When Aiden is learning to read, he must learn that perseverance is important.
Aiden and Michelle - Five Years old
As Ash sat with his son one day, Aiden was trying to finish his reading lesson. Usually, Misty taught the twins their lessons during the day, but she was having an especially busy day at the gym. So, Ash had no choice. Ash, thought back to this morning.
Flashback
"But Misty, I can't teach the kids. You know there are two things I just can't do, and that is one of them." Ash said desperately trying to get Misty to postpone the lesson.
"I'm sorry Ash, but we have no choice. Did you see the line outside the gym this morning? I'll be battling all day. Just try, please. Now, I have to go before the trainers tear the gym apart. Love you! Bye." Misty said, as she left through the back door.
End Flashback
Now, as Aiden struggled with yet another word, Ash phased back to reality. He looked at the word Aiden was trying to sound out, unsuccessfully. "No Aiden." Ash said calmly. "Remember what the t-h sound makes?"
Aiden thought hard about this, until he put his tongue on the top of his mouth. Finally, he sounded the syllable out correctly. "Th...th...that." Aiden said, carefully sounding the whole word out. After completing this, he took a sigh of relief. Ash wished he could give him more time to recuperate, but the two had only just started Aiden's worksheet.
"Good job champ!" Ash said, ruffling the boy's hair. "Now, let's keep going." Aiden looked back down at the paper and kept reading, starting from the word he had just sounded out.
"That is why Tim licks...Wait, that doesn't sound right" Aiden started as Ash sighed. Aiden was stuck on another word. He always mixed up like with lick, which made 'That is why Tim licks the barn' sound really weird.
"Aiden, you know this word. Come on, you can do it!" Ash encouraged. Too bad reading wasn't as easy to Aiden as it was Michelle. She could already read small chapter books. Reading and Writing always came so easy to her.
As Ash was thinking of this, Michelle came into the kitchen where the two were studying. Hearing Aiden trying to resound the word out, Michelle came and looked over his shoulder. "That's like not lick, pea brain. Arceus knows if you'll ever be able to read." Michelle said as she grabbed a juice box from the fridge.
"Michelle Aimi." Ash said angrily. "Do not talk to Aiden like that! Up in your room, now." He said as Michelle, looking annoyed stomped up the stairs. Ash walked to the staircase. " Michelle, get back down here right now." As the girl came back down, Ash continued. "Go upstairs again, without the attitude." This time, Michelle stopped stomping and went to her room, making sure not to slam the door.
As Ash returned to the table, Aiden was nowhere to be seen. "Aiden, where are you?" Ash shouted as he heard the TV come on. Ash went to the living room, and saw Aiden on the couch, watching TV.
"She's right dad. I'll never be able to read. I'm just a dumb pea brain." Aiden said, clearly upset. Ash's face fell. Aiden really was trying, but reading hadn't come easy to Ash either as a kid. So he knew what it felt like to feel stupid. Ash switched off the tv and sat by the boy.
"Aiden, look at me." Ash said as the boy met his father's gaze. "You can read, it just takes time and practice. Plus, if you're going to be a Pokémon Master when you grow up, you'll have to know." This peaked Aiden's interest right away.
"Why?" The small boy asked, looking at his father.
"Beacuse, then you'll have to sign autographs, study all kinds of Pokémon and fill out these dumb forms." Ash said, pointing to the stack of papers on the coffee table.
"Well," The boy started. "I do want to be a Pokémon master, so..." He paused as Ash saw the boy thinking. Instead of saying anything, Aiden just ran from the couch back to the table. "Come on daddy, I want to get this work done." This made Ash smile. Maybe he wasn't such a bad teacher after all.