Name Change, Middle School, Whats Next??
 

My Baby's Growing up!!!!

Katelyn, who has always been known as Katie, Has decided this last week that Katie is a "Baby" name! She is now 'Kate"

Which is pretty funny cause a new friend of mine just started calling me that! lol So she must have decided she liked it! ;)

Today was her first day of Middle School.... Jr High! :eek: UGH!!!!!! Mom is Not Ready!!!

And to top this all off..... I tell her we need to take a couple of pictures... and she starts striking Vogue Poses!!!! Like shes some high fashion model... I actually had to say... "Kate" can we get some expression on that face??? and a little less expression in those hips??? :eek:

When does the Boy Friend come Knocking at my door???? Someone tell me please... I need to be ready.... I can't do any more surprises!!! This is all way too much for mom to handle!!!

You're in trouble!
 

Your daughter is so beautiful already! You're going to be in trouble in a couple years!!

All I can say is - keep the lines of communication open with her - Even through my 'troublesome teen' years, I always remained close with my mom - we have an incredible bond.

she is beautiful! Adolescents is a tough stage for kids and parents and I believe you will continue to see many changes. She's growing up and this is all part of life. She is developing into her own person and beginning to explore her world as a (more) mature young adult. Hopefully the boyfriend won't be knocking on your door tomorrow though. Keep it up, because you've got to be doing something right!

She is so beautiful. It must be hard as a parent to watch them grow but think of it this way, the older she gets, the closer you two will get, because she will have more things to relate to you with :D

It is soooooo hard to see her grow up!!! I just Thank God she has a firm foundation in her faith! Without that to guide her I think I'd be screwed!! She's a good kid, but she's just growing up so fast!!! It was just yesterday I was sending here off to Kindergarten!! How does it happen so fast??

What a beauty you have. Sorry to be the one to inform you but you are
in for many more surprises:eek: I'm not telling. Mums the word.:D
Enjoy these years what's a few gray hairs?
We all seem to get through it somehow!

OMG I can SO relate to what you are going through since Lauren just started middle school too. She also tried to change her name- to Ren. Nobody could ever remember to use it though.:rolleyes: SHe also went vegetarian at the beginning of the summer so I'm having to relearn how to cook.
The poses cracked me up. They think they are so glam at this age don't they? The scary think is sometimes they pull it off!:eek: You want scary- Lauren has her first dance this Friday! YIKES! I'm not ready!!!

Awww look at Katie ... she's so beautiful!! Oops ... I mean Kate. :p I bet she was so excited!! I know she was looking forward to school!! OMG I can just imagine Katie walking home and you hiding in the bushes with a SHOT GUN saying to the boys don't even LOOK at my daughter!! :p

She is so pretty!

Oh Kathryn, your daughter is gorgeous. As a mother of two high school teens, watch out. :p Just kidding, sounds like your daughter is smart enough to make good choices. You can expect that boyfriend before the years end by the way. LOL I always send my kids off with "make good choices." Then sometime throughout the night I text them that I love them and to make good choices.

It makes me sad to think I'll could be all alone within 3 years. :(

OMG!!!! You have me in tears!!! I just signed her up for Cellular service tonight!:eek: I'm gonna be texting her too!!! And I'm so gonna use that!!! "Make Good Choices" Its the same as "Choose the Right"

How did they get so big??? My step son started High School today too!!! My poor husband is beside himself. He feels like he missed the whole deal, like Erik just went from 5 to 15 overnight! it really seems that way!!!

And Nikki... YES! I did not look anything like my 10 year old till I was like 17!!! Seriously! What the Heck! And her first Dance is Coming up on Sept 29th... So let me know how yours goes.... So I'll know how to prepare for mine!! lol So are you going??? My best friends parents were at every dance... they were very active with the school.... I have not decided if I am going to be that mom yet or not....

Should I?? Will she want me to be??? Or will that be "Lame"? Any parents have any thoughts on that?? I'm 31, so I'm not an OLD mom by any means... Not that thats bad... just saying that I'm pretty with it... But still, does she want MOM hanging around the school, even if its for the good of the whatever it is parents do over there???

Turns out poor Lauren isn't going to the dance. Most of the mom's out of her main group of 5 girlfriends decided it wasn't a good idea. The teachers made it pretty clear at open house that it was really for the 7th and 8th graders and that the 8th grade boys WILL approach and flirt with the 6th grade girls.:eek: Some of these boys already look like men for crying out loud! I'm relieved because I don't really think they need to be socializing with 8th graders. She was a little bummed but she's going to have a sleepover instead and she'll have something to look forward to next year.
And cool- you're a young mom too! I'm 33 and all of Lauren's friends have always been at least 5 years older than me.

I can sooo relate!

My daughter (Katelyn - and always will be Katelyn to me), changed her name to Kate when she started 6th grade. Some family calls her Katie and she can not stand it.

The first dance wasn't bad........most of the boys stayed to one side, vice/versa. There were a few dancing, but mainly only to the faster songs where it didn't seem like they were even together!

Boys, Boys, Boys......I think for my daughter the boy craziness started in 4th grade, but (thankfully) the boys didn't care for girls then. (She was the PeeWee Youth Homecoming Queen and had 4 escorts, it was funny because two boys really enjoyed it and the other two were so embarrassed, they looked so scared). Then in 5th grade, the boys were everywhere! Following us around Wal-Mart, calling, etc.

