Yesterday I took my oldest 3 up the Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park. I thought a lot about it before I asked them if they wanted to go. I debated on if it was “safe”. I questioned if I really wanted to do it and if I could handle the height of the trail while being on exposed cliffs. Ultimately I decided it would be a great adventure and a great experience for us to have together.

As I passed the warning signs at the beginning of the trail, I again questioned myself. However, we trudged on. We begin the climb and it was pleasant and not too challenging. About a quarter of the way up that quickly changed. There were rocks you had to climb up onto a ledge about 2 feet wide and other places there was a gap in the ledge which they had secured metal rungs over and you had to walk across to get to the other side. The mountain seems to be slightly angled out toward you at some points so you feel as if you must slightly lean back to get up and over to the next ledge as you climb up metal rungs. You look up and all you can see is mountain and sky, you look on each side and all you see is sky and then you look down realizing just how high above the ground you are. You are literally standing on a ledge about 200 feet up on the side of a mountain. The views along the way and from the top are spectacular.

I felt accomplished as we sat down at the top to have some water and take it all in. It was a short hike, less than a mile, but challenging and rewarding. You may wonder why I would take my children on a such a “risky” hike, but in reality it was no riskier than walking down a crowded sidewalk in the city with cars rushing past. Maybe it was even safer because we had complete control of our actions. The older two encouraged and looked out for their 7 year old brother. G decided to bring up the rear towards the end so he could make sure we all made it up ok and took all the pictures for me so I could keep my eyes on L.  I love the way challenging experiences bring them together and give them chances to lead.

This was a mostly a mental challenge for me. The physical part was easy. But the mental part, facing the height and letting my children take this safe risk was tough. I am a worrier by nature. There are times I just want to put my children in a bubble and never let them out of my sight. That’s not healthy for them or for me or even realistic. By letting them do things that are a little risky with me and that take us out of our comfort zone I get to teach them how to be safe and how to navigate a tricky situation. I get to show them I trust them make good decisions and give them confidence to know they can overcome any obstacles both mentally and physically. To me, these are invaluable lessons and ones I hope stick with them throughout their lives.