In His Own Time

When will I learn?  Honestly, I am shocked at how long it takes for simple things to sink into my brain.  The kids are now almost six and eight.  You would think that I would have learned by now that saying, "They will do things in their own time".  That's what parents say to one another to encourage each other when one set of parents is worried that their child isn't keeping up with the milestone markers.  "Maybe they are late bloomers?' they will say in a way that says "Don't freak out just yet."

The Little Man has had that said about him a lot in his six short years.  He's been that "Late Bloomer" in  many physical milestones.  He sat up late, he barely crawled, and didn't take his first steps until close to 16 months old.  Considering The Girl was right on target with everything, I was constantly freaking out with all of his tardiness.  

Last summer, when he turned five, we thought it was time for us to remove the training wheels off of his bike and get that kid riding a two wheeler.  After all, isn't five the age that kids do that?  Yup, The Girl rode a two wheeler at five, so it was time.

This did not go so well.  I video taped day after day of practice.  Day after day of tears.  Day after day of tantrums.  Day after day of failed attempts.

(Yes, I still have videos of these attempts.  Yes, I thought about posting them just so you could see the transformation.  However, I won't be posting them.  After watching them again, I realized how traumatized he was.  There is no need to humiliate the guy.)

Finally, after a few weeks, The Hubs and I shut 'er down.  We both had lost our patience.  The Little Man was only getting more and more fearful of his bike, and feeling more and more defeated.  The bike went away.

Sometimes The Little Man would talk about it, and sometimes he would even entertain the idea of trying again.  Each time he would back away when the rubber would meet the road.  Fear would just seize him.

He got a scooter for his fifth birthday. He rode it all over the place, and absolutely loved it.  Still does. The kid is scootering fool.  After a while, the bike in the shed never crossed our minds.  Until yesterday.

Yesterday the bike came out again, and The Little Man was very eager to try again.

Here's what happened:

 

Yup, My boy is a late bloomer, but when he does something, he wants to do it right.  

If someone hears me getting frustrated about how long it's taking for my son to get something again, smack me.  Then remind me that, "Kids do things in their own timing"

Thanks.