Can-Do Attitude

When Dwayne’s parents were here a few weeks ago, I took off Piper’s training wheels with visions that I would have time to help Piper learn to ride her two-wheeler.  Well, we practiced for about 5 minutes and never got back to it.  And she really didn’t like it.

Later that week, Piper came to me with a wrench and said she had put her training wheels back on her bike.  I didn’t think I heard her right, but I checked, and I had to adjust one of the wheels, but she had done it and done it well.  [I am completely bewildered how she figured out the nuts and bolts and wrenches, but no adult admits to helping her.]

Tonight, as I was packing up the car for camping, I asked Piper if I should pack her skuut (balance) bike or her pedal bike.  She wanted her skuut, and I packed it with all the other gear.  In the meantime, she had gotten out the correct size wrench (that must have been dumb luck!) and was trying to take off her training wheels from her pedal bike.  She finally asked me for help to loosen them and she took them off.  Then she wanted to learn to ride in the [cramped and cluttered] garage.  I suggested we would do better on the driveway or street. 

The first time I let go, she went about 5 feet.  The second time, 10 feet.  The third time, 20 feet.  The next time, halfway around the island.  In a few more tries, she learned how to start herself going downhill.  A half-hour later, she started herself on the uphill. 

I give equal credit to lots and lots of hours logged on the balance bike and Piper’s “Of course I can do it—it’s never occurred to me otherwise” spirit.  How does one bottle that and where can I get some for myself?

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Just so you don’t get an completely unbalanced report of this child, she did quite deliberately, right in front of me, eat yet another cookie she was told very clearly that she couldn’t have.  She was very much taking advantage of the 20 or so people over for a little afternoon party this afternoon.   She has completely fallen apart several times the last few days, staring the exact minute Kyla went off to Kindergarten without her.