There was a time...

There was a time I thought I knew what kind of mother I'd be... and then I had M.

There was a time I thought I knew what my priorities were.... and then I had M.

There was a time I thought I knew how to be a parent.... and then I had M.

This weekend he learned how to ride his bike. It seemed like it would take him forever. He's seven and a half and we used to see 5 year olds riding around on their bikes and I'd think "He'll never learn! He'll be shunned! He won't get into the right college!!"

But I soon realized that with M the rules are clear: don't push.

No matter what the task - bike riding, skating, swimming, homework - you have to let him work at his own pace and encourage without pushing. Eventually he'll figure it out, but on HIS time.

Yesterday he was riding on a bicycle with training wheels. We looked out the window and he was holding the handlebars and standing on the middle bar (whatever that bar is between the handlebars and the seat!). I had already vowed not to suggest he take off the training wheels, so I suggested instead that he try the two-wheeler that we had in the shed.

He did. It took 5 minutes for him to figure it out.

There are days I feel a little guilty that E has a better mother simple because her brother has gone down this path before her.