You know your child is growing up when...

[whatsnextmom]

Let's try a thread on those moments that make you realize your child is really growing up and changing.

[whatsnextmom]

.... your 14-year-old is offered an additional (and optional) week of work but it conflicts with an overnight family trip to Disneyland and she decides to take the additional week of work (she's an aide in a very large year-round theatre program.) When you ask why she says "I want to be that 1st call the education director makes when he's looking for help."

And before anyone gets upset that she chose work over family, we have Disneyland passes and so go fairly often. It's staying the night that's a rare treat and certainly not one she would have skipped even a year ago.

[karne]

I was thinking about this just yesterday!  One example that springs to mind is that i am finding that my dd is making her own arrangements and decisions about some of her extra-curriculars (sports, etc.).  I am usually on the phone checking times, plans, etc. and she's started to take this on and then come to me for an OK for the final plans.

[whatsnextmom]

Originally Posted by karne 

I was thinking about this just yesterday!  One example that springs to mind is that i am finding that my dd is making her own arrangements and decisions about some of her extra-curriculars (sports, etc.).  I am usually on the phone checking times, plans, etc. and she's started to take this on and then come to me for an OK for the final plans.

This is really great! I know so many kids who are seniors and still having mom keep their calendar with no real idea of what they are doing when! Good for her for taking the reigns of her own life.

[Linda on the move]

My kids stayed up later than me last night, and they left the kitchen clean.

I'm pretty excited about it!

[whatsnextmom]

Originally Posted by Linda on the move 

My kids stayed up later than me last night, and they left the kitchen clean.

I'm pretty excited about it!

I would love that for sure!
 

[purplerose]

When your teenage daughter can admit that she "sometimes overreacts" about things...(this one still blows me over everytime I think about it! all the years of moodiness and PMS!!)

When your teenage daughter decides to go to public high school after being homeschooled all her life to get ready for college...

When she decides to do some thing with the family, not because it's wonderfully exciting, but because she knows it'll mean alot to her daddy for his family to be with him during a difficult time...(I am huge on family and support and have seen over the years the importance of family support to dh's family when there's a terrible illness or death. My daughter grew last year through a death on dh's side)

[anichka]

Originally Posted by Linda on the move 

My kids stayed up later than me last night, and they left the kitchen clean.

I'm pretty excited about it!

I wish this could happen to me 

[Lori Cullen]

Hi Whatsnextmom,

I just received your message. For some reason, I cannot reply to your message even though I have not sent my maximum two private messages for the day.  Is it possible for you to email me via [e-mail]? 

Thanks,

Lori

[raksmama]

 DS (13) was diagnosed with a co-ordination disorder at around 7. Since then he has greatly improved and even started to play soccer. However he is extremely tight and injured himself while playing. The physiotherapist said there was nothing wrong structurally with him and that he was just tight and needed to stretch. Anyway this is just background.

He has been diligently on his own, without my prompting stretching every day. Some of you might be thinking “so what is the big deal?”, but if you only knew how he used to be! I still remember how we struggled when I had to do the exercises the occupational therapist gave him. He used to be so uncooperative, it was terrible!

 And now the highlight...last Sunday we went to a Yoga class, not a kid’s class but a regular Yoga class for adults, a “hot” Yoga class.  DS was the only kid. I deliberately put my mat away from him so I would not be tempted to help. He followed the entire class. Not once did he stop or goof around. And at the end he said he felt really good and would like to do it again!

 Knowing how he used to be I am so proud of  how he is maturing.