Biking

Emma learned to ride her bike yesterday! She was so excited to get out there. Knowing how she is about "owies," we decked her out in full gear with elbow/knee pads and of course helmet. I explained the process to her repeatedly so she would be expecting a few scratches. Imagine my surprise when we didn't need not one single band-aid! Within 15 minutes she was riding all by herself! Albiet a little wobbly, but she was on it. I think it helped that her bike is too small. She hasn't ridden it since last summer, so I didn't realize. When she first sat on it, I thought "Uh, oh." Her knees were hitting the handle bars! haha She was too far down, so I raised the seat as far as it would go. Knees were still a little close, but not hitting. As she was cycling away, she said, "Daddy is going to be so surpised when he comes home!" (He is in Japan right now. He emailed last night saying he thinks we would really like it over there. I'm afraid he's getting ideas. Grandma, do you want to visit Japan?)
So, I got a sticker chart out and told Emma she could earn a sticker for every night she stayed in bed. Once she had 5 stickers, we'd go get a new, bigger and improved bike. That sounded like a great idea to her at the time. She didn't stay in bed. She asked about her sticker this morning. Sorry, you didn't stay in bed last night. "Oh well, I don't want a new bike anyway." AAAHHHHHH!!! This is the problem with motivating her......extrinsic motivation doesn't work and tapping into intrinsic has proven impossible too. On the way home from somewhere the other day, she asked about doing something when we got home. I can't remember now what it was, but it was something we haven't done in while that she really loves doing....maybe it was go to the park or something. I said, "Sure, after you guys get the toys picked up in the basement." Her reply, "Na, too much trouble."