Lessons from motocross

A casual friend I do not know of anybody born with good parenting skills and if you do know of any, please let me know so I can meet them. Overtime, I have learned that anybody can learn parenting on the job by being keen and just like in business, no one is born a business person. You dive into business, make many mistakes and keep getting better and even then, no single business person can say, I'm now perfect.
Anyway, my son after an argument with a classmate at his former school Rainbow International, started asking me to buy him a motocross bike. I think the guy told him, you are better than me in class but you could never come close to me in motocross.

He is silently competitive. My son or children are not pushy people even when they want something. They mention stuff in a very diplomatic way.
I have to remember as a parent to follow through on what we have agreed upon, especially if it is really necessary.

When I travel, like any other children they would probably expect dad to come back with some stuff but they won’t call me and remind me of anything. My first son expresses his love to me when I travel by praying for me and calling to check on me regularly. I bought him a bike, 65cc towards the end of 2016 and when he saw it, the fellow got too excited. In no more than 15 minutes, he had figured out how to ride it on his own. By January last year, I had bought him some cheap equipment so that he could prove that he was serious.

I don’t have a lot of resources to waste, something all my children know and have come to appreciate.
In an old bike, in January last year, my son competed in 65cc category. “This sport isn’t for poor people,” I overheard a chap say. The bike suffered a breakdown during his last hit while he was pushing it hard. I realised he was now serious.

In March last year, I bought him new bike but a class higher and some guys were like this is a class of fire and would be so difficult for him. I know my son as a methodical learner and he can simply learn just about anything. I believe that every child is born with more abilities than we give them a chance to try out.
He quickly learns to adopt as I improve his gear for motocross and yes, during competition season, I could see him scared because he knew his class is very competitive.

I realised I needed to encourage him and also told him, I would be happy if he beat his personal best. Chances of him giving up were high towards mid last year and that’s when a parent comes in. I know he needs to accumulate the hours on the bike like his peers and that could take at least four years. Last Sunday was particularly interesting, he came third in the trial hit and eighth in the first real hit because before the bike again suffered a breakdown in the third hit.
Right now he is a podium material and he is surprising many including team captain Van Pee. His fans have suggested a fundraising gala for a better bike.

Whatever, we repeatedly do, we become excellent in, including doing nothing, gossiping, saving, stealing, sports etc. My son needed or needs to continuously practice. At a certain age, children need to explore different things and we therefore, need to be very observant and useful at that time of their lives.
As a father, I plan my stuff around the children’s programmes especially the most important ones.

I have for example not missed any of his motocross competition whether in Uganda or abroad.
My presence is more important than what I can materially provide and I can see that. A present father with little is more important than an absent father with a lot to provide to children.

The writer is an investment expert
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