The kids rode their bikes to and from the farmers market. I am so happy I’m about to shit glitter. This is epic progress. I’m so happy Shanna was willing to give it a shot.
It was pretty fun listening to Shanna during the trip. “I was super scared to even get on the bike today. But look! I’m doing it! I just needed to have my mom walk next to me. Then I’m good. Now the scared feeling isn’t scary it is exciting.”
She talks all the time. And she has this self-help/you-can-do it thing that… I have trouble not making fun of her when she gets going. When I was a kid I would have been mercilessly taunted if I had said 1/10 of what she says. I was not allowed to think of myself as competent.
I like my life so very much.
That. is. brilliant.
What got her to get on a bike? Did she just go ‘okay’ when you suggested it today? She was so resistant last month.
I offered to walk next to her the whole time and hold the handlebars so she couldn’t fall. That made her more brave.
If it helps any, you can tell her I was saying stuff like that just a couple of years ago when I started riding a bike again, after not having been on one since I was maybe 14. In fact, I *still* say it because some rides are still scary for me, either because I’m having a nervous day or because the ride is along a busier street than I’m used to or something else just as intimidating happened.
I read a local biking blog where someone recently posted about learning to ride her bike as an adult, and she went through all the same stuff too – “this is scary!” “I’m glad I rode with a friend” “I started out with little rides, and as I got braver, I did longer rides” “sometimes I still fall down” and all the stuff that happens when you learn something new, whether it’s as a kid or an adult. Lots of people chimed in with “me too! thanks for saying something, ’cause I was a bit nervous to say it myself”.
Shanna is doing awesome by being brave: being nervous, but doing the thing anyway. I’m cheering her on from here!
I say all these things too! I’m a terrible bike rider. But I’m trying…