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SALT LAKE CITY — There is something special about watching your children reach milestones. We get that pleasure frequently with babies. But as our children get older, those opportunities are less common.
Shortly after summer break began, my oldest began the monumental milestone of learning to ride her bike — without training wheels. It was a hot day in the middle of June. My big kids, trying to beat the pending heat, rushed outside early, barely finishing their breakfast.
Not too long after they had gone out, I heard crying. I believe every mom can recognize her child's cry; it's like a special superpower we get. I knew the cry I heard belonged to my 6-year-old daughter.
Still in my pajamas, I rushed outside to see what the problem was. There was my daughter, in her Disney princess bike helmet, with tears streaming down her face. As she sobbed she proclaimed, "I can't ride my bike! I can't get it started! I'm too afraid!"
"This was my chance to teach her a life lesson and I had an idea: positive affirmations. I know, it lacks pizazz. It's not an original or fancy idea, but I hoped it would be practical."
There are two things you should know about my daughter: first, she's been learning to ride her bike without training wheels since this time last year (she can't seem to get the bike started); second, my daughter is a fearful kid. Always has been. Her fears have interfered with potty training, doctor visits, and using public restrooms. I have known my job as her mother is to help her learn to work through her fears. And this was a golden opportunity. We had to get back on that bike and we had to do it right now.
This was my chance to teach her a life lesson and I had an idea: positive affirmations. I know, it lacks pizazz. It's not an original or fancy idea, but I hoped it would be practical. I believe there is power in positive affirmations. It was worth a try.
She stood over her bike, still crying. We were going to talk through this. "Repeat after me," I told her.
"I can do this."
"I am brave."
"I have a helmet to protect me."
"I can ride my bike."
I knew her only problem was getting her bike started. Once she was pedaling, she could ride. Fear was keeping her from starting because she was afraid of falling. She was so afraid, she anticipated falling off her bike by steering toward the grass before she even got going!
A little skeptical, she repeated my words. "I can do this. I am brave. I have a helmet to protect me. I can ride my bike."
Push, push, hop.
It was a slow go but with my hand on the seat, she did it! She rode around the corner and then stopped. I knew we had to keep trying. I adjusted her seat and again she repeated our positive words. "I can do this. I can ride my bike." Push, push, hop. She did it! This time all by herself.
She rode her bike all the way down the street to the end of the block. Watching her ride, I was overcome with joy. But at the end of the block, came the true test. She got off her bike to turn around and come home. To me, she was just a tiny pink speck at the end of a long sidewalk. I knew if she could get started by herself she could do it. I was not close enough to help her. She picked up her bike and waved to me. I watched and waited. This time I repeated to myself, "you can do it, you are brave, you can ride your bike."
In just a few minutes my rosy check girl, wearing her princess helmet, rode her princess bike right past me. "I can do it!" she said with a smile. She's been riding all around the neighborhood ever since.
I'd like to believe the positive affirmations actually helped her conquer riding her bike, or at least conquer her fear of riding her bike. Who's to know for sure? I just hope next time she's faced with a fear, as I'm sure she will be, she remembers the power of positive affirmations and tells herself, "I can do this. I am brave."
Nicole and her husband are raising four children, six years and younger, including identical twin boys. Nicole uses positive affirmations to get through each day. She owns Sidewalk Communications,LLC and blogs at www.TwinsfortheShow.com.
