Charting the weeks through our walks journeys to school
..or cycling, as it happens. What a glorious week it’s been. The sun’s come out and it feels like Spring has properly arrived. This week the twins’ school was taking part in the The Big Pedal – the UK’s largest inter-school cycling and scooting challenge to inspire you to choose two wheels for your journey to school. Ez has just cracked the cycling thing (it was a confidence issue and it was like flicking a switch – now she doesn’t want to get off her bike) so we decided to join in and try cycling to school as a family. I bought a bike back at the end of the summer but it’s been sitting in the garage since so I wheeled it out and off we went. And it was ACE! The kids did so brilliantly and we got to school in the blink of an eye.
Due to the level of concentration required due to my really-rather-lacking bicycle skills, here’s what was on my mind..
I looked at the road in front of me, whilst also trying to keep my eye on the two fast-pedalling children ahead of me
I listened out obsessively for cars
I pondered how much harder cycling is than I remembered it
How lovely to all cycle to school together. My boy is simply not interesting in learning to ride a bike, he just loves his scooter too much.
My son was exactly the same. He was so fast on his scooters he just wasn’t interested in his bike at all really. But I think as soon as he realised the freedom the bike offered once the stabilisers were off (he watched a friend whizz off), a switch was flicked and he just put all his effort into learning to ride.
I think, like most things involving small children, that it’s one thing going off for an enjoyable bike ride and entirely another trying to shepherd children along on a bike ride without them giving up or hurting themselves
It can only get easier from here on
Actually now we’ve got into the swing of things I am finding the ride quite enjoyable. I’m more likely to give up than them I think!