Ride the wind...

My kids are not very into riding bikes. I have to admit that their lack of interest didn't really bother me. Now that Spencer is nearing eight years old and still cannot ride a two-wheeler and has no interest whatsoever in changing that fact....it is starting to bother me a little. Last summer he was over at a friend's house and his friend's mom called wondering if it was OK with me if they biked to the store to get ice cream. It was a bit embarrassing when I had to tell her that he couldn't ride a two-wheeler - "if you have something with training wheels around - by all means - get a double scoop"!

I know that we live at the top of a steep hill - which is probably pretty intimidating if you are at best, wobbly on a bike. We have offered to take him to a flat area to practice, but he just shrugs us off. He could care less. He would rather watch iCarly.

The big news is that the past couple of days, Evan has wanted to ride his Diego bike around. We got him the bike for his birthday last year and he was not very excited about it. I think the size of it made him nervous. So most of last summer, Spencer rode it around. He was giant for the bike - he looked like he was part of a circus act.

Every time Ev rides it, he gets a little bit braver and a bit faster. He is still very tentative though. I don't get what their fear is about. We are very enthusiastic when they are riding and encourage them to put the pedal to the metal (or at least keep their feet on the actual pedals). The only thing I can think of is that they are picking up on some deep seeded anxiety from me about the time I was riding on the back of my Dad's bike as an infant and got my foot caught in the spokes. I was fine, but I am sure it was pretty traumatic for my Mom and Dad. I can't imagine how freaked I would be if that happened to me and one of my kids. I may just remember the incident from stories and memories of my parents, but I swear I can remember it happening. I don't know though...that would be a very early childhood memory.

Evan was so cute today as he rode around. He actually went down our driveway slope all by himself. I guess all we can do is keep trying to encourage them until they get their confidence up. They will get it eventually. Everyone learns how to ride a bike, right?

His pants are a little long for him and I didn't want him to get them caught in the chain or something.