Things are looking up!

We had an eventful day about a week ago. Lately Gracie has been rather mournful about learning to ride a bike. We've been hopeful for about 4 years but not very dutiful about teaching her. I bought a cool handle to hook on the back of the bike that enables an adult to help her balance without the very popular "run while bending over" stance. That was nice but didn't produce the magical learning to ride in 15 minutes that the box suggested.

We tried occasionally over the years without that sudden take-off that we'd hoped for. Finally, with tears of embarrassment from Grace we put on a new and sturdy set of training wheels. John told her to ride everyday for two weeks and she'd probably be ready. She did ride quite a bit for a couple days and then lost the motivation a little bit. Training wheels are really just not for 7-year-olds in this day and age so I was proud of her for being humble and just doing it.

Then one day, Gracies cute little neighbor friend who is also 7 came in the house to talk to me. "I'm going to teach Gracie to ride my two-wheeler", she said, in her intent, well enunciated grammar. I stared at her serious little freckled face framed by red hair, cut into a bob. This little friend enjoys talking to adults, like an adult - "I have to be home by 4 today because I have Marital Arts" she will tell me in a knowledgeable voice.

As I listened to her tell me that she was the master bike rider and she was going out to teach Gracie I thought "Good Luck" while I said, "Oh, ok!" in that sort of friendly friends mom's voice that we adopt so we don't scare off our kids friends.

About 30 seconds later Grace came in a told me to come watch, she had learned to ride her friends two-wheeler. I almost didn't go because of course it couldn't have happened that fast. Then I thought I'd better of it and decided I'd better go look out of respect and the slim chance that it had happened.

It was amazing. Grace's friend had held the bike, Grace had got on, and with a little push or something had ridden off. I watched, when I came out as Grace got on and rode down are bumpy, rocky driveway and off down the street. I stared and laughed right out loud and proclaimed my gratitude to Gracie's friend. This little professional cyclist stared a little, seeming to feel that perhaps Grace at learned a bit too quickly and that she, the teacher, wasn't really getting the attention and credit she should have enjoyed. "Now I'm going to give her the next lesson, because I'm a master at this" she told me and then proceeded to teach Grace to ride down a steep but short hill of dirt.

I do have to admit that I feel a little cheated though grateful. I guess you just have to be a master to teach.

Of course after about 20 minutes, Grace tried to show me how she could ride standing up which works if the bike isn't rather tiny for your long tall body. She crashed and scraped up her belly and bloodied two teeth which were, unfortunately, not the one that is loose and needs to come out. They all healed though and now Grace is working on her master's degree too!