Presto Change-O: Tween to Teen Overnight
Kid 1 was a 'tweener last month. She rarely texted or used her phone at all. Much of the time she didn't even know where it was. She came home from school most afternoons after Art Club or the extra-help session known as "X Period"--usually for math. Most endearingly to me: she still walked like a child: tummy pushed out a bit, arms swinging with a bouncing gait made easier by walking almost on tip-toe.
And then a few weeks ago, everything changed. Suddenly there were lots of texts and lots of time spent hovering over her phone with her best friend. Their two heads bent over the tiny screen like ancient witches trying to read tea leaves. I knew something was up and I strongly suspected I knew what that "something" was. A boy. In the past, several--5 or so--boys have had crushes on Kid 1. She was always surprised and always kind to the crushers. No ridicule, no contempt--nothing negative. She was neither flattered nor repelled.
This was different. This was a boy who she liked back. This was big. That evening while I was cleaning up after dinner, she came down and lingered uneasily nearby. "Um, Mum...how would you feel about me dating?" My immediate thought was "dating? How do you date when no one can drive?" I replied "well, I guess I don't have any feelings against it. Dating at this age pretty much means hanging out in a group after school, right? So, I'm fine with it, I suppose."
After eliciting a promise not to tell her father she twirled happily out of the kitchen and back upstairs to her lair.
That was the end of 'tweenhood. Her gait has changed. She no longer walks like a kid. She walks like a young woman. Her makeup is a bit heavier some days but it's always well done. I kind of envy her skill. I never saw parental edicts forbidding makeup as sensible. I've seen too many 16 year old girls, who upon reaching the "official" age and gaining parental approval, immediately start to resemble raccoons. Heavy, heavy eye liner with bright blue eye shadow. Very country-bumpkin looking to my eye. I decided I'd rather have her experiment and figure out what she's doing than have her morph in a few years into making up like a junior hooker who just got off the bus from East Jesus.
The makeup is unchanged but her phone behavior is completely different. She texts madly all the time. A few nights ago around 10 PM, she was still texting back and forth with The Boy. (I've met The Boy's mother and she is very nice. She was very excited to meet Kid 1, as apparently The Boy talks of little else.) I asked what they were talking about and she showed me the tiny screen. It didn't say "I'm so hot for you." It said "well, you'd better get some sleep so you're wide awake for school in the morning." I laughed and so did she.
And then a few weeks ago, everything changed. Suddenly there were lots of texts and lots of time spent hovering over her phone with her best friend. Their two heads bent over the tiny screen like ancient witches trying to read tea leaves. I knew something was up and I strongly suspected I knew what that "something" was. A boy. In the past, several--5 or so--boys have had crushes on Kid 1. She was always surprised and always kind to the crushers. No ridicule, no contempt--nothing negative. She was neither flattered nor repelled.
This was different. This was a boy who she liked back. This was big. That evening while I was cleaning up after dinner, she came down and lingered uneasily nearby. "Um, Mum...how would you feel about me dating?" My immediate thought was "dating? How do you date when no one can drive?" I replied "well, I guess I don't have any feelings against it. Dating at this age pretty much means hanging out in a group after school, right? So, I'm fine with it, I suppose."
After eliciting a promise not to tell her father she twirled happily out of the kitchen and back upstairs to her lair.
That was the end of 'tweenhood. Her gait has changed. She no longer walks like a kid. She walks like a young woman. Her makeup is a bit heavier some days but it's always well done. I kind of envy her skill. I never saw parental edicts forbidding makeup as sensible. I've seen too many 16 year old girls, who upon reaching the "official" age and gaining parental approval, immediately start to resemble raccoons. Heavy, heavy eye liner with bright blue eye shadow. Very country-bumpkin looking to my eye. I decided I'd rather have her experiment and figure out what she's doing than have her morph in a few years into making up like a junior hooker who just got off the bus from East Jesus.
The makeup is unchanged but her phone behavior is completely different. She texts madly all the time. A few nights ago around 10 PM, she was still texting back and forth with The Boy. (I've met The Boy's mother and she is very nice. She was very excited to meet Kid 1, as apparently The Boy talks of little else.) I asked what they were talking about and she showed me the tiny screen. It didn't say "I'm so hot for you." It said "well, you'd better get some sleep so you're wide awake for school in the morning." I laughed and so did she.
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