Andrew took the older girls to BYU this afternoon (Miriam had organ and Rachel had to set up for the science fair) so I took the younger three to the park. More to the point, I made them ride their bikes to the park. Zoë was immediately on board. Benjamin resisted emphatically, but I told him it would be good practice.
At first he was rather melodramatic about the whole thing, wobbling for a few measly pedal strokes and then launching himself into the grass beside the sidewalk. It was ridiculous and rather frustrating because I was pulling Alexander in the wagon and coaxing Zoë along but then we'd all have to stop so I could help Benjamin get going again (he hasn't quite figured out how to start riding his bike yet, though he can keep riding).
Nothing I said could convince him to actually try until he saw his friend Holly riding her bike down the sidewalk on the other side of the street.
"She's not wobbling at all!" he remarked.
"She's probably practiced more than you," I said.
"She doesn't even have a helmet on!" he observed.
"Well, that part...I dunno about...but clearly she's had more practice than you have which is why I'm dragging you out here—to practice!"
He hopped back on his bike and went a considerable distance before stopping to watch another kid go by on their bike.
"WHAT!?" he shrieked. "THAT KID IS IN KINDERGARTEN!! HOW IS HE RIDING BETTER THAN ME!?"
"Everyone learns at different paces," I reminded him.
"Why didn't you teach me how to ride my bike when I was younger?" he demanded.
"Believe me, buddy, I tried. You never wanted to practice riding, kind of like how you're putting up a fuss about riding today..."
"That's it," he said, gripping his handlebars, squinting his eyes, and gritting his teeth. "Help me get started again."
So I helped him take off (which really takes one tiny push now) and he went all the way to the corner. He needed minimal help the rest of the way to the park and even less help on the way home. Soon he'll be entirely self-sufficient.
It's an Epilepsy Awareness Day miracle!
Today was Epilepsy Awareness Day and because there's a boy in Benjamin's class with epilepsy his class was encouraged to wear purple to show that they're aware and that they care. He took this request very seriously and talked about it ad nauseum after school yesterday. He must have brought it up 50 times and he was sure to pick out his purple shirt before bed so that he could be prepared in the morning.
When we were getting ready for family prayer and Benjamin must have been feeling rather overwhelmed with life because he suddenly cried, "Who even knows where all these holidays are coming from? They just keep popping up—sometimes it's National Pizza Day, sometimes it's Pancake Day, sometimes it's Epilepsy Awareness Day—and all of a sudden we're just supposed to celebrate!?"
It was a pretty funny outburst.
But today was, in fact, Epilepsy Awareness Day, and Benjamin did wear purple to...celebrate.
And for your information, Benjamin, Epilepsy Awareness Day (or "Purple Day") was first celebrated in Nova Scotia (Canada!) in 2008—a little girl named Cassidy (who lives with epilepsy) wanted people to start talking and learning about epilepsy and decided to ask her community to wear purple. The next year the idea was adopted by a few foundations and has spent the last decade gaining momentum. So this is a holiday created by a kid! That's pretty cool!
Also, there's something to celebrate every day. Literally. Every. Day.
We don't observe them all because that would be overwhelming. But we have fun where we can.
At first he was rather melodramatic about the whole thing, wobbling for a few measly pedal strokes and then launching himself into the grass beside the sidewalk. It was ridiculous and rather frustrating because I was pulling Alexander in the wagon and coaxing Zoë along but then we'd all have to stop so I could help Benjamin get going again (he hasn't quite figured out how to start riding his bike yet, though he can keep riding).
Nothing I said could convince him to actually try until he saw his friend Holly riding her bike down the sidewalk on the other side of the street.
"She's not wobbling at all!" he remarked.
"She's probably practiced more than you," I said.
"She doesn't even have a helmet on!" he observed.
"Well, that part...I dunno about...but clearly she's had more practice than you have which is why I'm dragging you out here—to practice!"
He hopped back on his bike and went a considerable distance before stopping to watch another kid go by on their bike.
"WHAT!?" he shrieked. "THAT KID IS IN KINDERGARTEN!! HOW IS HE RIDING BETTER THAN ME!?"
"Everyone learns at different paces," I reminded him.
"Why didn't you teach me how to ride my bike when I was younger?" he demanded.
"Believe me, buddy, I tried. You never wanted to practice riding, kind of like how you're putting up a fuss about riding today..."
"That's it," he said, gripping his handlebars, squinting his eyes, and gritting his teeth. "Help me get started again."
So I helped him take off (which really takes one tiny push now) and he went all the way to the corner. He needed minimal help the rest of the way to the park and even less help on the way home. Soon he'll be entirely self-sufficient.
It's an Epilepsy Awareness Day miracle!
Today was Epilepsy Awareness Day and because there's a boy in Benjamin's class with epilepsy his class was encouraged to wear purple to show that they're aware and that they care. He took this request very seriously and talked about it ad nauseum after school yesterday. He must have brought it up 50 times and he was sure to pick out his purple shirt before bed so that he could be prepared in the morning.
When we were getting ready for family prayer and Benjamin must have been feeling rather overwhelmed with life because he suddenly cried, "Who even knows where all these holidays are coming from? They just keep popping up—sometimes it's National Pizza Day, sometimes it's Pancake Day, sometimes it's Epilepsy Awareness Day—and all of a sudden we're just supposed to celebrate!?"
It was a pretty funny outburst.
But today was, in fact, Epilepsy Awareness Day, and Benjamin did wear purple to...celebrate.
And for your information, Benjamin, Epilepsy Awareness Day (or "Purple Day") was first celebrated in Nova Scotia (Canada!) in 2008—a little girl named Cassidy (who lives with epilepsy) wanted people to start talking and learning about epilepsy and decided to ask her community to wear purple. The next year the idea was adopted by a few foundations and has spent the last decade gaining momentum. So this is a holiday created by a kid! That's pretty cool!
Also, there's something to celebrate every day. Literally. Every. Day.
We don't observe them all because that would be overwhelming. But we have fun where we can.
No comments:
Post a Comment