Accomplishing your goals

[joosttx]

So, I am a very proud Father. At the beginning of the summer my son, seven years old, told me he wanted to ride his bike up Mt Tamalpais. "From the bottom?" I asked. "Yes" without pause.

So we made a list of how to attack it which was progressively tougher climbs on the mountain. He nailed all of them never wanting to quit. Once he told his legs to be quiet- my little (and more polite) Jensie.

So, Saturday we set off the do the ride. I am proud to say he did it. He climbed 2270ft, in 7+ miles on mostly dirt fire road (up Railroad Grade Fire Road) and descend it for a total of 15 miles. His butt was hurting bad and I encouraged him to turn around and tackle it another day several times. He refused. Just resting and then pressing on- spinning it to win it.

We celebrated by eating Mexican food and by 4p he was ready to go to the pool and compete in the Saturday night obstacle pool course. The kid doesnt quit.

"when the shirt comes off its business time."


On Top of the Mt Tam.
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https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1882/44091772172_88840271c4_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1860/42331666440_2fc3d6a6ec_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1858/44091773602_d7a643983c_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1834/43421536554_eea7d19cc5_c.jpg

[azrider]

Awesome.

[morrisericd]

Rad!

My son is getting close to beating me in cyclocross races. It sure happens fast!

[rnhood]

That is excellent. It's a good age to start teaching, coaching, and and spending plenty of quality time with them. He is learning motivation and how to strategically accomplish goals. Wish I had been on the bike at 7. Well done to him, and to you as his father.

He will carry these memories forever.

[BlueFly]

To the Teacher and the student -

Well done! As they say at the ballpark when a fan catches a foul ball -

"Give that kid a contract!"

:banana::banana::banana:
:hello::hello::hello:

[Clean39T]

That's really cool - and a great lesson in setting goals and having persistence - not many kids that age have that kind of foresight and/or determination..

But how are you dealing with the air-quality down there? It looks quite gross. We're back under the "don't go outside" order from teh EPA here in Portland :crap:

[Heisenberg]

Especially knowing you, this gives me huge piles of stoke.

Love it.

[Fishbike]

Awesome. Now get the kid some padded shorts already!

[weisan]

.

[Matthew]

Awesome. You both should be proud!!!

[weisan]

.

[Dave B]

This attitude of trying w/o fear of failure and strong will is beyond rare in kids today...at least the ones I have worked with for the last 20 year. Nurture that as though it is the only lesson he should ever learn, knowing of course there are many others, but that work ethic is just outstanding in every sense of the word...and I am a dad as well.



So, I am a very proud Father. At the beginning of the summer my son, seven years old, told me he wanted to ride his bike up Mt Tamalpais. "From the bottom?" I asked. "Yes" without pause.

So we made a list of how to attack it which was progressively tougher climbs on the mountain. He nailed all of them never wanting to quit. Once he told his legs to be quiet- my little (and more polite) Jensie.

So, Saturday we set off the do the ride. I am proud to say he did it. He climbed 2270ft, in 7+ miles on mostly dirt fire road (up Railroad Grade Fire Road) and descend it for a total of 15 miles. His butt was hurting bad and I encouraged him to turn around and tackle it another day several times. He refused. Just resting and then pressing on- spinning it to win it.

We celebrated by eating Mexican food and by 4p he was ready to go to the pool and compete in the Saturday night obstacle pool course. The kid doesnt quit.

"when the shirt comes off its business time."


On Top of the Mt Tam.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1856/30272830988_43cbae4948_c.jpg


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1873/30272838238_ac9abffcdb_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1841/43233689295_3e556b4d9a_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1882/44091772172_88840271c4_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1860/42331666440_2fc3d6a6ec_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1858/44091773602_d7a643983c_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1834/43421536554_eea7d19cc5_c.jpg

[93KgBike]

That's great! Love that climb!

I had a similar experience with my 4 & 6 y/o boys this summer. 5 miles, 5 hills including an 8% and a 6% with last 300 meters at 11%. My oldest turned to me and said now he understood better what it was like for me with just his sister in our cargo bike. :cool:

Thanks for sharing!

