Tuesday, August 09, 2005
It's like having a crystal ball...only way more real!
So I've been getting a glimpse of my future eight years from now. I've had a thirteen year old girl hanging out with me for a few weeks now. Why? you may ask. OK...how can I make this not confusing? Our neighbor has a good friend whose daughter is 13. She has been staying with my neighbor for most of the summer. Her druggie-freako mother ran out on her when she was very little, so her dad (who is still single) has raised her. She looks at my neighbor as a mother figure. The neighbor has two boys, so the girl has been helping keep an eye on them over the summer. The problem is that my neighbor works a full time job and is also getting her Master's Degree. Her unemployed husband, who also happens to be a raging alcoholic, pops Tylenol PM and drinks beer all day. So neighbor girl wants to get out of the house once in awhile. I opened my door for her because I didn't think that she needed to be around loser-alcoholic neighbor, especially when the boys were at summer camp.
She found out that I go to the gym everyday, so I now have had a work-out buddy until school starts. Did I mention she is six feet tall and quite a basketball star? Her goal is to be in the "best shape of her life" by the time the season starts later this fall. Why did I never utter those words in junior high? She wanted me to help her pick out her outfit for class registration today. After we decided on the clothing, I confused her by asking "What's the most IMPORTANT thing to wear today"? She was stumped. "GOOD POSTURE!" Of course. As you can imagine, most six foot tall 13 year-olds slump a bit. My trainer, who also happens to be a giant, gave her a "tall girl" pep talk. So it's my job to remind her. After the gym today, I took her to Osco since she was terribly panicked about having a couple of zits on her chin. We got some zit fighter and some concealer. I get the impression she's only ever used lip gloss before. Gee, I hope I don't get in trouble for buying her make-up!
She's been fun to have around because she's great with the baby and all of the bigger kids like her too. I'm guessing that after school starts we'll be seeing much less of her, but at least I helped make her summer ever-so-slightly more bearable. AND I'm grooming a baby sitter! Boy oh boy are THOSE ever hard to find! Only two more weeks until school. My daughter is totally stoked to be starting Kindergarten. We went school supply shopping last week. After we got home, she donned her giant backpack and grabbed her lunch cooler and said "This is what I'll look like going to school" and proceeded to saunter through the living room. Check. Now that I have a visual aid, I can function at a much higher level.
Well, here is where it all begins. Wish me luck..once again.
So I've been getting a glimpse of my future eight years from now. I've had a thirteen year old girl hanging out with me for a few weeks now. Why? you may ask. OK...how can I make this not confusing? Our neighbor has a good friend whose daughter is 13. She has been staying with my neighbor for most of the summer. Her druggie-freako mother ran out on her when she was very little, so her dad (who is still single) has raised her. She looks at my neighbor as a mother figure. The neighbor has two boys, so the girl has been helping keep an eye on them over the summer. The problem is that my neighbor works a full time job and is also getting her Master's Degree. Her unemployed husband, who also happens to be a raging alcoholic, pops Tylenol PM and drinks beer all day. So neighbor girl wants to get out of the house once in awhile. I opened my door for her because I didn't think that she needed to be around loser-alcoholic neighbor, especially when the boys were at summer camp.
She found out that I go to the gym everyday, so I now have had a work-out buddy until school starts. Did I mention she is six feet tall and quite a basketball star? Her goal is to be in the "best shape of her life" by the time the season starts later this fall. Why did I never utter those words in junior high? She wanted me to help her pick out her outfit for class registration today. After we decided on the clothing, I confused her by asking "What's the most IMPORTANT thing to wear today"? She was stumped. "GOOD POSTURE!" Of course. As you can imagine, most six foot tall 13 year-olds slump a bit. My trainer, who also happens to be a giant, gave her a "tall girl" pep talk. So it's my job to remind her. After the gym today, I took her to Osco since she was terribly panicked about having a couple of zits on her chin. We got some zit fighter and some concealer. I get the impression she's only ever used lip gloss before. Gee, I hope I don't get in trouble for buying her make-up!
She's been fun to have around because she's great with the baby and all of the bigger kids like her too. I'm guessing that after school starts we'll be seeing much less of her, but at least I helped make her summer ever-so-slightly more bearable. AND I'm grooming a baby sitter! Boy oh boy are THOSE ever hard to find! Only two more weeks until school. My daughter is totally stoked to be starting Kindergarten. We went school supply shopping last week. After we got home, she donned her giant backpack and grabbed her lunch cooler and said "This is what I'll look like going to school" and proceeded to saunter through the living room. Check. Now that I have a visual aid, I can function at a much higher level.
Well, here is where it all begins. Wish me luck..once again.
Comments:
That is very cool that you took that girl under your wing. It sounds like she needed a positive role model, that's for damn sure. Also, kudos to you for giving her the "tall girl talk". It always makes me sad to see a tall girl slump. I am a short girl and would love to be a tall girl.
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