Bella and her family traveled from Montana to participate in the Portland, Oregon, clinic in 2007.

Imagine a picture-perfect summer day on the shores of Montana's beautiful Flathead Lake. During our week-long stay there, our children, Bella and Nino, practiced riding their training-wheel clad bikes. Finally Nino ventures forth without the training wheels. Hooray for him! He rides independently!

Sadly, our celebration is cut short. Bella sobs in the cabin because she, at age 11, has not mastered this fundamental childhood skill, while her six-year-old brother has accomplished it with relative ease.

As parents, David and I find ourselves in this conundrum often. How do we celebrate Nino's normal childhood accomplishments when they all mark yet another thing his sweet developmentally delayed sister can't do?

I had almost given up hope that Bella would ever learn to ride. Our practice sessions were fraught with frustration and tears. And then we learned of Lose the Training Wheels.

After only five days of one-and-a-half hour sessions in the Lose the Training Wheels Program, Bella learned to ride independently! What magic! And what a celebration for every member of our family.

Riding a bike has increased Bella's confidence and her ability to fit in with other kids. Moreover, it provides her with a fun way to get exercise. Riding actually plays an important roll in the development of her delayed gross motor functions.

Because of Lose the Training Wheels, we now look forward to family bike rides! We are grateful beyond words for this experience and for Bella's newfound sense of accomplishment.