To the mum cycling uphill with two kids - you've restored my faith in the world - Hayley Matthews

I’ve just watched the most amazing woman cycling.

You might wonder what was so amazing about her. Well, the sight of her cycling up a hill with two kids on the back, a rucksack on and a bag balanced on the front was mesmerising. Not to mention the fact this wasn't your average hill, but a very steep Lochend hill. Oh, and she did it all with a smile on her face!

As I watched her peddle up Marionville, I couldn't help notice she was doing it with great ease. There was an air of complete confidence and joy. This wasn’t a bother to her. As she stooped at the lights I saw her gently squeezing her kids knee with that motherly reassurance as if to say "you ok?". How wonderful.

A mum cycles with her two kids on the back. IF we all made such an effort with our young ones, the world would be a better - and cleaner - place, writes Hayley Matthews. PIC: Flickr/Mark Stosberg.

As she cycled past the Hibs stadium, a water bottle fell out of one of the kids rucksacks. As I saw her pull over, I immediately did the same. I handed it to her and told her I thought she was amazing for cycling with two kids on the back. She smiled and thanked me for stopping to help, but I wanted to thank her for just being incredible to these two young kids – and for restoring my faith in the world.

I can't stop thinking about how determined this woman is. If that's the effort she puts in to parenting then those little bambinos, they will grownup very well grounded people. Lucky them. It made me think how different the world could be if all parents put that effort in. The air would be a lot cleaner for a start.

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