diff --git a/trie.go b/trie.go
index 6fd36e5..0374c69 100644
--- a/trie.go
+++ b/trie.go
@@ -62,14 +62,18 @@ type Node[K cmp.Ordered, V any] interface {
 	// Parent returns the parent of this node
 	Parent() Node[K, V]
 
-	// Ancestors returns a sequence of ancestors of this node
+	// Ancestors returns a sequence of ancestors of this node.
+	// The first element is the root element, progressing all the way
+	// up to the parent of this node.
 	Ancestors() iter.Seq[Node[K, V]]
 }
 
 // New creates a new Trie object.
 func New[L any, K cmp.Ordered, V any](tokenizer Tokenizer[L, K]) *Trie[L, K, V] {
+	node := newNode[K, V]()
+	node.isRoot = true
 	return &Trie[L, K, V]{
-		root:      newNode[K, V](),
+		root:      node,
 		tokenizer: tokenizer,
 	}
 }
@@ -220,7 +224,7 @@ func put[K cmp.Ordered, V any](root Node[K, V], tokens []K, value V) {
 		if cur == nil {
 			newRoot = newNode
 		} else {
-			cur.children = append(cur.children, newNode)
+			cur.AddChild(newNode)
 		}
 		cur = newNode
 	}
@@ -234,6 +238,7 @@ type node[K cmp.Ordered, V any] struct {
 	mu       sync.RWMutex
 	key      K
 	value    V
+	isRoot   bool
 	children []*node[K, V]
 	parent   *node[K, V]
 }
@@ -255,13 +260,24 @@ func (n *node[K, V]) Parent() Node[K, V] {
 }
 
 func (n *node[K, V]) Ancestors() iter.Seq[Node[K, V]] {
+	var ancestors []*node[K, V]
+	for {
+		n = n.parent
+		if n == nil {
+			break
+		}
+		ancestors = append(ancestors, n)
+	}
+
 	return func(yield func(Node[K, V]) bool) {
-		cur := n.parent
-		for cur != nil {
-			if !yield(cur) {
-				break
+		for len(ancestors) > 0 {
+			cur := ancestors[len(ancestors)-1]
+			if cur != nil && !cur.isRoot {
+				if !yield(cur) {
+					break
+				}
 			}
-			cur = cur.parent
+			ancestors = ancestors[:len(ancestors)-1]
 		}
 	}
 }