Biking Benjamin

After months of refusal to try biking, or to attempt to even pedal anything, Benjamin has now learned how to ride a "big boy" bike! The story is just so sweet and funny, so I just have to share it, so we remember it as well!

So one evening after dinner, I was alone with the boys, and Benjamin wanted a band-aid (plaster) on.  He wasn't bleeding or anything, so since we always say there needs to be blood to need a band-aid, I refused to give him one.  This time though, in a calm and casual way I added "Unless you want to go try out your bike and fall over so you need a band-aid."..... Yes I actually said this!

And his answer was "Okay!"

I dropped what I was doing, and we went out to the shed to where Benjamin has 2 bikes.  A red one with training wheels, and a blue, bigger one, with no training wheels.  He chose the blue bike and we went out to the street.  I ran along side him for a few seconds and then I let go! And Benjamin biked! He made it all the way down the street and then just braked and put his feet down.  I was running along side him happilly yelling "way to go, you're doing it, etc..." the whole time.  When he stopped he looked up at me and started crying and yelling "Mommy, don't be so happy, I didn't fall!!"   He wanted to fall over so he could get a band-aid!  That was his only focus, and therefore this amazing feat was not a success after all!   I told him he could have a band-aid anyway, for being so brave and trying, but he insisted on falling.  So after trying a couple more times, I ended up running along side him until he was in the grass and gently pushing him over!!!  Then we was happy and a bit proud. 

Since that day, he has wanted to bike now and then, and every time he does, he has the biggest smile on his face.  Silas tells him all the time how cool it is that he learned how to bike without ever even using training wheels! And now Benjamin and Silas are beginning to be able to bike away from us! Benjamin thinks that is cool.