I met Max when he was three months old.  His mom and I were part of a group of parents who strollercised with our babies twice a week and then went out for coffee.  I've had the pleasure of watching Max grow from a sweet little dude into a really great kid.  

Max has always been interested in how things work.  I remember babysitting him one afternoon when he was just a little sprout.  It was the winter and he was fascinated with Derek's ski boots because they had zippers, velcro and laces.  Now Max is a creative lego genius, an enthusiastic soccer player, a math and chess whiz, a curious, interested thoughtful person and most of all a very good friend to his pals in the neighbourhood and his three little sisters.   

So we're giving him his very own patch kit for his birthday.  Three tire irons, some sandpaper and a few patches should be all he needs to fix flats for the neighbourhood kids.

I figure this is a fine gift for the son of a woman with her own strong and capable DIY streak.  Max's mom regularly fixes her own washing machine and dryer.  She makes her own vanilla extract.  She is a fearless splinter remover.  And a generous community spirit who is always willing to go for a run with friends of all abilities and whose front stoop is the place to be on a summer afternoon. 

The thing that I like about the patch kit is it's real.  And kids love real tools.  Most kids display an extraordinary confidence when it comes to fixing things as long as they are given the opportunity to try.  Derek's always given the kids free access to his bike tools and welcomed the children's participation in bike repairs. 

Look how confident Jasper is in these pictures.  In the first picture he's showing his friend how her brakes are too wide for her hands and need to be adjusted so she can use them.  I didn't know Jasper knew that, but he must have watched Derek adjust Anna Sierra's brakes once or twice so now he considers himself an expert.

In the second picture, you can see Jasper's head poking out right next to Derek.  They're at the MEC Bike Fest.  Derek had a booth with Re-Cycles, our local DIY bike shop where he's a head mechanic.  Derek spent about two hours showing people how to fix their bikes themselves that morning.  And Jasper spent at least an hour right by Derek's side, learning from his Dad.  When Jasper turns eight, I think he'll get his own patch kit too.

Happy riding and repairing! 

Kathleen

Got family cycling stories to share?  You can reach me at familiesonbikes[AT]momentumplanetDOTcom.