I'm not ready . . .

-sigh- I'm old. My baby is growing up quickly. Although I have to say that a lot of the things that little kids are doing now were unheard of when I was that age. I guess I've finally turned into that "when I was your age" type of person. I'm freaking out. My daughter, age 10, has been invited to a hotel party this weekend. I. Am. Not. Kidding.
The girl having the party is one of Brianna's bestfriendsinthewholewideworldforever (yes, that's one word because they pronounce it in a single breath). You know how that goes. Brianna was very excited when she got the invitation. Then I read it. I fainted, my eyes popped out cartoon style, then I quickly recovered and smiled at Brianna. I must have rapidly blinked about a million times to make sure that I was reading correctly. A hotel party? For 10 year olds? What kind of joke was this?
Once Brianna was in her room later, I called the mom giving the party. I immediately felt better because she went on to explain that her daughter has practically been begging for a slumber party at a hotel because of some show or movie that she saw. The mom finally gave in with certain rules. There are only going to be four girls (including the birthday girl) and the mom and grandmother are going to be with them at all times. I could tell she was struggling with whether or not this was age appropriate. She seemed to apologizing at the same time as explaining that this was her daughter's biggest wish, basically. The girls are going to be swimming and watching movies and basically just hanging out like they always do.

Another thing . . . . . I recently ran into another mom from school who asked me if Brianna and -boy's name- were still dating. WHAT? Dating? They're 10! I sort of laughed and she told me that her son (who is a the same group of friends) and other kids say that Brianna and -boy's name- are dating AND Brianna and -boy's name- know that their friends say that and are fine with it. Now, I don't know what dating as a 10 year old entails but from what I can gather, it's saying that you are, walking together and talking on the phone. In which case, yes, I suppose they are. I told Rodrigo and he sort of laughed and said that they should have lunch dates and -boy's name- should put Brianna's lunch on his tab. Bwah, ha, ha! Again, -boy's name's- parents have been fabulous. Both his mom and dad called, asked permission for their son to be able to call and email Brianna and let me know that I could call them about any concerns. I thanked them and asked them to do the same. His mom even made Brianna a pair of earrings for -boy's name- to give her as an end of year gift this past May. (Brianna and hotel party girl spent much of that afternoon giggling in Brianna room looking at the earrings and talking about -boy's name- and other crushes)

Doesn't this all sound like the kind of stuff we did in middle school and high school? By the conversations I've had with these two sets of parents and others, we all really feel that same way. It's just the kids are really more advanced than we were. I think we all feel like we have to have open communication with them rather than not allow them to do stuff. We all know what happens when we're forbidden to do things. -sigh- Isn't this all too fast? Am I being old fashioned? Tell me something to make me feel better.

feeling: like a bitter old lady
listening to: Phoenix (1901)