a lesson in patience

You must first have a lot of patience to learn to have patience.

Stanislaw J. Lec (1909 - 1966)

Teaching a child how to ride a bike can be right up there with an operation without anesthetic.

I am serious too...painful in every way.

The truth is my other kids just did though.  They were 3 and 4 and they wanted to learn to ride a bike so they did. End of story.

Charlie's story is sooo not that story and you would think after having kids for 19 years that my honey and I would have so much patience we would be loaning our patience to everyone who was lacking in that department.  

You want to freak out on your child? Let me help you we would say. 

But alas, sadly that is not so, and we are still learning the delicate art that is so desperately needed in every area of our lives.

So the beginning of this tale is that it was just time.  

I mean are you friggin kidding me? 

I was still pulling this huge child in a bike trailer.  I would get looks and stares and even Charlie knew it was bad. When we stopped he would practically fall out of the trailer trying to get out quickly and then he would slyly look around and bolt from the embarrassing contraption. 

So we informed him that we would buy him so much candy it would make Halloween look lame. (I know, I know our parenting is lacking in so many areas)

The day arrived and for all intense and purposes the poor kid just did not have the skills.  Certainly not something we were willing to overlook so we began the hideous endeavor.  

Hours and I mean hours, sweat, blood and some serious tears from everyone involved and we had ourselves another bike rider in the call family.  Yes he couldn't peddle straight and could only go in very tight circles and sure if it was the smallest upgrade (I am using that term very loosely here) his little spaghetti legs could no longer move. But I am going down in the books and saying Charlie can now ride a bike.  

It took the patience of Saul (Is that the right biblical character?) that we are still learning every day but this is the last time I ever have to teach a human being how to ride a 2 wheeler.  

But I can however, let you borrow some of my overflowing patience.  :)   

Just as an update I took Charlie on a bike ride to hone his skills and he only took out only one pedestrian.

I am so pleased that he only harmed one.

He came up from behind the unsuspecting girl and tried to dodge her but lost control and slammed into her from behind knocking her down. He and his bike went down with her in a tumbled up blob of legs, bike and mess. This story could go either way. That poor girl could have freaked out on my poor child and been a complete pill or been nice and concerned. 

I am pleased to tell you that she handled the situation with compassion and care. She was a lovely human being who had patience to spare. She dusted herself off and made sure Charlie was ok.

  

I love her.  I really, really love her. 

Maybe we will go on another bike ride.... just not quite yet.