My father taught me that learning is like a rodeo.
When I learned to ride a bike, a nasty fall left a giant scabby raspberry on my upper lip. My father held me for a moment, and then he taught me an important lesson: What’s the first thing you do when a horse bucks you off – you get right back on.
I’m grateful to my father for teaching me perseverance. A thing he now regrets.
My 2-½ year old son can coast down a hill on his balance bike. Today he had his first real crash.
Later, I sat him on my lap and described the crash to Jake, showing off Ove’s battle scars.
And then I sensed a teaching moment:
“Ove, what’s the first thing you do when a horse bucks you off?” I asked.
Ove looked me in the eyeballs with silent anticipation.
“You get right back on,” I said.
“And then you fall off and get really hurt,” said Ove.
Ah, yes, leave it to a toddler to take the lesson to it's logical conclusion: the hospital.