I've been meaning to write back about this post regarding your daughter. I, too, have a 6 year old daughter. We're not riding trails though. My beatiful, graceful, reasonably athletic daughter is currently learning to ride without training wheels. I run down the sidewalk by my daughter's side holding one handle of the handle bar and the rack over the rear wheel. First I let go of the handle bar, then, while still running by her side as she peddles, I let go of the rack. She goes about 10 to 20 feet, then puts her two feet out and stops herself because she is afraid of falling. We have been doing this off and on for about a month, now. Two weeks ago I got angry with her because, altough she is physically able to ride, she stops herself out of fear.
After that my wife would go out with her for bike rides. I felt terrible about how I treated her. Saturday afternoon I apologized to her and promised her that I wouldn't get mad at her and that it was OK to be afraid. I went riding with her and she went a little farther than before. Tonight (Monday) after work I asked her if she wanted to ride her bike. She said no, so we went outside and squirted each other with squirt guns instead. Who cares if she rides her bike, anyway?
Dave, you taught me that I'm just as fused with my kids as I am with my wife, and probably my parents as well. Do you know what my initial gut reaction was to your post? Jealousy. How utterly creepy is that? I have not yet totally alienated my poor kid like I have alienated my poor wife. Maybe I can still turn things around.
Dave, I guess you are a lot more differentiated than I am. I guess that is why you are taking your wife off of a schedule, while I am hoping and praying that I can get on any kind of schedule with my wife.
Thanks, Dave
Tony
"If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment." Henry David Thoreau
