These days she’s grumpy. Mean. Closed off to everything. Right now we are in the midst of a sleepover with my niece, the lovely Ashlee, and Sarah is pouting in her room.

I’m not sure what the problem is. It’s either…….no, really I have no idea. We went to the creek, we went to the pool, the girls decorated new notebooks, the fun just keeps on coming, but she’s more interested in a good pout.

As soon as I’m done with my work, Ashlee and I are getting out the bubbles. Hopefully that will help her mood. Bubbles are good for curing pretty much anything that ails you.

I would not go through adolescence again for anything. I’m very happy to be in the midst of middle age, believe it or not. I need to remember that my hormonal issues are nothing compared to those that she faces. A changing body. A changing complexion. Mixed up emotions. I need to take a step back and let the kid pout. She’s not hurting anyone and a little alone time will help her to regain control.  She could use some guidance, but I can’t control her emotions. Only s

Image credit: Chase Your Bliss Photography

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Adolescence: Some Days It’s Just No Fun

I am scared shitless. I watch my daughter frolic around our back yard, her wavy hair dancing carelessly in the wind as she chases her siblings in a game of freeze tag. She is still too young to have to trade her dress ups for make up. It hurts me to think that she will have to choose between the backstabbing, spit swapping practices of the popular kids and being called uncool if she shuns these premature rights of passage. It hurts me because I know that she will choose the latter and be forced to fall prey to the vicious cycle that is social segregation. Those who do not conform to the standards set by the cool kids, will be labeled and black balled. It is fine by me, that she will not choose the path of the self destructive, but I know that she will be bothered that it has to be so. Luckily, she will be in the GATE program this year and grouped with other kids who are capable of higher thinking. Hopefully, she will make friends who do not care to concern themselves with such bull shit.

I think what scares me the most, is that I see so much of myself in her. I see her having to struggle with the same issues that I did, growing up. I was smart and placed in the honors classes. I was very social and wanted to be friends with everyone. I was raised with strict morals, but was not hard on the eyes. I was the cheerleader, but also the honors student. I was popular, but enjoyed hanging out with my peers who were not. I wanted to date, but also save myself for marriage. High school did not leave much room to fit into more than one category. The pressure to have sex, drink, do drugs and snub the unpopular was tremendous. I see my daughter facing the same challenges as she gets older and I hope to God that she is strong enough to reject the labels and shatter the mold that people will try to pour her into.

Post from: Blisstree

The Coming Of Age Plague