Who I am inside??
Oh sweet girl, it already does. As the mom of a middle school girl, I’ve come to learn a few things.
First, the world is both exciting and terrifying to a middle school girl. There are so many new people, trends, and things to dive into when you’re a middle school girl. Suddenly, you aren’t one of the little kids anymore. The little kids are looking up to you. It’s thrilling! And, yet, the trends in clothes, hair, friends, and such change so quickly, you are terrified you’ll be left behind. You find yourself sending mom Amazon shopping lists with with random articles of clothing, crazy jewelry, and crazed requests just trying to keep up. It’s a whirlwind and man is it easy to get caught up.
Second, mom knows everything and absolutely nothing! While she understands all of the little quirks that make up your personality, she can’t seem to comprehend why you hate her straightening your room. You look to her for answers on life biggest problems like matching shoes to an outfit, but sneer when she gives you a perfectly reasonable answer and an alternative just in case. She’s the best place for help and often the last place you turn for it.
Third, dad gives the best hugs and is the scariest person you know. Cuddly and warm, dads as are always the safest place for any middle school girl. Heaven forbid he raises his force half a step to get your attention. Nothing crumbles a girls world like dad talking loudly to be heard. Sometimes he’s not even talking to you, but that strong timber that commands attention and respect brings the waterworks forth. Luckily, he’s typically never mad at you, just frustrated with his lack of middle school girl drama understanding. It’s nothing a nice long hug and a few snuggles won’t fix.
Lastly, finding out who they want to be is a series of trials, errors, and a few successes. The drive to fit in reaches intense levels at the middle school age. They want to change the way they dress, how they wear their hair, and makeup becomes a need instead of a want. Those cool shirts they loved at the beginning of the school year are suddenly buried deep in the closet never again to see the light of day. The way they act, talk, and move changes regularly all in a desperate attempt to fit with the rest.
One lesson I’ve constantly instilled in my sweet middle schooler, the baby of the chaotic bunch, is you weren’t made to fit in. I remind her that God, creator of all we encounter, took time to make her specifically the way she is. Sweet. Kind. Messy. Funny. Dramatic. Loving. Loud. Talkative. Creative. Unique.
As a mom, I find myself constantly challenged to adapt to my children. None of them are alike. Five kids. Five wildly different personalities. Thankfully, loving them is the easy part of my job. With any luck, they won’t drive me insane and will make their ways in the world remembering the things I tried to teach them. Fingers crossed!
I see you