Monday, January 12, 2009

My eight year old daughter

So, my oldest daughter is getting older and with that she wants to make more decisions on her own. I have to realize that she is getting older as much as I don't want to! In one way its great because we can do more and talk about more but then you realize how fast time goes and one day she will be all grown up and on her own. I can remember being her age. She has always been very independent and knows what she wants. I've always said she's a old lady in this little girls body! She takes gymnastics six days a week and two of those days are in the morning before school and she still maintains all A's. When I ask her if its too much or if she wants to do something else, she looks at me and says No this is what she loves to do. She's determined, driven, compassionate, independent and is a leader even at her age. Yes, she is still my baby and its my job as a mom to guide her and but I have to let her learn some lessons on her own too. As an adult or even as a teenager I want her to be able to make her own choices and not have someone else telling her what to do. Lets face it, if children don't learn at a young age on how to make choices and negative and positive consequences, then when we are not around they will just look for someone else to tell them what to do. Its better for them to learn life lessons on things that might be a big deal to her at eight but its not really and her life will not be in jeopardy because of her choice. For example, my daughter didn't want to wear her hat to school today. Its freezing outside. I could of argued with her or demanded her to wear it or I can let her not wear her hate and if she is cold she will learn her lesson on her own. If she forgets her school work or forgets to do homework I do not take it up to school for her nor do I nag her to do her homework. Its not my responsibility. I will help her if she ask me but she has to learn responsibility. Its a big deal to a third grader not to have her homework done and have to explain it to her teacher. I would rather her learn these lessons at eight than when she is 17 years old There is coming a day when I will not be there and she will be alone to make some decisions that could affect the rest of her life. She is going to be faced with sex, drugs, alcholol or someone is drunk and wants to drive her home. Those are the times I want her to know how to make the right decisions because her life and others will depend on it.. Life is all about lessons. I think nowadays so many parents try to protect their children and bails their kids out of every situation. It ends up hurting the child in the long run. The child doesn't learn for themselves and thinks they can say or do anything they want no matter who it hurts and then the consequences they learn as a adult are much greater if they would of learn them as a child. As for Makenna, I have to be more patient and let her continue to let her grow into the beautiful girl that she is and not think I have to be in complete control of her because that is not want parenting is all about.

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