The "Cycle" of Life

Oh, the joys of parenthood. There are so many milestones we get to witness with our little ones, from their first steps to their first words. But one milestone that always seems to come with its own set of challenges is teaching them how to ride a bike. At least it was for me. I must admit that I have never felt more incompetent than when I tried to teach my son how to ride a bike.

It started off innocently enough. Being the loving and supportive father that I am, one day I told Kaden that I would teach him how to ride a bike. How hard could that be, right?

Boy, was I wrong. Dead wrong.

I don't know if it was my lack of patience or my inability to explain things properly, but our bike riding lessons quickly turned into little disasters. My son would wobble around for a few seconds before toppling over, and I would stand there feeling useless, wondering where I went wrong. We tried everything. I would hold on to the back of the bike and run alongside him, hoping he would get the hang of it. I tried the classic "just keep pedaling" advice, but that didn't seem to do the trick either. And as each session ended in frustration, I could feel my confidence as a parent plummeting.

But then, one day, I had an idea. Maybe my son wasn't ready to ride a bike just yet. Maybe he needed more time to build up his confidence and balance. So, I decided to change up my tactics. Instead of focusing solely on riding the bike, we started practicing balance exercises. We would walk alongside the bike as he tried to coast for as long as possible without touching the pedals. And slowly but surely, he started to get the hang of it. He could balance on the bike for a few seconds at a time, and his face would light up with excitement. It was the first time I had seen him genuinely proud of himself during our bike-riding lessons. Then the test came when I had him start at the top of a small hill and have him pedal to me, instead of beside me. And guess what…He did it! He pedaled down that hill all by himself, with me cheering him on. I won't lie, there were tears streaming down my face as I watched my little boy conquer his fear and master a new skill. Kaden curiously asked me why was I crying…I told him they were “happy tears.” They were…along with a deep sense of relief.

It was a bonding moment for both of us, and a lesson in perseverance and not giving up on each other. As a parent, I'm constantly learning and adapting, and this experience taught me that sometimes, the best approach isn't the most obvious one. And my son learned that it's okay to take your time and work towards something at your own pace.

So, to all the parents out there struggling to teach their kids how to ride a bike, take heart. It may not be easy, but with a little patience and creativity, you'll get there. And who knows, you might even shed a tear or two when your little one finally takes off on their own. I know I did.