[notsew]

Man, this is so cool.

Can I ask a serious question? Do you feel like you've cultivated mental toughness in him somehow? Or, do you feel like he's always just been that way? Most likely some combination of the two, I suppose.

I've been thinking a lot about how to raise tough kids, not like rough and tumble kids, but just kids willing to fight through stuff... and to cultivate that with love and not machismo BS....

Anyways, way to go for both of you!

[joosttx]

Man, this is so cool.

Can I ask a serious question? Do you feel like you've cultivated mental toughness in him somehow? Or, do you feel like he's always just been that way? Most likely some combination of the two, I suppose.

I've been thinking a lot about how to raise tough kids, not like rough and tumble kids, but just kids willing to fight through stuff... and to cultivate that with love and not machismo BS....

Anyways, way to go for both of you!

I have no idea. I dont think so or try. But I am a guy who is severely dyslexic that manage to get a PhD and Fulbright and do ok in business. My wife is tough too. For example, while pregnant, working to get partnered, 7 years out of law school, she studied and passed the California bar and was pissed she didnt get the top percentile.

My goal is for him not to be afraid to fail and have to skills to succeed. One of our mantra's in the house is "you dont get in trouble for failing you get in trouble for not trying." Probably not the best mantra but hey.

[Louis]

That kid deserves a real cycling jersey - one he can keep on for the entire ride.

https://www.backcountry.com/castelli-future-racer-kid-jersey-boys?skid=CST00LZ-RD-S&ti=UExQIENhdDpCb3lzJyBCaWtlIEplcnNleXM6MTo3OmJjLWJ veXMtYmlrZS1qZXJzZXlz

https://content.backcountry.com/images/items/900/CST/CST00LZ/RD.jpg

[Hilltopperny]

Very cool! That boy has the drive and determination at 7 years old. It is certainly a wonderful thing!


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[sitzmark]

Definitely deserves some bananas!
:banana::banana::banana::banana:

Time for his own Strava account- those are all-time climbing miles!!

[DRZRM]

Wow!! My 7-year-old likes to ride, but he starts whining when we do a second 4 mile loop around the nearby lake with very limited climbing...though he is on a single speed. That is awesome!

What bike is he on? Is that a Cleary?

[MattTuck]

I'd like to retain your son as my motivational coach, if he is taking clients ;)

haha. Good for him!

Man, glad someone is reaching their goals. I was in the best form of my life in November last year, and since then I've squandered it.

This kind of stuff makes me happy to see, even if there is no light at the end of the tunnel for me.

[acorn_user]

What a great experience :) I had fun riding around rural England with my 8 year old this year.

[HenryA]

Snipped...... One of our mantra's in the house is "you dont get in trouble for failing you get in trouble for not trying." Probably not the best mantra but hey.

Maybe not the best but close to it.

[joosttx]

That kid deserves a real cycling jersey - one he can keep on for the entire ride.

https://www.backcountry.com/castelli-future-racer-kid-jersey-boys?skid=CST00LZ-RD-S&ti=UExQIENhdDpCb3lzJyBCaWtlIEplcnNleXM6MTo3OmJjLWJ veXMtYmlrZS1qZXJzZXlz

https://content.backcountry.com/images/items/900/CST/CST00LZ/RD.jpg


Nah, the removing of the shirt is a dramatic ritual much like Clark Kent taking his glasses off and dashing into a phone booth.

[Louis]

Nah, the removing of the shirt is a dramatic ritual much like Clark Kent taking his glasses off and dashing into a phone booth.

Agreed - as long as it doesn't lead to excessive UV exposure and sunburns - not a good idea at any age.

[joosttx]

Agreed - as long as it doesn't lead to excessive UV exposure and sunburns - not a good idea at any age.
Lots of sunscreen spf70+

[Louis]

lots of sunscreen spf70+

+1

[d_douglas]

My son just turned seven and while he’d never turn down a chance to exercise, there’s no way he’d have the fortitude to ride up that! He’s like the Energizer Bunny but on his own terms.

