You don’t want to hang with your friends
You don’t even want to talk to me
You’re at that stage
when you’re filled with rage
and you can’t break free
You don’t want to play with your sis
You refuse to go see a movie
You just need to chill
and you’ve had your fill
You just want to climb up a tree
Well, we’ve been there, too
Sixth Grade is coming soon
You’re outgrowing your toys
You’re learning about boys
And you’re wishing on the moon
Everything’s so confusing
Everything’s still so new
Just know that we’re here for you
and we’ve been there, too
Your Mom and I support you
We know you’ll be just fine
Just take a deep breath
and count to ten
Please try not to whine
We hope you enjoy this Summer
Soon, you’ll be in Junior High
This is not time for you to cry
But if you do,
know that we’ve been there too.
Darling daughter of ours,
We’ve been there, too.
2016
Part of being a parent to me is knowing instinctively when to leave your kids to figure out stuff on their own and when to reassure them it’s OK – that what they are going through is just growing pains and they will be fine. This was one of those moments tonight where I just wrote this as an exercise in sharing something deep without being too personal.