Freedom Part II

I think it is very appropriate that on this past Memorial Day Weekend, Olivia decided she was ready to get rid of her training wheels.  It was Sunday night, we had been to my parents' in Illinois for the weekend and driven 4 1/2 hours home.  We had unpacked the van, gotten something to eat, and decided it was a nice night to go outside.  We weren't planning on being out long because it was already 7:30pm and it was starting to get dark.  The kids asked to ride their bikes and somehow this crazy idea struck me to say, "O, you want to take off your training wheels?"  She literally jumped up and down saying, "Yes, take them off, take them off!"  So that is what her Daddy did.

Normally, I would not want to be the one watching my child learn such a daring stunt.  I'm a nervous parent when it comes to all things "accident related", and let's face it...EVERYTHING regarding a child can easily turn into an accident.  Thankfully, (which is strange to say when I'm going to describe the occasions my children got hurt and I was not present) when Jack fell at the playground and needed 7 stitches I was not there, nor was I there when Olivia sliced open 3 of her fingers playing over at the neighbors.  I just don't do well with being the eyewitness to an accident.  I'm pretty good handling recovery though.  Soothing, nurturing, bringing them anything they need to feel better I've got it covered.  I just can't react appropriately when my child is hurting, and especially when blood is involved!

So, it was not my plan to "teach" Olivia how to ride her bike sans training wheels, but that's just how it happened.  Drew was helping Jack get on his helmet and I was helping Olivia cross the street.  After we crossed I explained to her that I would hold on to her seat, and let go and then she just needed to keep pedaling.  Imagine my surprise when after holding on for less than a minute I let go and she just kept going...and going...and going!!!!  That was it!!!  No crashes, no injuries, no nothing!  Just plain and easy riding down the neighborhood street.  I ran beside her the entire way, when she stopped, I exclaimed, "You did it girl!!!"  She looked at me like I had lost my mind.  I told her again that she was riding her bike WITHOUT training wheels.  She didn't think it was true, she must have thought it would require at least one fall, but it didn't!  By this time Drew and Jack had made it down the street too!  Drew congratulated her on a job well done.

Then he took over supervising her ride and it wasn't too long that he wasn't running beside her anymore, but instead watching her ride down the street completely by herself.  That's when it hit me!  She has just encountered her first taste of freedom!  This is the first step to no longer needing us for every little thing, but the moment where we have to start allowing her to do things for herself.  Even things that might cause her to get hurt.  It's a pivotal place where my faith in God grows deeper, because as much as I thought I was in control up to this point, the reality strikes me hard that I never really was.