Hello. I’m Jaime, and my daughter is a pre-tween. I need a meeting. I need more than a meeting. Get me a therapist, stat. (I probably should already have one, if we are being honest.)
We live in a world of Cardi B, Kardashians and contouring. YouTube, YOLO and and yeet. If you don’t know about any of this, consider yourself hashtag blessed. I am raising a seven-year old pre-tween in this wild, insane, unreal dumpster fire of 2020. This little firecracker is something else and the reason why I am losing my damn mind and borderline psychotic. The mirror is her best friend. She asks for glitter eyeshadow, lip gloss, perfume, chokers and crop tops. No pants are too tight and no boots are too tall. An old Nirvana 4t shirt is her favorite article of clothing.
You may ask why she is introduced to things that influence her and make her act older than she seems. I get judged for letting her “be her own person” and you know what? It’s inevitable.
My girl knows what she wants and unfortunately, she is not going to give up until she gets it. Don’t get it twisted though. We teach her please and thank you. She is the most loving little thing (she is obsessed with anyone over the age of 60 and thinks they are “adorable”) and would operate a kitten farm if she could. She wants to be a psychiatrist or geriatric nurse when she grows up. I even catch her watching “kid shows” on Netflix sometimes. And she will defend herself with, “I know this is a kids show, but it’s good!” I remind her that she is, indeed, a kid.
With an older sibling (and a mom who listens to rap lol), she is going to be exposed to music with questionable lyrics. Disclaimer: I do not let her listen to the unedited version of WAP. That might be taking it toooo far. She rides the bus with older kids and I can only imagine the conversations. Ear. Muffs. When I watch the Kardashians (I know. I know. It’s my guilty pleasure so don’t hate) in my 20 minutes of free time and she happens to walk in the room, I’m sorry but I am not turning it off.
Sheltering this girl is not an option, because she will find a way to learn about whatever it is that she wants to know. I would rather be the one to tell her or be there when she learns, so I know she knows. And I know she is getting facts.
Thankfully she is clueless to what a tampon/period is and has no idea about sex, but I assume she will have questions soon, because that is just who she is. I know that I can’t spill all of tea, but I will tell her enough to make he little mind stop wondering. Believe me, I don’t want her to grow up fast…she is my baby.
Even though my girl is “girly”, she also will rock Air Force Ones and a sweatsuit with the confidence of Kanye. She loves sports and can throw a spiral without even trying. Werewolves and vampires are her thing, not babies and barbies. “Dolls scare me” is her response when a friend wants to play house. I guess the apple did not fall far…I remember coloring doll’s faces, cutting their hair and destroying them. I wasn’t a girly girl either, but I definitely wasn’t as cool and confident as my daughter.
In 2020 America, I need my child to know that she can do anything she sets her mind to do. She has strong females in her life and we are all rooting for her. She knows about Kamala, Hillary and RBG. She understands the unrest in this country and I just know that she and her future girl squad will make an impact. Even if it is with a contoured face.
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