Acadia National Park

Today, we accomplished our greatest hike to date. My kids have been working their way up to this one for years and so have I. They have energy for days, but they also have to be keenly aware and take it slow. For me it was not just the physical task of a vertical climb with a toddler on my back, but the emotional task of not having a meltdown from anxiety with heights. I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of heights, but I’m afraid of them with my kids. But I also realize the benefit of being there alongside them while they learn to be safe hikers. They learn about their own bodies and what they can and cannot do. We worked hard together to conquer fears and push our bodies to do something big. This was a mostly vertical climb. The early parts of our hike were safe for Rory to be out of the carrier. You should have seen him rock scramble before we got to the ledges and on the way back down. One year olds can hike, too. This was one for the record books. What an incredible welcome to Acadia National Park.