I can do it

Recently my co-worker was talking about how her goal was for her God-Son to learn to tie his shoes and ride a two wheeler by the end of school, and he did...well he is still working on the bike but it is coming, and he is 4. I realized I was in trouble, I have not set the bar high enough for my sweet daughter who is 6.  I went home that day and handed Carina a shoe and sat across from her with a shoe and explained that it was time and that we were gonna work on this everyday for 5 minuted until she got it.  She didn't exactly get it on the first day, I tie my shoes with one loop and it was obvious that the two loop technique made more sense for her.  But on the second day she had it in about 30 seconds.  I suddenly realized I was holding her back by not challenging her.  I'd fall to the floor everyday and tie her shoes and really never told her that I expected her to learn.  I think this is probably pretty common for only children their parents due for them because you can.  But I informed her I would not be tying her shoes again.  And the next day when they came undone in Fred Meyers I stood there while she fell to the ground next to the cheese and I waited and she did it this time.

Along with shoe tying I knew we needed to work on riding her bike without the training wheels.  I am 100% confident that she would already be doing had it not been what transpired a year ago.  We, decided to take a walk/bike ride to this park that is a little distance from our house because Matt had never been and its cool and different then the one that we live right next to.  So Carina was pretty cautious on her bike generously applying the brakes when she went faster then a snail pace but for some reason she threw caution to the wind at the top of this hill.  As I was doing the mental math, factoring in being 4 months pregnant and wearing thongs Matt sprang into action and swooped Carina off her bike, they both took a little tumble down the hill. Carina scrapped her chin and Matt ended up with a bloody knee and elbow, he then proceeded to carry her all the way home because she was too shaken to walk.  Watching Carina go sailing down that hill scared me a bit as well.  I think as a parent two of the most important things you can do are prevent head trauma and disfigurement of which I saw both possibilities if she had not been stopped. I have not been anxious to push it since.  But maybe it was the new found sense of accomplishment or my realization I have not been pushing her hard enough but she has gotten really brave and was racing her bike up and down the street so I told her I was taking off her training wheels and they were not going to go back on, and she agreed.

After our second attempt at riding without the training wheels she is getting it, so long as she doesn't start thinking about how she is actually doing it.  I realize she kinda learns things like me.  You can show me something and explain how its done but it isn't until I try to do it come up with a whole new theory about how it should work that I am finally able to do it.   I am so proud of her and she is so proud of herself it is awesome.  AND the biggest part of it , for me anyway, is witnessing her stick to itness and her positive self talk.  Like "I'm gonna do this because because I can do this"and " I'm gonna ride this like I'm the best".