My baby is growing up! – Teenage independence

Of all the things to get sentimental about. Tonight my eyes began to tear up as my little girl asked to go on her first Snake Walk! (Basically just a bunch of high-school kids get together after the homecoming bonfire and walk across town to a restaurant.)

Teenage independence is full of surprises

I half expected my daughter to hit the ground running, eager to fully embrace her high school experience. School dances, sports, parties. She wanted to do it all in jr high. Well, not “all”. But she did join multiple clubs and go to school sponsored events.

She showed an interest in these things her freshman and sophomore year, but she was pretty reserved.

Now she is a junior and with a little prodding from her friends, she has gotten much more in the spirit of things. I love to see my daughter exercising some independence! I trust that she has a good head on her shoulders and a good heart to guide her through this. The sense of peace I feel when she talks about going out and doing things with her peers is surprising. I thought it would be stressful to sit at home, wondering what kind of trouble they are up to. But like I said, she is a good kid. I am trying hard to be a parent she can talk openly with. Communication leads to trust which leads to more peace of mind.