New Years Day

It seems like the last few weeks have been so packed full of stuff with the holidays. Today was no exception. Charlie got a new bike for Christmas and John has been working really hard all week on helping Charlie learn how to ride it. Charlie has done great and is now a Two - wheel bike rider! Well not to be out done Annie said to John this morning, "daddy, will you take my training wheels off?" John said sure and took them off. As they were on their way to the park John started out holding her bike up to let her peddle. By the time they got to the stop sign Annie said "Daddy let go now!". She was off and riding she got it on her first try. John came home stunned that she did it and could even get on and start it herself (it took Charlie a few days to get that far!) He laughed because to get to the park you go down a hill and he said there was fearless Annie cruising all the way down the street to the park on her first try!

I think being a parent is like teaching your kids to ride a bike. We want to hover and help them as much as we can, we know if they fall it will hurt so we try to make sure that doesn't happen by holding on. We make them wear helmets and long pants to buffer those falls when they do happen. We want the road to be flat, smooth and safe. We want them to stay close not to ride away from us or want/need to go at it alone to soon. Some of our kids will take longer to venture off, will be more wary not taking to many risks, some will want us right by their side longer, while others want to be off flying as fast and far as they can, trying to test the limits of themselves at their first opportunity. When it is all said and done we have to remove the training wheels and let them try on their own to succeed. In they end if we have taught them well and prepare them they will all leave us standing there watching them venture off on their own, amazed, awed and impressed.