letting go
 

while separated my only wish was to go for a bike ride with my family. we patched things up and kept that tradition going. God willing, son is going to college next year and things are changing in our family. no summer camping trip with the bikes planned this year due to expected planning and mother in law's wish to take us on a trip of some kind. I've spent so many hours over so many years teaching my kids to ride, getting them bikes to match their size and maintaining them and carrying them all over creation. how do I let go?

If they keep riding as adults, you can pat your self on the back and give yourself a hearty "Well Done!" That's what parenting is about. There'll be other days, and other rides. :D

awww thanks *sigh*

I'm a year behind you but am really hoping this will not be the case!

Maybe sign up for charity events to participate as a family over winter break?

Pick an awesome spring break location with a cycling event nearby, maybe you could snag him or a day and then let him go his direction with friends or the rest? A lot of time my kids friends end up going with us because they think it sounds like fun!

Visit him for a weekend and have him plan a cycle route!

Make it your Father's Day weekend request! It could become the new tradition!

I kinda did that last idea, for my birthday 3 years back, I made them go horseback riding for the first time, since childhood pony rides.

thanks for the other ideas too!

1st born son has a girlfriend and a car so ... kinda hard to compete with :love:

if your son rides his bike on or to/from campus everyday the weather allows, you've done a great job. for next summer's vacation, start planning a huge camping trip and ride to do with him. if he asks why, be selfish and tell him it's more for you than him.

college move-in day is Monday. we got a couple rides in this summer incl one with just the two of us. wifey assures me it's not the end of life as we know it. we'll see. gotta put his bike away, he gave me his bike lock combo tag for safe keeping. his girlfriend goes to college 2 T-stops away. I doubt he'll be home for weekends. oh well, last year with daughter at home - gotta make the most of that now!

Well, if he's within T distance, maybe he'll come home occasionally to do a load of laundry.

well I meant he's close to his girlfriend, maybe she'll do his laundry ... hahaha actually it's just a 40 minute drive to Boston. also other train options to our "MetroWest" burbs. told him I can ride my bike to visit him. I should do that at least once before winter. it's only about 23-25 miles

I can't begin to tell you the many ways my father and his father before him have influenced my life is ways, that now as a grown man, I'm barely beginning to appreciate. In a nutshell, the time you have spent with your children will have been your principal contribution to the human race and the time, as adults, they will remember most. A wise man I once worked with told me love is spelled T..I..M..E.