Empowerment

It's fascinating to watch a 6 year old pull up his bike next to you on your computrainer then sit and spin with you for almost an hour. (Place the training wheels high enough and the back wheel won't touch.)

A 6 year old on training wheels? Kids come off of them when they are ready, and strangely getting the feeling of going fast on his little Trek has been a struggle for Luc. It isn't like swimming, which has come easy for him.

As we sat and spun together watching Saturday morning cartoons, I couldn't help but just watch him. Pedaling away, occassinally asking me if I am okay.

And they tell me this kid has issues. The only issue he has is a love for life and a love for movement.

Later in the day the idea struck me! A hitch! A hitch! Off to the bike shop we went and we found the perfect hitch, the kind that hooks to the mountain bike. He sits on a half of a bike, instead of a front wheel he hooks to mine! He pedals as well at a bit of a higher gear to gain the feeling of pedaling rather than just spinning.

An hour later he was screaming in delight as we rode around the neighborhood. I wiggled, I tipped and he slowly lost his fear. We rode for an hour, it was a good zone 2 ride!

So he is hooked. I have promised that after this mornign's 18 mile run and 2 yoga classes that I will be home to ride to the trail and ride for an hour.

I believe this kid has potential. I don't care about his potential as an athlete (I think that is just naturally in his genes), but he has mych more potential than anyone is willing to admit. He feels success in one arena and he will begin to feel success in other arenas.

The progress he has made in school in 2 weeks has been noticeable. To me it has. We began getting some help at the Sylvan LEarning Center, where instead of classifying him by his weaknesses, they are helping him to build his strengths.

So instead of holding him back and telling him he isn't "there yet"... we are figuring out ways to give him wings to fly.

He will make it. He will. And he will make it without us altering his brain chemisrty with medications. What this boy craves is movement, which we can provide. Medicate him and we just may very well squash the next great human being. I beieve as a society we have done that to too many children.

Well the buck stops here society. We will show all of you that a boy can be active and can make the cut. Not only make but rise above in any arena. Because we have discovered the secret. It's quite simple really.

It's called empowerment.

Thanks for reading.

:) Mary Eggers