On Turning 8....

Today my youngest daughter is turning 8.  This is always a big birthday in our home.  Depending on the sex of the child, the 8 year old girl gets a day and a night away with Mom or the 8 year old boy gets away with Dad.  Today, it's me and my littlest girl's turn!  She is so excited and has been counting down the days for a long time.

So why do we go away?  Why is turning 8 such a big deal?  It isn't really.  We just decided we would make it a big deal.  We always wanted to be the ones to inform our kids about growing up and all that is involved with that.  We also wanted to make it a fun time, a memorable time, not an happenstance type of conversation, but instead intentional.  We also found this is a very sweet innocent age where their knowledge of the birds and the bees is just starting to grow, yet where they are still willing to discuss things without getting super uncomfortable.  Seven?  A little too young.  Nine?  Starting to perhaps get squirmy.  Eight?  Just right.

Most of the time we'll just have fun together.  The actual "talk" will be very short.  I have to admit, I don't love that part either.  One of my kids went away with my husband and came back the next day. I asked my son, "Soooo....how did it go?"  "Mom!  I can't believe it!  It is so gross!!!!"  Once, they have knowledge, everything does change for them, too.  Leaving them in the dark is kind of a nice thing!  But, they must know....we have chickens and roosters, female cats and male cats, bulls and cows....all very "active" shall we say.  Even the frogs and flies are busy!  And my kids know what they are doing.  The younger ones never seem to figure out the human side of it.

All that being said, I am still so glad we are the ones who get to share the news.  The schools would prefer to do it and they are, but I'm not going to share the way they would like me to.  I am so glad that I can share the way God intended it to be.

Today she'll leave unaware, but come back full of knowledge.  They are all growing up and there is nothing I can do to stop it!  I tell them all not to eat, but they won't listen to me.  Life is just happening to so fast.  Only 4 days from now we'll celebrate yet another child's birthday......where is the pause button!!!!?

Off to make crepes  - again - I should open a restaurant, I make them so often!