Triumph on wheels!

Words will not adequately explain the triumph we felt this summer when two of our kids mastered their own sets of wheels.

First, Joseph. He had worked for a few years to ride a bike, but was frustrated. He worked extra hard to get the necessary balance (even in OT), and Dan spent many patient hours walking and running alongside as he tried to get the "feel" of the bike. He was never okay with Dan letting go. We knew that it was becoming imperative that he master this skill.

We were headed to the coast for a week, and Brandon was going to be with us.We decided that we would try switching up the instructor, and we told Brandon we would pay him to help Joseph learn to ride his bike.

So, outfitted with protective gear on his knees and elbows, Joseph tentatively agreed to a lesson, mostly because he thinks the world of Brandon and wouldn't want to disappoint him. I don't remember the exact sequence of events, but it went something like this. They walked out to a path and Brandon steadied Joseph and then told him to push off and start riding. Joseph looked up, shocked, and said "I can't do it by myself!"  And Brandon, with his unflappable and calm demeanor, assured Joseph that he could do it and was going to do it.

And then he did.  Slow and wobbly at first, but within a few minutes he took OFF. He spent the rest of the beach trip begging one of us to take him for a bike ride. By the time we left to go home, he was riding like a pro.

And he hasn't stopped yet. He burns off extra energy every day riding his bike around the cul-de-sac. He said to me one day, "I'm glad that now, when my friend's mom tells us to go outside and ride bikes, I don't have to think of an excuse. I can ride too. And now I can do the Cub Scout Bike Rally." 

As parents, this was a learning experience for us, too. We had worked and worked to help Joseph learn the same skill that Brandon "taught" him in 5 minutes. We aren't sure what exactly was the magic that finally convinced Joseph he could ride. Certainly, he had worked for a long time to acquire the skills of bike riding, and this process was necessary. But Joseph didn't believe that he could do it, and he knew that we would keep patiently pushing him. So, maybe in this case it took someone else, someone not Mom or Dad, to kindly insist that "Yes you can do it.. Now go."  Whatever it was, hooray for Joseph!

Now Bailey.

Bailey started drivers ed in August of 2012. In Washington, the kids have to pay a private drivers ed school for training (at almost $500) OR wait to drive until they are 18 years old!

She sailed through the written coursework and tests, but didn't really like driving. We practiced a lot and her comfort level increased. It was a process.  She put off her last intimidating drive for drivers ed for almost a year, and we had to pay a fine for this, but it was okay. In that time she gained the skills and confidence. Bailey has always been a good driver. She is very cautious and very aware of all the dangers on the road. She just needed to trust herself and decide she was ready.

I will not say much about this, but I will mention that I deserve an extra nice mansion in heaven for the time I've spent and will spend teaching teenagers to drive. 

By the end of August 2013 she was ready to take the test, and she was craving the independence that driving would bring. Recently, drive tests were switched from the DMV to the drivers schools, and there is an option to pay an extra $30 for a 30 minute practice drive with the instructor just prior to the test.  Bailey scheduled her test for the day before school started. I spent the time she was taking the test praying fervent prayers and guzzling sugary Starbucks hot cocoa to calm my own nerves.

And she passed.  Hooray for Bailey! We celebrated right afterward with an IHOP brunch.

It is so great to have another driver in the house. She drives herself to Seminary, drives her siblings to lessons and activities, drives herself to Target to do her own errands. She is a great driver, and this was a very important step.

By the way, another Washington law prohibits new drivers from driving with anyone other than family for six months, which I think is a great idea. It is a little funny, though, when these kids try to go on dates.  Everyone can drive, but no one can drive each other, so they generally  have to be chaperoned by one of the parents!