we have gone through many incarnations to arrive at school. bikes with training wheels, walking, scootering, little-brother-on-big-wheel big-brother-on-bike, driving. i must say, my favorite now thinking back on it, was when my oldest son was in kindergarten. because i would put the baby (well, he was 2 at the time) on the back of my bike, and we'd ride alongside him. and after we saw big brother safely to school, we'd do a loop around the neighborhood -- just the two of us. mother and child, his little legs kicking me all the while. that is a little piece of heaven, right there.
i am not one of those mothers who can wave buh-bye as their young child pedals alone, on his own, to school. oh, no no no.
things happen. one morning, years ago, we were walking to school and the little boy across the street had fallen off his bike because his shoelace had gotten caught in the chain. no one was with him. he was 7. he was laying in the grass, crying, unable to detach himself or move very far. he was embarrassed and scared. i silently cursed his parents. a very sweet middle-schooler who was waiting for the bus helped to untangle him. but what if no one had been there? or worse, what if the wrong person had been there?
so now, a few years later, we live practically right across the street from their elementary school. we can see it from our front yard. you could throw a baseball into the parking lot. and i still walk with them to the crossing guard. why? because i can. why? because i want to. why? because i would not trade these years for anything.
so now, here is my view:
little brother starts out in the lead, but is always passed up by his older sibling. and once at school, my oldest always makes sure the little one gets his bike aligned correctly into the rack.
the view is constantly changing. but i wouldn't miss it for the world.
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