Just like that, your kids grow up. One minute you are changing their nappies and worrying that they will never be potty trained and the next minute you are dealing with sending them off to secondary school, letting them spread their wings and go off without you and face the world with less of your input. One minute you are trying to decide if it’s ok to let them leave the house wearing a dressing up costume instead of proper clothes and the next minute you are looking at getting them their own phones, with the excuse that they need it to keep in touch with you, when really, they want to just be able to chat to their mates and not their mums.
One minute they need you a lot, and the next minute it seems like you have to let them go, and the gap seems to get wider.
Ok, I really am feeling old. emotional and having a “where did my baby go” bender, now aren’t I? I will be playing that sad Abba song shortly and crying over baby Facebook photos in a minute…
Where is this rambling post going?
Nowhere really.
However, my girl has gone somewhere. Her first big trip away, on a coach, then a ferry, and she’s gone for 5 days. The house is going to feel very odd without her, and I am going to miss my sidekick, with her eye rolling, and sarcasm and reminding me that she has far better fashion sense than me. She’s so grown up, and so responsible, but I still can’t help thinking she was my baby only yesterday.
That’s her “my mother is INSISTING on taking a photo and she’s going to make me late” annoyed Tween face…
She climbed on the bus, waved goodbye and didn’t bat an eye when she left. She packed her own cases, she made me check she had all the right things for the week, and she suddenly seems ferociously grown up. I think this means I have done an ok job, but I am having a wobble about it. She’s ready to start spreading her wings and flying, I am not quite there yet… I will be ok, and she will have a brilliant time, but I am allowed to have a wobble, about it all.
I won’t tell her that I did feel a few tears coming on as I walked into her room to put some laundry in there, and then remembered she won’t be there for a few days. I won’t tell her that it was probably weird to go to check on her before I go to bed and she won’t be there. She will be back before we know it, and we will be glad.
Her cat is missing her, today. But not as much as me.
Hums the lyrics to Slipping through my fingers, by Abba, spams Facebook with old baby photos, don’t mind me…
Aww! I hope she has a fab time. The really do grow up so quickly x
They do! I am feeling very old!! She’s having a ball by the pics being sent back to us!
I remember the residential trip so well. It’s such a coming of age for them and they have the best of times. I remember my daughter didn’t stop talking when she came home – for about 15 hours!! I hope your daughter has had the best week. And you are right, it’s a bittersweet time in terms of the growing up. I hope you’ve had a good week and are preparing yourself for the smelly suitcase that you will be presented with!! I have to say also, that them packing their own case is a joy. I know many that don’t and I have to say my daughter does it all the time now. She does a far better job than me because I am terrible with packing. Thanks for sharing with #tweensteensbeyond
Kids do grow up very fast. My eldest will be 16 this year. its scary #TweensTeensBeyond
I hope she has a great week. I can’t deal with how they grow up at all. I’m already a wreck when I think about having an empty nest and it’s years away! #TeensTweensBeyond
Oh Karen those moments when our children first head off on a school trip stay with us forever. It is such a rite of passage. It is a valuable testament to you that she left so confident and of course she will return having had an absolute blast and having seemingly grown up overnight. I hope you have managed to relax a bit this week too. #TweensTeensBeyond
Ahh Karen DO NOT LISTEN TO THAT SONG!! I avoided it like the plague when my eldest left for uni. I try to just focus on the positives of each parenting stage, looking back is just too upsetting!! I hope your daughter had a fab time. Thanks so much for joining us at #TweensTeensBeyond