In 1978, when my daughter was three, I won the Clark Essay Prize at my university for the best work done in the English Department that year. It came with $100, an enormous sum for me at the time. My daughter had been begging me for a Big Wheel, and I was able to buy it for her with part of the prize money. Our driveway had a gentle slope and she rode the new bike tirelessly, careening down the driveway, making a sharp turn onto the sidewalk and skidding down the concrete. Then she hauled it back up and repeated the move endlessly until her hunger won out over her love of skidding.
My grandson turns ten tomorrow, and he wanted a major gift for his birthday, a big wheeled trike made by Razor, pictured above. On Saturday my husband, my grandson and my first husband–my daughter’s father in town for the birthday–worked together to assemble it. As I observed this activity I thought back over many years. I was touched by the camaraderie between the men, not a common outcome in such a situation. My grandson loves them both and takes for granted that they get along. Once again I am thankful that after our divorce my daughter’s father and I committed to parenting her with love and without any negativity toward each other. Here was the fruit, 41 years later, of that decision.
Now my grandson, wearing the mandatory helmet, is pedaling up and down the sidewalk in and out of our driveways. He accelerates, then skids merrily across the cement. Razor calls it a Drift Bike, but it really just a jazzed up Big Wheel. A child powered vehicle, designed to spin out, delighting another generation.
Every generation has its ‘must have’ gadget. The bikes both look great, and I have never seen ones like those over here.
For me it was roller skates, tied onto regular shoes with straps. I loved the freedom of skating around the pavements in London.
Best wishes, Pete.
I had a wonderful Schwinn girl’s bike for my 10th birthday. I loved seeing his glee at his new toy.
I love that the whole family got to enjoy the grandson’s big day. Bikes are wonderful for kids of all ages!
He is a terror on wheels, all kinds of wheels!
Uh oh. Good thing you have some time to prepare before he gets a real set of wheels!
Right now he just reads car magazines and has us take us to car shows. I am sure you are right about his future!
What a beautiful way to spend a day – working together to make a little boy’s birthday wish come true.
And one of them read the instructions finally!
I enjoyed hearing how the different males in your grandson’s life worked together on their project. I definitely remember the kids in the neighborhood scurrying around on their Big Wheels.
The noise is still exactly the same on these new ones.
Your story of relationships is amazing. That’s marvelous that you were successful in keeping things amicable.
It took a lot of patience on everybody’s parts, but it was worth it.
This resonates. It takes strength and skill to maintain parenting roles and come together in this way. An appropriate time, watching your grandson and his bike, to remember and be thankful for the effort that each of you made towards creating this warm, supportive and safe environment for him.
It turns out to have been worth all the times I had to hold my tongue!
It is wonderful, Elizabeth, that you have managed to provide such love and stability for your daughter and her son.
Thank you. It has been worth all the biting of my tongue over the years.