Takin' off the Training Wheels!!!!

Do you remember as a kid learning how to ride your bike without training wheels? I can actually remember it very well. I don't remember my exact age but somewhere around kindergarten or first grade. My dad took me out in front of the house, in the middle of the street, no helmet or any other padding either. He stood behind me atop a mini hill and I got on the bike he gave me a little push.....and let me go! He probably ran behind me for about a second, if y0u knew my dad you know he did not do much running, anyway he just let me go. There I was "riding" my bike with no training wheels, if you can call it riding. The handle bars wiggling back and forth as I try to get my balance, I turn to look behind me to see if my dad was still there, NOPE....CRASH!!!! I can still feel the road rash on my knees and elbows, it still makes my skin twinge with a little pain, and at that moment I was so mad I don't think I even cried. "DADDY why did you let me go?" I screamed! Expecting full on sympathy from my dad (mom was watching from the front yard) I got a hug and then the ol' "you gotta dust yourself off and get back on that bike" spiel. All this to say, it took me about a week to get to where I could do it completely by myself....fast forward to 2008 and we are teaching our oldest to ride his bike without his training wheels. All it took for him was ONE afternoon! No scratches, bumps or bruises. Nothin'!! It's sad really. I run in the house to get the camera to take pics and just waiting to get that one with the huge scrape on his knee or at least one of him as mad as a hornet because he could not get the hang of it...what kind of mom does that make me??? At the end of the session however I was as proud as can be singing his praises so maybe it makes me an okay mom! CONGRATULATIONS Son, Mom is super proud of you!