**Surprise Moment

For a couple of months now I have known that my son was ready to try a two-wheeler. The problem was that he had no desire to do it, and he's a very head-strong kid. If he doesn't want it, he will fight it with all his might. So today I put my foot down, and through the tears and arguing emerged a proud little boy pedalling his way down the sidewalk with no training wheels. He is so proud of himself, and I would not have insisted had I not been sure he could do it confidently. He can.

Here's the short version of the story. A wonderfully brilliant friend suggested converting a bike into a "push bike" - removing the pedals and training wheels and ensuring the seat is nice and low and having him learn how to "glide" down the driveway. He did this off and on for a month or two (not consistently - maybe once a week). Once the gliding became easy (he can start at the top of the driveway and glide easily down onto the sidewalk without putting his feet down), we were to put the pedals on.

So here we are - after school today. Hubby screwing the pedals in and poor son sobbing that he likes his push bike and wants to ride it forever. I beg, I plead, I bargain - just TRY it. I promise a "prize" if he gives it his best shot. I try everything. Then I have a thought. Since he was a baby he would not try anything unless he knew he had mastered it. Even walking - he pushed that toy on wheels around our condo for months before he let go. So today I said "why don't Daddy, your sister and I cover our eyes and you try it and tell us when you're ready to let us watch". For half an hour I peeked through my fingers as he first put his feet on the pedals, then began MOVING the pedals, to next him being at the end of the street beaming back at us saying "open your eyes! Look how far I went?!" He did it all by himself. There was no running alongside him, not one scratch or fall, he just did it.

The part that I was not prepared for was the overwhelming feeling of pride I had when he pedaled for the first time. I, of course, could not express it because I wasn't supposed to be watching, but it caught me off guard. I expected him to get the hang of it, and I pictured him doing it, but the rush of emotion as he took off on his own was indescribable. Who would have thought that on a cloudy September day, an event as simple as that would burn into my memory and surely last a lifetime.

**Parenting Challenging Day

So we're upstairs in the bathroom changing our fish's water when my son climbs in the bathtub and starts pretending to have a bath. As I finish scrubbing that yummy algae off the walls of the two fish bowls, I tell the kids that I don't mind if they play pretend in the tub, just no turning on the water and take off the socks to avoid slips. They're gleeful that Mom is so cool.

Fast-forward ten minutes. I'm downstairs putting chicken in the oven. I hear that the innocent child's play is becoming more and more rowdy. I poke the potatoes and head upstairs to threaten the games to be over if they're too wild. What do I find but a huge chunk missing out of the shower curtain. My mind was racing...I'm angry because I know they were playing too rough...they KNOW they were playing too rough...I don't know who did it...but they were both being wild...what can I do?...Ending the game isn't enough...there has to be something else. So I have a bright idea. Both kids to their rooms, a discussion about respecting their environment and (drum roll please) each kid has to give me $1 out of their piggy bank to pay for a new shower curtain.

Am I a bad Mom? I sure felt like it as my little girl sat on her bed hugging her piggy bank and crying. But I needed to make a point. Mommy always bails them out - if they break something it gets replaced-even if it was broken due to disrespecting it. A time out isn't enough in this situation. So they each gave me a dollar and verbalized understanding of the importance of caring for our family's stuff.

Point made? I sure hope so because that was a tough one for me to do.

**Epilogue

A quick epilogue to my blog from earlier tonight. My son is still awake in bed at 10:05pm - two hours and ten minutes after he was tucked in there. Perhaps there is a downside to all the excitement that grade one has brought him.......

**Sigh Of Relief

My boy started grade one today. He is officially a big kid - according to him. He plays outside on the tarmac with the big kids, goes in and out the same doors as the big kids, and gets to use the big kid bathrooms. Does it get better than that? Apparently not.

A lot of the grade one kids (and many of the grade twos) looked very hesitant this morning. There were a few tears shed and a lot of leg-clinging going on, but my boy was at the top of his game! He at one point looked a bit sad and I attentively said "what's wrong?!" (all concerned there were tears to follow) and all I got back was a "It's hot out here - I wanna go in!". Okay, clearly Mommy is more emotional than him.

Waiting at the back door to pick up my little man I was concerned about what I would find - would it be a smiley, happy kid, would it be a disappointed kid who thought grade one would be better than it actually is? I was worried, but at 3pm out through the door - the first kid in the whole school to come out - was my smiling bouncy boy. Grinning from ear to ear, he gave me a wave, said bye to his teacher and (sniff, sniff) avoided my kiss. He IS a big boy if he's avoiding my kiss.

But other than my little broken heart, the great news is that he had a great day, made new friends, and told me that "grade one is even better than he thought it would be", and that he "loves being in grade one". Phew. Thank goodness! I thought he would do well - he did love it last year, though he would NEVER admit it, and I figured he'd thrive on going full time, but still, I feel as if a crisis was averted. It could have gone either way, but we can all breathe again. I know you were all waiting with baited breath, but I assure you, he's doing just fine. My big kid.