Letter to Ash: Your Challenging Week
For 7 year-olds, verbally communicating how they feel can be challenging.
August 24, 2017 | 10:29 PM
Looks like Ash wasn’t the only one who had a challenging week. Climbing Mt. Whitney and ascending an elevation of 14,505 ft from sea level is grueling on both a mental and physical level. But on August 25, 2017, Grant and Uncle Pete-Pete pushed through and summited Mt. Whitney!
The first photo is of Grant on the trail to Mt. Whitney’s Basecamp back in 2015. It was the first time we both hiked Mt. Whitney together with our dear friends Pete-Pete and Nate K.
Whenever Grant travels, he takes Mega Man on the adventure with him. It makes Ash so happy to know that his daddy has company and that Mega Man gets to see the world!
Back in 2017, Grant and his best buddy left for a week to hike Mt. Whitney. Ash was very upset that Grant left to do something that could be dangerous. Plus, it was the first week of a new school year - second grade - and Ash was consumed with all of the jitters that came along with it.
As is normal for any seven year-old learning how to deal with their heavy feelings, Ash expressed his worry by being fussy, whiney, and tuning me out.
So instead of talking with him, I wrote him a letter and then read it to him at bedtime.
Ash, my son who is the love of my life! I see it has been a challenging week for you. You began second grade, have a new teacher, have some new classmates, and have a school routine.
Question: Do you think we had a super awesome summer? I think we did. It's one of our best summers together☀️.
Now it's back to school. You don't get to lounge around in your undies and watch your shows or play those brain building games on your iPad everyday like in the summertime. On school days you have a school routine to follow.
I understand that you're upset that dad is climbing Mt. Whitney with Uncle Pete-Pete and is not at home. Maybe you're a little scared too? I know I feel a little scared. But we have to trust that dad trained and prepared the best he could. And I believe with all my heart that he is prepared and will come home on Saturday.
Thank you for telling me that the reason you were being mean to me was because you were upset that dad left, when you asked him not to go. I noticed that you’re using your words to tell me how you're feeling. That's communication and you should feel happy that you told me how you felt!
It doesn't mean that it's okay to treat me unkindly, because you're mad at dad. That is not okay. But I will always listen to you when you need to talk about how you're feeling. I talk to dad or trusted friends, when I feel sad or angry or confused or not sure how I feel.
Remember, this is all part of your training to become the best Ash you can be. You're leveling up! You'll be eight years-old! Training to become a grown up isn't always easy. There are sunny days and stormy days. But what comes out from the stormy days? Your favorite - RAINBOWS 🌈 🌈!
Remember these wisdoms:
The world doesn't stop rotating because you're mad😠 or sad😢 or happy😀 or tired😑 or have a headache🤕
You have the choice to make a situation better 😃 or worse 😣 for yourself
My promise to you is that I will coach you to become the best Ash you can be. You may not like what you need to do and you may be upset. But think of the things you were not able to do when you were a four year-old. Now you're seven and know a lot more, have skills that you didn't have when you were four and are a better version of yourself - you went from 4.0 to 7.3!
There are going to be days when you feel I'm the best mom in the world. And there will be days when you will feel much anger at me. I accept that. Being a mom is not easy. But you’re my responsibility and I am proud to be responsible for you. That is love. And I have a lot of love for you.
My love for you is bigger than all the Pokémon regions combined and bigger than all the Pokémons and their evolved forms! My love for you is bigger than all the levels of every Mario game in the world. My love for you is bigger than the biggest and brightest rainbow. My love for you is bigger than Earth’s solar system!
Ash, you are my heart and soul. I love you. And with that love I will treat you with love and respect. I expect the same from you. I expect you to treat me with love and respect. I believe in you. I know you will be the best Ash you can be!
Love always,
Mom