Emma needs a new bike. How can I tell? For starters, well, her knees go up past the handlebars as she peddles.
The next bike is going to be a two-wheeler, probably without the training wheels that she depends upon so much. But I’m worried about whether she’s going to accept the new bike. After all, it took her months before she was comfortable enough to ride the one she’s on now. Physically, she’s never been very daring. When she was toddler I had trouble convincing her to jump off a (safe) step or take another similar leap into the unknown. She’s afraid of getting hurt, always has been, yet there are other kids her age who are undoubtedly aware of the consequences and still forge ahead.
There’s a boy in her class who amazes me with his confidence in his physical abilities. I don?t think he has any discernable limits. Sure, he’s probably gearing up for a concussion, but watching him in the playground gives me a thrill. He jumps, slides, rides, skids and dives with abandon. He?s much more advanced than Emma is in these things.
Why can’t Emma be a little braver? What’s holding her back? I really don?t think I was one of those overprotective parents who walk behind their toddlers saying, “careful – you’ll fall! – with every wobbly step. So where does she get this from?
Her 6th birthday is in May. The timing is good for a new bike. The current plan is that there won’t be training wheels on it. We hope that the allure of a new bike will help her conquer her fear. Or should I let her rely on her training wheels as long as she wants to? Have you ever seen a teenager with training wheels on their bike? Am I going to be the first parent of one? :)
