Austin Rides a Bike

After 10 years and much resistance, Austin has learned how to ride his bike!  My mommy buttons are bursting.  Bless his heart, he was having such a hard time.  He has put this off for so long and I know that the longer he has put it off, the harder it has made it with his rapidly increasing height and quickly diminishing ego.  The first day Drew went out with him first and made a fantastic effort and was very patient with Austin trying to explain all the mechanics of riding.  Austin honestly didn't really even have the concept of pedaling.  Then Tom went out there with him to lend additional moral support.  He about lost it when a 4 year old neighbor boy rode up on his two-wheeler and proceeded to ride circles around Austin.  I thought it was quite rude and he was ready to give up at that point but Tom assured him that we all had faith in him and he soldiered on.  While he didn't fully get it that first day, he was definately getting closer.

The next day we were at it again.  I went out there with him and pushed him off and he immediately took off and rode around the corner.  He found his balance!  The rest as they say, is history.  He mostly worked by himself from that point perfecting steering, stopping and pushing off.  Within a half hour he was doing circles around the block.  Being the dear klutz that he is, he still had several crashes, but despite numerous scrapes and bruises, he never gave up.  By the end of the day he was enthusiasic about the whole endeavor and he has asked to go out to ride his bike every day since and he and his dad went looking for a bike to have at his dad's house too.  I'm so very proud of you Austin.  You never gave up and now look what you've accomplished!  Great job!  xoxo, Mom