We've been trying since Christmas Day, basically, to get Cole on his new tricycle. Since the weather is cold, it lives in the basement where we've been attempting to lure him down...usually a place he loves to go. It's like he senses he's being tricked.
Though we started with a flat out "would you like to go ride your tricycle?" No.
Another day--would you like to go downstairs and play for awhile? No.
It's not like he is against the idea of the tricycle. It's not a kicking, screaming, NO NO NO NO NO, kind of thing. (That's probably the doctor tomorrow.) It's more like he notices, is aware, and indifferent to the tricycle. It neither brings him amusement nor displeasure. It is Switzerland in his world--that is, neutral.
So yesterday during a particularly wild, running around throwing himself on various pieces of furniture, driving both mom and dad to the end of their patience, I suggested we put on shoes and go play in the basement. For the first time in a long time, that got an affirmative answer with a hint of excitement. He collected his beloved cars and we braved the ice storm on the steps to get to the basement area directly below our living room...which is also the common laundry area.
Usually he goes straight for the cart that is by the door and he wheels it through the narrow connector to the other side of the building. In summer, he goes up one set of steps to play in the yard for awhile. He loves the bikes we store down there. He loves the junk.
To my surprise, after I showed him the cart (let's ease into things) he went straight for the the tricycle. It was a kind of "hey, I remember this from a few weeks ago so this is where it went." I asked if he wanted to ride and he said yes but went to get his cars. I think he wanted his cars to go for a ride, not him.
But I managed to pick him up and put him down on the metal seat. No screaming so far. I showed him how to put his feet on the pedals and started to push. Weird. That's what he was thinking. He was neither enjoying it nor not enjoying it. He let me take him for a grand lap past the washers and dryers, past the bikes, over by the window where I showed him how to turn, then back towards the door where he climbed off.
He picked up his cars, asked for me to open the door, and we went upstairs to a surprised mama who had started a tv program thinking we'd be gone awhile. Nope.
I figured that no fuss was better than nothing. He showed interest, I indulged, and it was over. He seemed mildly interested in my idea that when warmer weather comes we'll keep in the yard for him to play with whenever he wants.
I'll take the lukewarm response. At least it wasn't traumatic to put him off of tricycles forever.
Though we started with a flat out "would you like to go ride your tricycle?" No.
Another day--would you like to go downstairs and play for awhile? No.
It's not like he is against the idea of the tricycle. It's not a kicking, screaming, NO NO NO NO NO, kind of thing. (That's probably the doctor tomorrow.) It's more like he notices, is aware, and indifferent to the tricycle. It neither brings him amusement nor displeasure. It is Switzerland in his world--that is, neutral.
So yesterday during a particularly wild, running around throwing himself on various pieces of furniture, driving both mom and dad to the end of their patience, I suggested we put on shoes and go play in the basement. For the first time in a long time, that got an affirmative answer with a hint of excitement. He collected his beloved cars and we braved the ice storm on the steps to get to the basement area directly below our living room...which is also the common laundry area.
Usually he goes straight for the cart that is by the door and he wheels it through the narrow connector to the other side of the building. In summer, he goes up one set of steps to play in the yard for awhile. He loves the bikes we store down there. He loves the junk.
To my surprise, after I showed him the cart (let's ease into things) he went straight for the the tricycle. It was a kind of "hey, I remember this from a few weeks ago so this is where it went." I asked if he wanted to ride and he said yes but went to get his cars. I think he wanted his cars to go for a ride, not him.
But I managed to pick him up and put him down on the metal seat. No screaming so far. I showed him how to put his feet on the pedals and started to push. Weird. That's what he was thinking. He was neither enjoying it nor not enjoying it. He let me take him for a grand lap past the washers and dryers, past the bikes, over by the window where I showed him how to turn, then back towards the door where he climbed off.
He picked up his cars, asked for me to open the door, and we went upstairs to a surprised mama who had started a tv program thinking we'd be gone awhile. Nope.
I figured that no fuss was better than nothing. He showed interest, I indulged, and it was over. He seemed mildly interested in my idea that when warmer weather comes we'll keep in the yard for him to play with whenever he wants.
I'll take the lukewarm response. At least it wasn't traumatic to put him off of tricycles forever.