It’s really true: children learn at their own pace. No amount of bribing, cajoling or even subtle threatening could make them want to learn if they don’t want to. At least, that’s the case with my daughter. And I’m not even talking about schoolwork either. That’s a whole ‘nother can of worms for a different discussion. 😀

Anywho. For her upcoming birthday, I decided to get her a kiddie scooter. Originally I was supposed to buy a 3-wheeled one, but ended up getting one with just 2 wheels. Meaning, no balancer to get it to stay safely upright. I was apprehensive, but at the same time I reckon it would help hone her body balance. Oh, and I also get her a matching helmet and PPE (knee and elbow pads, and gloves) just to be on the literal safe side.

So. I got them yesterday when we went to the mall. I had her try out the 2-wheel scooter to see if she could actually use it; thankfully, she was able to ride a few hops and not end up on her butt. Had them gift-wrapped and all, only to have her open them when we got home, still a few days shy of her birthday. Oh well.

image

At first she was raring to go, hopping all over the place on her new scooter. Then she fell down. She didn’t really get hurt because of all those pads cushioning her from the rough road, but she was a bit traumatized and wouldn’t use the scooter anymore. Not even when her cousins and playmates took turns having a go at her new scooter. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed with her seeming defeatist attitude. But not even my disappointment was enough to get her to ride again. I thought I wasted good money because she wouldn’t ever use it again.

But then earlier today, she asked for her scooter and then asked me to put on her PPE. I was delighted, but didn’t pressure her to ride, just to go and have fun with her scooter. And so she did, and even made some progress with her balancing.

It was a lesson for me, even more so than it was for her. That she learns best when having fun, not when I’m pressuring her to. It was a humbling experience for me, and one that I’m not likely to forget anytime soon.

coffee siggy

10 thoughts on “Make It Fun

    1. Thanks sis! 😀 All that pink is kinda too girly for my taste, but they do the job protecting her limbs from bumps and scratches so I can’t really complain. 😉

  1. Oh I love this and I couldn’t have said it better myself! I also notice the same thing with my son – he’s more confident when I’m not coddling him.

  2. Yes, they really do learn more when they are having fun. I guess all kids were made that way, so we too parents won’t forget how fun it is being a person in simple ways.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *