Mr5 and I enjoyed a leisurely walk home today, at the cigarette-end of the afternoon, as the sun dipped and the traffic stream swelled with workers desperate to get home. We strolled along, me on foot, him on his scooter, little legs pumping as he showed off his prowess.
“Look Mum! I can stop!”
Hallelujah.
Somewhere around the abandoned petrol station, where the concrete is smooth and expansive, I decided I’d have a go. He handed over the wheels reluctantly. I bent almost double to grip the handlebars, one foot taking up almost the entire deck of the scooter. You don’t realise how low to the ground kids actually are until you attempt this kind of thing…
One push and I was off.
All went well. To begin with. He ran along beside me, cheering. A second push, and I hit the footpath. A third push and I… hit a crack and almost went over the handlebars on my head.
“Whoops*!” I said.
“Mum,” he said, racing over the pat my arm. “You have to avoid the cracks. If they go up and down, they’re okay but when they go side-to-side, you can’t just ride into them like that.”
I handed back the scooter, laughing. He proceeded to lecture me, in minute detail, about the various methods of tackling cracks in the footpath. (I think he’s spent too much time with his Dad…) Apparently, one should slow down as one approaches, allowing one to dip in and out of the crack without actually colliding with the crack. Or some such.
As he settled back on the scooter and we went on our merry way, he looked up at me from under his straight blonde fringe and smiled. “It was a good try, Mum,” he said. “A bit more practice and you’ll be as good as me.”
He zoomed off. A minute later, he zoomed back, riding rings around me.
“Actually,” he said. “I think it would help if you were a bit smaller.”
*May or may not be edited for G rating
Haha! Love this! But it does remind me of when dad had a go at my skateboard when I was 12… Ended with his arm in plaster! How i loved telling that story at school đ x
I got chills reading this. I was having a race with my 3-year-old having a ball and I tipped and went over the front of the scooter, landed on my head and scraped all along my cheek and knuckles. I have scars! Not even from childhood. Anyway I didn’t want to traumatise the lad (but had a bawl on my own).
I’ve tried a scooter and agree, cracks are the devil. I blog about and named my blog about my favourite topic. Me. Good luck with your new adventures!
Mr5 teaching YOU. How gorgeous x
Mine was easy, I’m Alana HOUSE and I went HOME to try life as a full-time mum after 20 years at the same workplace, hence housegoeshome.com. My problem will be if I go back to work again, the name will totally not apply!
Whoops* indeed!!!
I love when kids condescend!!
đ xx
“The cigarette end of the afternoon” – loved this description.
My children are bringing back memories of things I could never do as a kid. I thought I had escaped the whole lack of coordination on the scooter thing but it is coming back to haunt me now. I’m hoping the lack of girls in our family will keep the focus away from my inability to cartwheel.
I love “the cigarette end of the afternoon” – it could mean lots of things, from the golden colour to feeling ‘burnt out’. But this story obviously isn’t about burn out đ What a lovely moment, and your son sounds gorgeous.
Whoops indeed! I have attempted the scooter for about 3 seconds before deciding to get off.
Beautiful short story.
Michelle
This is a great little post. A peek into your world and some masterful observation. Such a great cast to work with.
My girl gets very concerned when I try her scooter. I think she thinks I’ll break it. (Which is a fair concern, really!)
My husband was showing off on one of the girls scooters last year. He was going really fast and hit a stone. Tall men fall hard. We heard about his pain for the next 3 months!
He is truly enchanting, your Mr 5. As a result of Charlie’s scooter accident (rode too fast down a steep hill into a bit of gum tree stump) and the broken femur, I won’t be scootering anytime soon – ours got relegated to the hard waste…you’re a brave woman, Al.)
My cleaner couldn’t work for a week after riding her son’s scooter (I put up with a dirty house that week). Perhaps you need to ask him for tips ahead of time in the future?!
Hahaha. Kids indeed say the darndest things.
I have learned first-hand on the hazards of children’s toys. Bless your son for making sure you are informed and giving you credit for your efforts.