So my Lila absolutely HATES getting her hair combed. Like, “you need to inform me at least a week in advance of your plans to torture me by washing / detangling / twisting my hair so I can cry it out” hates. And of late, she’s taken to combing and styling her own hair to avoid my touching it.
Um, she’s 7.
I didn’t style my own hair until I was about 12, and believe me, it was a trial by fire. My mom was in the hospital for weeks with a really bad back injury, and so I had to fend for myself. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty (the hair or my styling efforts). It got even uglier when my Dad decided to put a jherri curl in my hair -- you know, to help me out. Right.
Anyway, it amazes me that my baby girl is so willing -- and able -- to fend for herself. Besides being able to style her own hair, she can pick out her own clothes and get herself dressed in the morning. She can get her own after-school snacks. She hasn’t a problem getting her homework done without an adult standing around, peering over her shoulder. When we take her to a restaurant, she can read her own menu and order her own chicken fingers and fries with a side of barbeque sauce, with a “please” and a “thank you.” It’s downright impressive.
And, for her mother, a little sad. Because while I’m happy my baby girl can hold her own, she’s still my baby, which means that I’m well on my way to not having any babies anymore...
To read the rest of "Miss Independent," click HERE to see my post in its entirety on The Parenting Post.
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She is learning to do things on her own but no matter what, she will always need you to be her mommy. As I got older, I remember how often I didn't want to be "a big girl" but sometimes, a little girl again, sitting on my daddy's lap.
ReplyDeleteShe is a beautiful girl who will blossom into a woman because of the wonderful impact you have made in her life.
One moment we're learning how to navigate life and then we're raising girls to be women. Yeah, 'tis bittersweet -- but such a divine calling. We are the ones who hold their delicate hands and say, "You can trust me to show you the best way I know how." And then we let those hands go, little by little until we watch our daughter embark upon journeys that are hers alone. :) Sigh. I love it.
ReplyDeleteI started doing my own hair when I was about 12 on count of my mom being really sick and telling me to do something with it. I put it in a ponytail and didn't braid it or aything and I thought I was so grown.. She said it looked good and I've been doing it ever since. My girls, well my youngest girl started around 8 and if my oldest thought I would do hers, she'd let me in a hot minute.
ReplyDeleteI think I was about 10 when I began branching off. I wanted to do my own ponytail. Its funny though my daughter now wants to "let her hair hang down" and once I put it into Twists shes shaking it across the room. She puts it in a ponytail to the back...w/ a little hanging to the side in the front...will put on a head band...she really feels she's stylin' and profilin' @ 8yrs old! Gotta love the independence!
ReplyDeleteIndependence is a gift that will carry her far! But I know how you feel. I'm already feeling it with my son and he's not even 3 yet.
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