When to Date

At Comm Central this morning, where Callie and I spend Monday mornings working on her most difficult subjects together during the other girls' classes, Callie asked me out of the blue, "Mom, when did your friends start getting boyfriends?"

Surprised, I responded, "Oh, maybe about 8th grade or 9th grade, but if any were in 7th grade, it was probably just 'we are going together.' Now I wonder, 'Going where!?' because it was really more like passing notes to each other during class!

How about your friends, Callie?"

"Well, some of the girls were talking about having boyfriends at that Wacky Tacky party last night and stuff."

"What were they saying, Callie?"

"Just that there was this dance and then who was dancing with who and lots of other stuff."

"Did it make you uncomfortable?"

"Yes, but Emma Kelly was there and I think she was uncomfortable, too."

I was just so thankful that Callie chose to invite me into the conversation playing in her head. We wrapped it up and went for a walk around the building. Later, she brought the subject up again:

"I asked Coplea last night, and she said 7th grade. Mom, if it is 6th grade for me, then I think it will be 4th grade by the time Caris is older."

Callie seemed genuinely sad about the whole thing.



I am looking forward to the ongoing dialog her teen years will surely bring. What an honor to be welcomed in to by 11 year-old's world!

(October 11, 2011 at Geyer Springs Baptist Church)