Defining the Ineffable with Kids
Bike fashion shows and floating through space.
Last night my wife (Caitlin) and I asked our kids to define the ineffable joys of cycling.
We didn’t use those words, of course. But their answers surprised me. And sometimes the simple words that come out of the mouth of babes are just … enough. I don’t know, sometimes it feels like vocabulary complicates things, you know?
Also, having conversations with toddlers is a fun activity. Their minds are awesome and weird and hilarious.
We have a three-year-old and a five-year-old. We interviewed the three-year-old first, assuming she would just copy her sister’s words. Olive doesn’t ride a traditional bike. We bought her a balance bike for Christmas this year. It’s a Schwinn and it’s purple and blue. She likes it, but it hasn’t really clicked yet. I push her around and she really likes that.
Recently, I put her on my lap while I rode around the block by holding on with one hand; the other wrapped her close to me as she bobbed up and down when I pedaled. I know. Not the safest. But she flippin’ loved it.
Progress.
Here’s a transcript of that conversation.
Me: Olive, do you like to ride your bike?
Olive: Yeah. Pushing me.
Me: When I’m pushing you?
Olive: Mhm.
Me: What do you like about it?
Olive: I like just riding my bike. My blue-purple bike.
Me: You like the colors?
Olive: Yeah.
Caitlin: What does it feel like when you ride your bike?
Olive: Uh, happy.
Me: Yeah?
Olive: Yeah. Goin’ at the park.
Me: Do you like to wear anything when you ride your bike?
Olive: Yeah.
Me: Like what?
Olive: Uh, I like wearing fancy clothes.
Me: Fancy clothes?
Olive: Yeah. I like a fashion show.
Me: A fashion show?!
Olive: Yeah!
Caitlin: Should daddy have a bike fashion show?
Me: That could be fun.
Olive: Yeah. And mommy can have a walk fashion show.
Me: Why can’t mom ride her bike?
Olive: Because, uh, her is broken.
Me: She’s broken?
Olive: Uh, her bike.
Me: Oh, her bike is broken — that’s right. I gotta fix it.
Caitlin: My bike is broken?!?
Me: Yeah …
Caitlin: What happened?
Me: I was riding it and it broke. Part of it broke.
Wife: You have bad luck with those things.
Me: I know.
Olive: Mhm.
Caitlin: Olive, what do you want to say about riding your bike?
Olive: It’s being fun.
Ruby, our five-year-old rides a pedal bike. We started her on a balance bike when she was two or three. Same thing. Pushed her around the block on it. And then one day during the summer one day, she put her feet up on the little platforms and coasted. It was like something clicked and I was ecstatic. Soon after that we bought her a pedal bike.
It took her a minute to build up the confidence and the strength (and coordination) to pedal without training wheels. So we left them on for a while. One day, I took them off. Held the back seat for her to let her feel safe. And then I let go. And she didn’t even notice.
Chef’s kiss.
Here’s how our interview with her went.
Me: Ruby, do you like riding your bike?
Ruby: Yeah.
Me: Why?
Ruby: Um, because it feels like I’m riding to Ya-Ya’s house. (Ya-Ya is our word for grandma.)
Me: It feels like you’re riding to Ya-Ya’s house?
Caitlin: Why? Is it because you feel like you’re going on a trip somewhere? Is that what you mean?
Me: What do you feel like when you’re riding your bike?
Ruby: Just that. Well, it actually feels like I’m .. like I’m actually in space.
Caitlin: Cool.
Me: So does it feel like you’re flying?
Ruby: Yeah.
Caitlin: Do you remember the first time you rode your bike without training wheels?
Ruby: No.
Caitlin: What did it feel like when you knew that daddy wasn’t holding on anymore?
Ruby: Um, it actually feeled like I was falling down a hill.
So if you’ve made it this far, thanks for indulging us. But don’t stop here! Keep reading, cycopath!
I think it’d be fun to let some other kids define the ineffable. Have a conversation with your kid(s) and ask them similar questions. Then, on Mother’s Day, we’ll publish the responses. We’ll have a kids day on Cycotherapy and it’ll be a blast. And maybe we’ll do it again with more responses on Father’s Day.
You can send audio recordings. You can send videos. You can send a transcript like the one above. Send it to brazdill.25 at gmail dot com. And don’t forget a photo!
So cute!! YaYa💜