Thursday Thoughts: The almost teenager

I have always had a healthy fear of my children turning into teenagers — probably based on my personal experience of being one! But I have found it fascinating, not at all scary, to watch Coco, who is now 10, swing wildly between being a child and a teenager.

Esther and I were talking about it the other day as Sara is going through the same metamorphosis. We especially noticed it a couple a weekends ago when we were visiting and realised that Sara really wanted to hang out with us and stay up late – and yet she fell asleep while doing so. So sweet.

Neither Esther nor I had not really thought about how kids actually become teenagers. In our minds, somehow the kids would go to sleep one morning still being a child and then wake up a full blown teenager.  Not so – we have found out. On the one hand the girls can play with toys for hours, on the other hand they want to take themselves away from the rest of us and find a quiet spot to brood and read.

Coco can, in one movement, be sitting like a kid and the next moment be sitting with the attitude of a young woman! What is that all about? She wants to listen to music, develop her own dress style, talk with assurance about important issues and yet have a cuddle every night. It must been so very confusing! I almost feel as divided as she, as I know I am going to miss having her as my little girl, but I also love seeing the glimpses of the person she is growing into.

Do you remember this phase? Now that I think back I actually do remember so much of this. I remember looking down at myself in a swimming pool and suddenly realising with surprise that I might need to start wearing a real swim suit and not only little swim pants (like we all used to wear). I also remember swearing my brothers to secrecy so that I could spend hours with my Playmobil and run around dressed in a toga — but I did not want anyone to know about it. Of course, I am sure, no one cared.

Do you have any experience with kids becoming teenagers? I would love to hear!

The above photo is one I took of Coco last autumn, already looking so grown up. The below photo is one I found recently of Easton, Quin and Coco. It was only taken 6 or 7 years ago!  How fast things change.

Emilie

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