It's not that we just attended maturation again. (And can I say it was much, much more detailed and open and descriptive than last year.. and nothing like what we saw at Elementary School).
It's not just that she is starting to email boys, chatting about boys and walking to Keva with all of her friends after taking the honors tests at Millcreek.
It's not that her skinny little muscly body is actually starting to take in some new curves and Bethany cut and styled her hair in today and she looks absolutely gorgeous!
The answer... quote from Lauren at District History Fair on Thursday. "Mom, you don't need to stand so close to me. I can do this on my own. You don't have to stay."
Don't get me wrong -- I want an independent daughter that can do things on her own and be independent. I guess I'm just not ready to not be needed like I have always been.
When I left the history fair (the kids had all planned a lunch party after so she was going home with friends) I got in the car and realized she is getting older, she needs to show her independence and doesn't need/want me in the same way anymore. (Sniffle, sniffle.)
I know our relationship will go back and forth, up and down and be different all of the time, especially since 12 hours after she let me know she doesn't need me she is at the front door with me after book club chatting and asking me to hold her. She jumps in my arms like a baby and sits there talking with me and friends for a long time and then asking me to come and snuggle with her in bed.
After I teased her and told my friends her story she told me she does still need me, but unfortunately I know she is a pre-teen because it is on her terms.
It is time for me to start to parent Lauren in a different kind of way -- it is just going to take some getting used to from both of us.
1 comment:
I was noticing how much older she is getting. I seriously cannot believe she is going to be a teenager!
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