New Tricycle

Today my son got his first tricycle.  And I've got to say after I was done putting it together* (yes some assembly was required) he was thrilled.  He circled around it pulled on the handle bars pushed it from behind, messed with the peddles and basically did everything one could do with a tricycle except sit in the seat and use it as it was intended.

After he was done messing with it in the house, we decided to take it out for a spin around the block.  I helped him into the seat, and he grabbed the handle bars and looked at me expectantly.  I placed his feet on the pedals and took up my spot behind him, grabbed the handle intended for the parent and slowly pushed him forward.

Almost immediately he took his feet of the pedals and started to walk the tricycle with his feet while sitting.  We turned the corner and tried again.  This time his feet were on the pedals as I pushed the tricycle forward.  We celebrated him doing the tricycle thing and then for the rest of the walk he refused to keep his feet on the pedals.

I guess having his feet moved for him was a little too weird for a first attempt.  But the good news is he still likes the tricycle.  The somewhat amusing though not at all surprising news is that he prefers to interact with his tricycle the way I do.  That is to say, he wants to be the one behind the tricycle pushing it forward while walking.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day, and I'm sure one of these days, it will all sort itself out. Until then my son and I will stand together behind the tricycle and push it around the block... Just like we already do with his stroller when he is decidedly not tired.

* I love putting things together.  Some assembly required means I get to do an, albeit, simple 3D puzzle designed for adults to do. Three years of engineering academy in high school followed up with a semester of architecture and engineering at my junior college was how long it took me to realize that these classes were entirely too dull to continue, thus I changed my major to drama and had some fun.  (and some soul crushing agony)  But through this journey I did not lose my love of putting things together. I also enjoy maximizing efficiency or maximizing fun which ever needs optimization at the time. I remember back in my school days being vexed at having to do projects in part or in whole over again because my team-mates were too stupid to realize that being lazy and half-assing it meant more work down the line, not less.  I am a big fan of do it right and do it once.