have seen this little girl beaming from ear to ear! Forget that, you should have seen this mama beaming from ear to ear!
Riding a bike was one of those things I wasn’t sure Meg would ever do. But, the area we are moving to has a wonderful bike path and we wanted desperately to start riding bikes as a family again…something we haven’t done since our oldest was little. We’ve tried for many years to help Megan ride a bike without training wheels, but it was hard and her temper was short.
On Monday at piano lessons I saw a bike just laying there in the back yard and I knew Lynnette wouldn’t mind (right Lynnette?), so I asked Megan if she would like to try. She eagerly hopped on, but immediately began to freak out on me. But I stayed calm.
I ran up and down that driveway hanging on to her and the bike, encouraging her in huffs and puffs, until I began to feel her easing into the whole balancing act of bike riding.
And then I let go.
It was beautiful.
She was beautiful.
And I will never forget that moment as long as I live.
The moment she rode off into the sunset.
So there is hope for my six year old who will not ride his bike without training wheels:). He is out grown his little bike and this summer my husband took him shopping and had him pick out a brand new bike which he refuses to ride, despite many attempts this summer.
Oh Amy, I SO understand! My lily who is 10 has only been able to ride her bike for the last few months. It has been so wonderful for her self esteem. Some skills are harder to master for some children. Lily had so desperately wanted to ride her bike for many years now but for some reason it didn’t click until a few months ago. Well done Megan!
Luv donna
Funny, I thought this was going to be about how your oldest girl got married…
This is heartening as we have a very special princess whose gifts do not include coordination. She turns 9 at the end of Dec. It’s good to know there is still hope for her riding a bike. I need to buy another one and try again. This time with more patience than ever–not one of my gifts, but I’m pursuing it with baby steps.
What a neat accomplishment for her and you!
My 8 year old doesn’t ride a bike either. He doesn’t even like to ride one with training wheels. So nice to know that there is still hope for him to ride someday.
Thanks for posting this!
-Rebecca
Jared told me about Megan’s bike riding experience. YEAH! I recognized our property right off the bat, but the bike, I didn’t recognize. ha! We’ve had so many bikes, I don’t have a clue what any of them look like. I have to tell you, I felt the same way when Cecily rode a bike without training wheels for the first time at 10 years old. It was a day I felt such joy.
Congrats to YOU and Megan.
Love,
Lynnette
PS This post just gave me hope concerning other things (of the same nature). I tend to think certain things will never happen (click), and this post reminded me that even though some children’s time tables are different, they do eventually catch on – when they are ready. So, thanks!
I’m so glad Jared told you. He could probably tell I was super excited! lol And you are welcome…I am slowly learning and God has been quite merciful with me as I figure out these little people He’s given to me.
Precious!
OK. So this post totally made me cry! I LOVE it. I think there are some mommas who can truely understand that moment. It reminds me that there is hope and I love the way God gives us those small moments (that are such BIG moments) to remind us of the hope that HE promises. This accomplishment of your daughter’s is just what I needed as encouragement today.
I knew you would understand, Laney.
Nothing really different here. though I learned to ride a bike young, my 10 year old brother just learned. He’s left eye dominant and right hand dominant so both the left and right sides of his brain need to learn to work together. For a really long time this extra energy his brain had to use caused some dyslexia, bad hand-eye coordination, and emotional melt-downs (just from the pure frustration of not being able to do stuff “normal” 10 year olds could) But now he rides his bike all the time. (well, not now since we just got 18 inches of snow last week in the big blizzard up here in northern WI, but he did some riding with the light snow on the ground)
riding a bike is such fun!
I’m so glad Meagan learned! Yeah! She must be so excited.
Blessings,
Morgan
Morgan,
It is so neat to see someone who struggles do something like this! Yay for your brother
Precious! A treasured memory for sure!
My oldest daughter didn’t learn to ride a bike until she was 11. My middle daughter actually learned to ride before my oldest. My oldest one never liked training wheels and liked the wobbly feeling even less so she just never took an interest….until her sister was riding. I think it was positive peer pressure. I’m not sure there was any valid reason why she never learned to ride until so late…she is a very impatient child. I’m happy for your daughter, I don’t know why it’s such a relief when they learn to do these “milestones” but it is. None of my children can roller skate though. Oh well!!
Merry Christmas!
Congratulations to Megan, and to you! Our oldest daughter is 8 and try as she might, cannot master the bike. Thank you for giving me hope!
My oldest was 9 before he rode a bike. I remember being 9 or 10 before I learned. For me and him, it was pressure from friends that made us learn. Family friends of ours were laughing at me because I couldn’t ride, and I decided to prove I could. I jumped on the bike and rode, but I had no idea how to stop. I crashed big time, but I proved me point and was proud of myself. Good job, Megan.
I think I learned to ride quite young, but my two have only just mastered being able to ride with training wheels at 5-6 years old… Now I know it can take many years for a child to learn, I feel like I can relax and just let them do it at their own pace over the next few years! This was really encouraging to read! Yay for your daughter, and for you!
Way to go girl!!!!
Amy, that’s beautiful!! I have a daughter, too, who was challenged in learning to ride a bike (and other things). She’ll be 8 in February and she just learned a few weeks ago. I think I was happier than she was that day. http://gratefulforgrace.com/2010/11/this-weekend-i-2/
congrats!!
How wonderful! What a blessing!
As you may remember, I definitely know exactly what a big deal bike riding is for someone that you just don’t think will ride. Granted, for us, it means that we’ve got a big three wheeled bike for Noah, but it’s still such a pleasure to see him riding.
I do remember and what you told me about Noah was an epiphany for me concerning Meg. It does a mama’s heart good to see a child who struggles accomplish something great!