You might be the one teaching him how to ride the bike, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be learning a lesson yourself.

The day your child learns to ride a bike is tough for every parent. Even after countless hours of practice, of going over the rules about always wearing a helmet and just where they can ride and how far, it’s not easy to just let your kid do all the things you’ve been trying to teach him by himself. After all, what if he falls? What if he crashes into a mailbox or street sign or the side of someone’s parked car? What if somebody else’s kid crashes into HIM? If you’re not there to help hold the bike upright, who knows what could happen?

But one day, he’s going to be ready to ride his Huffy Boys ZR-X 18” BMX Bike without your help. The handlebars with easy-to-reach front and rear caliper and the handbrakes won’t wobble. He’ll push the pedals that spin the 18” x 1.75” trail pattern tires with strong 28-hole Aero rims with confidence. He’ll be laughing with pride and crying out “I’m doing it, Dad! I’m really doing it!”

But you’ll still have your hand on the bike seat, huffing away as you race behind him, trying to keep up. It’s then that you’ll realize that, instead of holding him up, you’re holding him back. He won’t need you back there anymore. You’ll have to let him go.

Don’t worry. He’ll be back. After his first big ride into independence, he’ll still need you to pay for the celebratory ice cream.

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