A few months back I told y’all how I was in a slight state of denial when it came to my oldest girl becoming a tween. I saw the signs and denied it for as long as I could. Well, folks, I can’t deny it anymore! This girl is in full-blown tween mode and it freaks me out!
My 10 year wish for a daughter was granted with two beautiful girls. We’ve had all the momma daughter moments like bonding over our hair, nails, and shopping but now that my oldest girl has reached the tween years let’s just say she kinda freaks me out – here’s why:
The Smells
Listen. I had 3 boys for 10 years. You’d think I’d be used to the odors a tween/preteen can produce. Well, you would be wrong. The smells a tween girl’s body gives off are a bit more umm aggressive than I expected. Finding a way to counteract the smells without completely breaking out her skin has been surprisingly difficult! I mean those ‘teen‘ deodorants basically overlay her tween funk with flowers, baby powder, and cucumber – not really the combination we we’re looking for!
To avoid the midday assault on my nose I had to upgrade her to full strength adult deodorant. Thankfully as long as she remembers to put it on – yeah I came close to setting a daily alarm for that – we seem to have found a solution to the smells.
The Moods
I know I was moody as a teen but was I THIS moody as a tween? I mean Oh My Goodness!!! This girl can go from telling jokes to telling everyone in the house to ‘leave me alone‘ in a matter of moments – moments Y’all!! I just can’t!
As a teen, I always said if I ever became a Mom I was going to actually listen to my kids. I would try and find out why they had a mood instead of just yelling at them or telling them to ‘fix it’. I lied! I mean I have tried to get to the why of her moods and the seemingly endless swing of them but I don’t think she even knows!
I have literally sat listening to her try to explain why she’s annoyed, frustrated, mad, etc and by the end of her rant we look at each other and even she admits it makes no sense. She has no real reason for any of it. One time she even said “I have no idea why I’m moody right now – I just am” My reply: “please take you and your mood elsewhere so the rest of us can have a good day. Come back when it’s over.”
I know. Probably not the best response but sometimes it’s all I’ve got. #SorryNotSorry Also most times it is the only thing that works. She goes to her room and does whatever it is she does (reads, listens to music, draws…) and then she comes back to the real world as the loveable funny little girl I recognize.
The Bra
This one may seem a bit silly to add to the least of things that freak me out with my tween girl BUT hear me out. I think we started the bra journey about a year ago. I wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready. I knew it was time for her to get her first bra but had no idea how to get it. We walked into the store and as I pushed through the hangers of different styles I realized it wasn’t Small, Medium etc. Nope, these were sized by numbers! How did I not think of that? I don’t know.
After a quick run to the sewing aisle to grab measuring tape, I found an isolated area behind a shelf and measured her. Okay! Now that we had that we went back to the bra department. WHY SO MANY OPTIONS? I mean come on! I think my choices as a tween were black, tan or white. Period. They had racerbacks, padded vs. unpadded, pink, purple, printed…too many choices!! After a few moments of panic from both mom and daughter, we left with three bras and the hope that they fit long enough for us to avoid repeating this trama for a good long time.
So you would think my freak out with bras would end there, right? Wrong. Since she started wearing a bra my sweet little tween has managed to master the art of taking it off as soon as she walks in the door in combination with the art of leaving it in the most random places imaginable.
I have found her bra on the couch, in the couch, behind the couch, under a pillow, in the kitchen – yes the kitchen – and so many other places I can’t even remember. At this point, I’m just hoping the cost of replacing her ‘lost’ bras doesn’t exceed the cost of her college tuition before she can replace them herself!
The Boys
Thankfully this has not become an issue – yet. It doesn’t stop the very thought of boys and my daughter’s pending interest in them as more than just friends from freaking me out! So this is on the list in preparation for the freak outs to come.
The Period
Yeah. That. This hasn’t happened yet either BUT it is already something that freaks me out – completely! I’m just not ready. I’ve had ‘the talk‘ and even made her an emergency kit just in case Aunt Flo decides to show up when I’m not around. Still. The period is like that final thing that seals the fact that my little girl is no longer a little girl anymore. I’m not sure I am ready for that to become my reality just yet so I will be holding on to every single moment until that moment.
My Grandmother had several names for my period that weren’t period…LOL Including Aunt Flo and Red Hat Day (she literally drew a red hat on the calendar when it came).
“Believe in yourself, your passions, and your dreams. Your voice is unique – build on that. Embrace what is different about you and make it your greatest asset!”
- The ‘Dirt’ on Dirty Whiskey Craft Cocktail Bar – August 6, 2021
- I Never Went To Prom – Will A Fashion Show Do? – May 1, 2021
- Cape Fear Regional Theatre – Best In The House – May 1, 2021
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