Our weekend had been set aside for teaching our 4 year old twins how to ride their new pedal bikes.
As they were highly proficient on their balance bikes, we were determined they would make the transition to ‘big’ bikes without the use of stabilising wheels and that it would be relatively easy with only the occasional tumble and tears.
Imagine my surprise when on my sons very first attempt, my husband started frantically waving his arms and shouting my name. I looked up, expecting to see a mangled small boy needing medical assistance but instead I saw my son pedalling furiously away across the field.
Standing open mouthed, along with a few other parents and early morning dog walkers, I looked down at my daughter who was waiting patiently for her turn.
No pressure for her…..
I held the back of her saddle and ran along with her until I heard her shouting “Mummy, LET GO!” And she was gone, pedalling as fast as she could to catch her brother.
It really was that quick and that simple, their “Control and Balance” kicked in and my backpack full of antiseptic wipes and Elastoplast will live to serve another day.
I may be a proud parent, puffing out my chest at my children’s achievements but I am also a proud Pilates teacher.
There is no doubt I’m my mind that it is their inclusion in my enjoyment of Pilates and encouraging them to join in that has helped them develop their own sense of movement and balance.
My children haven’t always been welcomed into my studio, when they were 18 months old I resumed teaching from home. They would lie on the floor looking under the studio door shouting “Mama, Mama,” Not conducive to a good teaching or learning environment.
Then one cold and Rainy day when cabin fever had well and truly set in for everyone I gave in. I took them into the studio and made an assault course with various apparatus for them to jump around and run over. They loved it.
The next day they asked to do it again and even pulled out all the equipment to make it themselves. That was when I realised how quickly we can catch our childrens imaginations and joy of moving. There is so much truth in the quote:
“First Educate the child” – Joseph Pilates
You could say my children have been an unconscious Pilates experiment. I strongly believe that what began as a reliever of boredom is now having a direct impact on their physical abilities and the many hours of playing with their balance created this weekends moment of achievement and delight with their new bikes.
So, back to our Sunny Weekend morning, by 10am we were in the cafe, coffees for the grown ups and ice cream for the kids.
Ice cream at 10 o’clock in the morning? Oh yes! A big fat yes! Fair reward for being so awesome and for giving Daddy extra time to play golf….but that’s a whole other blog.
