I'm sure Paige is very proud of her daughter's achievement, much like a soccer mom celebrating their child's first goal after much cajoling and coercing from the parents. We must try not to live vicariously through our children.
When I was ten my father brought me to the Portal to glorify him, and I still don't believe I have fully recovered. I can still remember sitting in the back of our old Rambler station wagon at the campground, my father insisting that I knew how to tie a "bowline on a coil" before he would permit me to set-off. Why? Who knows? There is no need for ropes on the main trail. I still remember the suffering I went through as the hours wore on, and my father's repeated response: "We're almost there!" ringing in my ears. I hated him more and more with each agonizing step up, and swore revenge. When at last, some 12 hours later, we made the summit, the combination of the hypoxia and anger I had made it impossible to enjoy the accomplishment. We spoke not a word on the trip down, and in fact have not spoken since. Back home, I regressed into bed-wetting again and began to withdraw socially. Only after my mother intervened and delivered me to a child psychologist, was my healing to begin. After a couple of years of therapy, I began to have a better attitude, although still no forgiveness for my father. I vowed then that I would never force my children into something for the sole motive of having "bragging rights". My child's life is not worth the selfish joy I might get posting "My Kid Made It To The Summit", etc., etc. As someone else here pointed out: let your kids drag you to the mountains, not the other way around.