We homeschool now (this is our second year - her idea, but I love it) and she has grown so much more, I think! We still have boys call or ask for her number and follow us around the mall - I told a friend that boys must be pretty brave nowadays to do all this while a girls mother is right there!

I have heard stories of some of the kids at school.....boy, it is crazy how fast they grow up and want to grow up.....if they only knew!!!

My best advice is to keep a good communication thread open with her. My daughter is so comfortable talking to me about anything.....it took awhile and an "open journal" helped the first year. (you know, if you are too embarrassed or fear to ask or say something, write it done and then wait for a response......my response was always more mellow in writing then face to face on those tough ones). - We still use the journal, from time to time, but we like to talk. We go to Starbucks for drinks and just chill sometimes.

It is also good to try to be the "cool mom"....within reason, ya know! I am always the one who wants a house full of kids over...they can swim, play pool, video games, cook, etc. They have all come to know my DH and I pretty well, that they are comfortable here.....I think some kids these days need a place like that. I do draw the line at some things...like, friends over without parents - boys can come over, but none staying over, etc. And, yes, at this age, I have had moms tell me that these would happen at their party or hang out........CRAZY!!!!! Luckily, I am the mom who asks about EVERYTHING! If I do not agree with something, Katelyn respects that (and so do the other parents)....she might be upset at first, but it doesn't last long....especially after a talk or her daddy steps in (she seems to like his opinions more these days). - which, I am okay with....a little girl needs to look up to her daddy and ask for his opinion/advice - I know I was a "daddy's girl" growing up.

Anyway, these are fun years! I love it.....minus the attitudes, moodiness, etc that comes with it! Have fun!

When I went to my daugthers first dance, there were TONS of teachers there (I think ever teacher in the school was there) and tons of parents (not just moms, but dads too). The school had ours divided up 5 & 6 were there the first two hours and then 7 & 8 where there the last two hours. This seemed to help a lot too. There were teachers in the parking lot and at the doors to check everyone as they came in. All the doors where locked except for the main one and someone was posted by the fire exit.

I was nervous about her first dance, but I am glad I went. Course, Katelyn and her friends never knew I was there, but I was always away from them - walking around, talking with other parents/teachers, etc. We did a pizza party afterwards with boys/girls. It was nice!

Sorry, she is missing this dance, but there will be plenty more.......I think for the girls, a sleepover would be more fun anyway! Especially at this age!

Well, it seems like only yesterday that I was in middle school (I'm 22 ), so I feel like I can give you advice on this one. I would just ask your daughter if she wants you there. Tell her that someone at school asked if you would be a chaperone for the dance, but that you wanted to see if she wants you there or not. Sometimes I liked it when my mom chaperoned because she could take pics the whole night!

Your daughter is absolutely gorgeous by the way!!!!!! My youngest sister is 16 years old and most people think that she is older than me! :eek: They grow up so fast these days! You are so fortunate that your daughter is grounded in her faith. That will take her SO far! My youngest sister is verrrrrry grounded in her faith. She is drop dead gorgeous, and needless to say there are LOTS of boys chasing after her. But, she has never had a "boyfriend." She says that she has not yet found a guy strong enough in his faith for her. She says that a woman should have her heart so far buried in her faith that a man must be seeking the Lord in order to obtain it. Now, how in the world does a 16 year old think like this?? I wish I thought like this when I was her age! I attached a picture of her.

Sorry this is so long, but just keep your daughter in church and encourage her to hang out with her friends from church and encourage her to invite her friends from school to go to church with her. It will carry her a long way.

Rebecca - Your sister is very pretty! That is great that she is so strong in her faith! I think that is wonderful!!! And, yes, you don't see many 16 year olds (or 30 year olds for that matter), so strong in their faith! That is amazing and wonderful!!!

Regarding the "stick with her church friends".......well, when I was growing up, my family was BIG in our church and I became friends with the pastors daughter (who was my age). Let me just say, SHE WAS WILD!!! Even when we were younger, she was always doing something that I just could not believe anyone would do, especially one of my friends and one so "faithful". As we got older, she got worse! I mean, that girl partied with everyone and everything....got arrested in high school for drugs, was with other several other men the week of her wedding, divorced and married not soon after, etc. It is crazy how some people are.......I guess, she was never really faithful, but she could have fooled any adult (at church or anywhere else).

Also, four of my daughters "good friends" (well, once were) are big in our church (then church)....their parents are big in the church as well. Not all of them, but a few of them are the biggest smart-mouths, biggest trouble makers and gossipers, and biggest flirts you have ever seen! I don't know if they think this is okay, if their parents approve of this behaviour or what!

It is crazy, because growing up in a small town church, we were all "different". God was more important, we knew HE was watching everything we did and heard everything we said........maybe some kids these days don't understand that.....maybe some kids these days feel that since their parents are big in the church, it somehow entitles them to act a different way, and that it is okay for them to do it, but not for others.........strange!

I just wanted to share those experiences.........there are good friends no matter if they are in church or not....some are out there, just waiting to be found.......and those friends can be brought into the church too. (I'm not saying anything bad about anyone, just voicing my experiences).

In other words.......you need to watch all her daughters friends, no matter who they are or what they do. Most girls know a true friend, they feel it in their hearts.....even at such a young and uncertain age........most know, they just need a parent there to guide them in the right direction when asked for help.