The Preteen Girl

We have a teenager - he is a boy. We don' t know nothing. Now we have a pre-teen girl. It is baptism by fire.

Each morning she gets up and gets ready. She is the only one leaving at that time, so the bathroom is all hers - and let me tell you she takes the WHOLE thing. Each day, when she leaves, I walk into her mess. It's not bad enough that she has to have makeup, lotions, potions and hair accoutrements, but she does not feel the need to clean any of it up. EVER.

This is the same girl who, when told to make her bed, has to unload a pile of crap to do it. She sleeps in bed with books, pens, food, whatever is there. It is amazing what she can do. Now if she would only clean something up every now and then.

The minute she walks in the door, if not before, the phone rings. And rings. And rings. Then she needs to get on the computer to be on AIM while on the phone! Usually after the sixth or seventh call I say that is enough. I mean, how much can one girl talk?

On the up side, she is very good at helping with her sisters. She is very capable, and many afternoons opts to help with the babies instead of doing something else more fun. She tries to be helpful, and really does help.

I guess this is all normal. She turns twelve on Sunday. Hard to believe, but it is coming whether I want it or not.