I’m with Zach - mine would be screaming that I am forcing him to do it once he got tired!!

[weaponsgrade]

I know that climb well and would never have guessed that a seven-yr old could make it. That's awesome.

[pdmtong]

chapeau H...

I felt the same way when my daughter climbed old la honda and absolutely railed double blacks at northstar at 8-10yo....I figured something was there when she rode 5 miles on a 12" with training wheels at 3.5yo

kids are amazing...but i do think it's just our luck to have ones with the engine and mentality.

the best thing? on dirt she can ride anything i can ride. not sure how she would do 50+ but that's more a matter of riding a lot. she would rather swim her 4,000 yards...

now you have a riding partner...keep it going...

[moobikes]

Badass. As a fellow parent, this is very inspiring.

[marciero]

Yes badass. The "The Look" picture at the picnic table says it all.

[paredown]

Man, this is so cool.

Can I ask a serious question? Do you feel like you've cultivated mental toughness in him somehow? Or, do you feel like he's always just been that way? Most likely some combination of the two, I suppose.

I've been thinking a lot about how to raise tough kids, not like rough and tumble kids, but just kids willing to fight through stuff... and to cultivate that with love and not machismo BS....

Anyways, way to go for both of you!

Chapeau to Joostyx's young man!

In response to the question--and take it with a complete grain of salt, because I have not raised any--I was inspired by the story we heard the Virgin founder,Richard Branson, tell about his upbringing--more or less an answer to a similar question.

Apparently, his mom to dropped him off miles from home (in the UK), and told him that they would see him at home--at a pretty young age. (I'm sure she coached him a little.) What that did for him was create that confidence that he could figure stuff out, and be self reliant.

...There is a rather well-known story about Mum stopping the car on the way home from a shopping trip and telling me to find my own way home - about three miles through the countryside, and I was somewhere around five years old. She was punishing me for causing mischief in the back seat, but she was also teaching me a larger lesson about overcoming my disabling shyness and learning to ask others for directions.

There's a couple of different versions of the story--but he also credits his parents with giving him quite a bit of freedom as he was growing up--and reading between the lines it sounds like they were both 'teaching by example' by showing courage and a willingness to take on new challenges in their own life.

I'm sure that there are children who would respond differently and would need to have challenges posed in a different way to learn to be successful.

I think part of what has happened since I grew up, is we are now so afraid of risk and concerned about safety, that we forget that we learn by mastering things. My dad was as careful as they come--but he had us using power tools at a fairly young age (no wonder his hair turned gray early!)--but you better believe we were coached, watched and encouraged--and privileges could be revoked at the first sign of horseplay.

[oldpotatoe]

Awesome. Now get the kid some padded shorts already!

And SUN SCREEN!!:)

Good on ya both tho..

[drewski]

Have him dress like Grant Peterson on a bike. Sear sucker shirt no sun screen. Just kidding. Ultra violet and infra red do not only damage carbon fiber frames.

:)
Congrats on encouraging mental fortitude. We don't need any more kids huddled in the basement playing video games. We need all our kids to get out and get dirty!!!

[R3awak3n]

his saddle looks too high...

jk, thats bad ass!

[MisterMurray]

Very cool. I'm trying very hard not to push my kid (6yr old) into cycling so that he'll come to love it on his own.

[John H.]

Great accomplishment- but even more I respect the fact that your kids are kids- Not programmed bike riders.

A couple days before this climb I ran into Houston and both of his kids. They were hiking and catching bugs with butterfly nets.
Both of his kids brought me cards made out of construction paper! So cool!

[charliedid]

like

[Mzilliox]

parenting win right there brother

[Kirk007]

That's great! Lots of young riders on the climbs in France and Italy so good to see your son's getting out there early. Got dropped like a rock by a kid who couldn't have been more than 10 riding a road bike too big for him with platform pedals and s eakers. Chapeau to the youngsters and the parents who support/encourage them!

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[Buzz]

Congrats! Your son’s smiles say it all.