At the intersection of competence and challenge, where a sense of mastery slowly emerges, my son found flow, and he felt this deep pleasure that comes with the feeling of control as one descends a mountain on two wheels. He asked for more, but we already had spent 3 hours on our bikes on the hills of Mont Sainte-Anne. I said not today; we are done. He said: let’s come back tomorrow. I said OK, but tomorrow, we’ll buy tickets for the gondola. His answer: I love you, Dad!
Now, my biggest challenge will be to slow him down, so he comes back home with his front teeth.
I was waiting for this moment… hoping it would happen without expectations, by frequently nudging without force. Interest grows in freedom, not under pressure.
Today, I saw him connect. I could almost feel his attitude towards the sport change when he felt he could master the bike and control his descent.
Martin Pham Dinh 