Here we go again…

Just as things get in to a routine and I (foolishly) think that we’re all solid and stable for a while, something goes and changes and we’re all back to learning again.

Training Wheels Off

This time, it’s training wheels off – in both a literal and figurative sense.

Middlest son was fighting having the stabilisers taken off his bike.

He hated the uncertainty and lack of balance. He hated that he might fall and hurt himself.  And so he decided that he hated his bike.

Except… he didn’t really.

He kept eyeing it longingly and then stomping away from it and grabbing his scooter instead (which he used to hate as well.)

And so, after weeks / months of nothing but scowls and shouting matches, I resorted to out-and-out bribery.

Weekend one: If you do 15 minutes practice on your bike then you can have a treat. (Cue tantrums, “stupid bike” shouting matches, and a minute by minute countdown request.)

Weekend two: And now if you do 20 minutes practice you can have a treat. (Cue slightly less tantrums, but a request to know EXACTLY what the treat would be…)

And finally – By Jove, I think he’s got it!

“Mummy, I LOVE cycling. It’s the best thing ever!”

Now that he ‘can’ cycle, I just get the major panics whenever we do go anywhere on the bikes.

Slow down! Be careful! Look out for cars, for scooters, for people, for bumps, for everything!!!!

But he’s doing okay.  And the best thing?  He now realises that the fear and the challenge was worth it – as it’s opened up a whole new world of possible adventures. (But if you see him coming, I’d still stay clear for a while – he has the poise and sense of direction of his mother!)

Training Wheels Off – Part 2

Now this one is messier…

Littlest one has decided it’s time for her to ditch her nappy…

And this is one lady that won’t be dissuaded without a fight so…

With the vision of a nappy free summer trip on the horizon (joy: less stuff to transport across the globe;  fear: we’ve got to get this cracked before we fly) we’re daytime nappy free… and I’m reminded how grateful I am that my kids have all gone to nursery.

For a few hours each day, it’s someone else’s duty to remind her to go to the toilet / to accompany her each time she wants to go and sit.

I’m lucky. She’s taking to it well, but still…

I seem to have blanked the memory of this process with the other two out of my mind.  I have a rosy little picture that it took a few days and they had it sussed.  I’m pretty sure this was not the reality that I lived with at the time but…

And Gina Ford – I have loved you well over the years, but re-reading your Potty Training book, and getting to your comment of “Most children are clean before they are dry“… Hmmm, not so much is all I can say with decency here.

But we’re going with it.  There’s no turning back.

Littlest Miss is proud and excited.  Who am I to quash that sense of achievement just because of a few puddles? (I’ll just follow behind with a mop at a safe distance…)

And what about me?

Well, I’m coming to the end of the official training period for my coaching, and so my training wheels are about to come off too…

It’s daunting and exciting – and I’m just so unbelievably happy that I’ve been able to study and train whilst on this Shanghai adventure.

And I’ve decided that I’m going to carry on with the learning and spread my wings a bit further – heading off into Leadership training (both for myself as a person, and also then as a coaching direction.)

And that means more adventures for me.  And no doubt some accidents. I’m going to need to get a lot braver again.

And so I’m going to run away for a few days to Lopez Island (thanks to an amazingly well timed conversation with a very good friend) to start answering the question “Who am I becoming as a Leader?”

And then, on the promise that I will return from the paradise that Lopez Island looks to be, I’m going to start in on the 10 month Co-Active Leadership programme come September.

Four trips to Sonoma over the course of the ten months.

Hubby thinks the wine might be the real draw, but… This is a big one for me. This is me standing up and saying “This is what I want to do. This is what I am going to do”

Bring it on.  Bring it all on.