Double-Digit Delights

This morning was a day with my pre-teen that surprised me with its wonderfulness. She won her soccer match and is a real play maker in various positions. We chose her birthday present, she has a budget to keep to for her choice of present and celebration. She calculated everything, making cheaper choices to achieve what she wanted to do with her friends. She created her own e-invitation and sent it. She enters double-digits in 7 days and delights me with her growing sense of what is reasonable.

I thought it would never come but shouldn't be surprised, we all get there in the end. Her challenging ways emerge into a girl who knows very clearly what she is passionate about and will pursue these things eagerly. Again I am surprised by a new stage of parenting where as a daughter she needs so much of my assurance about 'girlhood'. I get to walk alongside this and observe her and cheer her on. There's nothing like a sports sideline to make you realise how much your child relishes your cheers of support and grows in confidence from every success.

I feel warm and fuzzy about seeing my children grow up. Especially as they cross the line from Year 6 to Year 7. I've always hated people saying to me, it get's easier because as a Mother of twins and a 2 year old, it took so very long to do so.

What I realise today is how much parenting is an invitation by an older child to a parent. When they let you in to coach them, its such a joy.