Tuesday, January 5, 2010

try again

tuesday, jan 5: dusk falls as je keeps falling off his bike. he growls and stomps away, tears threatening to spill out of his baby blue eyes. this bike is big for his seven-year-old body; he's just learned how to ride without training wheels. he is discouraged. i sit down on the curb and ask him to do the same -- and to listen to me. i tell him that you fall off a bike, it's ok. you just take a deep breath, say "man, that was scary," and get back on to try again. he doesn't believe me. i promise him that if he can do that to the end of the parking lot -- just get up and back on the bike every time he falls, i'll carry his bike the rest of the way home. his eyes light up. "but, mom, what about this deal. i make it all the way over to where we started from without falling, and you get me baskin-robbins." oh-ho! we have ourselves a negotiation. "nope. i don't care if you fall or not," i tell him. "just make it to where we started from without throwing and fit and with getting back up on the bike each time you fall, and i'll take you to bto yogurt. deal?" "deal." and he does it. with confidence and joy.

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