A Motherhood and Child First: Sometimes You Have No Choice

There are times a motherhood first occurs when you have no control over it. There are even some motherhood firsts that you would rather never have to experience at all. Then there are the motherhood firsts that circumstances push along, whether you are ready or not.

Last week my car died. Due to a strained financial situation I can't get it fixed yet. My 12 year old daughter goes to school about 3 miles from the house. The school district doesn't offer any bus service to and from this house, even though this neighborhood is the furthest one out in this direction of the city. That left only one option that would enable her to be able to get to and from school, her bike.

Now this is a first that she has been bugging me to experience for a number of years. It isn't that I haven't trusted her to ride to school safely or to follow the rules. It is that I tend to be overprotective and I don't trust others who might approach her. She is now 12 and tall and in seventh grade, but she still my little girl, and in many ways still very childlike which is just fine with me. Having this motherhood first hoisted on me upset me, but she was happy as could be about this sudden turn of events and this pending mother and daughter first. She was bouncing around the room as soon as I told her that she was going to be allowed to ride her bike to and from school.

She packed her things carefully the night before and she woke up 45 minutes early the first morning that she would be riding a bike. She packed her little prepaid cell phone so she could call mommy as soon as she got there.

She put her helmet on, packed her bike lock and off she went. It was time to let my daughter spread her wings a little bit. The bike trip took her exactly 19 minutes riding on back neighborhood roads instead on the busy city roads. This motherhood first, which was also a first for her, was a grand adventure to her, but made this particular mother very nervous. I think I held my breath for the whole 19 minutes until that phone rang and I knew she was safely there.

About an hour before school let out, it started to rain. It wasn't a light rain. It was a downpour. On her very first adventure and on this first for both of us she was going to experience both the good and the bad. The rain didn't stop by the time school let out. I waited anxiously. Finally she arrived home.

In she walked soaked from head to toe. There wasn't an inch of her that wasn't drenched. But the first thing she said when she walked in was, "That was fun!" She stood there with the great big smile on her face.She looked so proud standing there, dripping water all over the floor, while she shivered. I hurried her to put on dry clothes and made her a steaming bowl of hot soup for her snack.

This motherhood first and child first turned out to be quite the success. It may have been one that was experienced before I would have chosen, but sometimes circumstances change all your plans. The first bike ride to school has now opened up a whole new world for her. I have to admit that she did me proud and another first has been accomplished with flying colours.