Spencer and Sophia both cast off their training wheels and learned to ride without them this Sunday. Spencer, who hadn't shown much interest or put much effort into learning before then, finally found his motivation... His friend Warren asked him if they could ride their bikes to school together some day. After a little "pep talk" from his mom, Spencer concluded he didn't really want to be the 2nd grader riding to school with training wheels. (I think Tina's exact words were, "I love you son, but quit being such a baby and just ride the freakin' bike.") Within minutes of me taking off the training wheels, he was on his way. He was really excited, but I think he was surprised by his success. After he'd rode beautifully for several hundred yards with me jogging beside him, he simply let go of the handles and ejected, letting the bike crash by itself. I asked him why he stopped when he was doing so good and he said, "I don't know." When I asked him again he said, "It kinda freaked me out." We were still working on continuing to pedal while turning when we had to quit, and he still has work to do on stopping, but he's pretty much there. At one point, when he was still "ejecting," he managed to stay on his feet after one dismount and looked up at me with a huge smile and said, "That landing wasn't too bad." Sophia had been begging all winter to practice without her training wheels, despite the snow and ice. Her stubborn streak wasn't going to let her quit on Sunday until she figured it out. I am really proud of both of them.
Spencer and Sophia both cast off their training wheels and learned to ride without them this Sunday. Spencer, who hadn't shown much interest or put much effort into learning before then, finally found his motivation... His friend Warren asked him if they could ride their bikes to school together some day. After a little "pep talk" from his mom, Spencer concluded he didn't really want to be the 2nd grader riding to school with training wheels. (I think Tina's exact words were, "I love you son, but quit being such a baby and just ride the freakin' bike.") Within minutes of me taking off the training wheels, he was on his way. He was really excited, but I think he was surprised by his success. After he'd rode beautifully for several hundred yards with me jogging beside him, he simply let go of the handles and ejected, letting the bike crash by itself. I asked him why he stopped when he was doing so good and he said, "I don't know." When I asked him again he said, "It kinda freaked me out." We were still working on continuing to pedal while turning when we had to quit, and he still has work to do on stopping, but he's pretty much there. At one point, when he was still "ejecting," he managed to stay on his feet after one dismount and looked up at me with a huge smile and said, "That landing wasn't too bad." Sophia had been begging all winter to practice without her training wheels, despite the snow and ice. Her stubborn streak wasn't going to let her quit on Sunday until she figured it out. I am really proud of both of them.
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