When Amara turned eight she wanted a bike for her birthday. Amara was thrilled to wake up on her eighth birthday to find a new bicycle waiting. However when reality set in, and she had to learn how to ride it, well that was a different story. Amara tends to be skittish of new things. (that's putting it very mildly). Don put training wheels on her new bike and we both took turns taking her out learn. It's didn't go well Amara is a bit of perfectionist and she is, skittish. I don't think we made it out more than ten times in the past year. And I was okay with that; I have long felt that following a child's lead works best (in most situations!) because when they are ready, they will learn.
Fast forward a month past her ninth birthday and Amara decided she wanted to truly learn to ride her bicycle. Don took her out a few times (still on training wheels) with some success. This past weekend, when we were preparing to go camping with Don's side of the family, we packed her bike up so she could continue practicing. Amara had her doubts that she would ride without those training wheels but when we got the campsite and two little girls about her age rode by on their bikes, I caught the flicker in her eye. I know my girl and I knew what she was thinking; If they could do it, so can I. And I am not exaggerating when I say that within thirty minutes of seeing those girls ride by, Amara had on her helmet and sneakers, her dad at her side and off they went; training wheels still on. Not twenty minutes later, as our large group of about twenty four, hung out in the yard, there went Amara, riding by, with her training wheels off the ground, dad not holding off and a grin a mile wide. Our whole family broke out in a loud cheer; Amara did it! She had learned to ride a bike.
That Amara, she really is, something else. When she puts her mind to something, and walks through her fear she is an unstoppable force.
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