She's 7 Going on 17

I went to brunch with some girlfriends the other day and after some small talk, we all started venting about our kids.

I had just spent all morning going back and forth with my daughter, trying to get her to school on time. She is actually an easy-going child, but she is starting to show signs of what I hope I don’t see a few years down the road.

She used to get ready in five or 10 minutes flat. She used to spend most of the morning chatting with me while I made breakfast, fixed lunches, organized backpacks, fed the dog, and made sure I didn’t leave the house in PJ bottoms. This particular morning, my daughter was taking forever to get ready and we were running late. Then she gives me attitude and starts acting like a 17 year old.

This mom had had it. Did I mention she’s 7 years old? She probably took a good 30 minutes to get ready, yelling from upstairs, I hear, “I’m coming mom….Guaa.”

This is the point where I become my mother, “Don’t take that tone with me, young lady.” She walks downstairs, with perfectly brushed hair, wearing a coordinated outfit. “Mom, I was just trying to brush my hair and put on my clothes.”

My inner mom is wondering, “That alone should only take 7 minutes, tops. She doesn’t even take a morning shower or blow-dry her hair.”

I vented this during brunch to my friend who has two grown daughters and a 7-year-old girl who has been friends with my daughter since kindergarten. She looked at me, straight-faced, then smiled and said, “Good luck, my friend, good luck with that.”

No. I’m not dealing with a 7-year-old inner teen. Or a tween. Please no. This mom wishes to stay in denial a little longer, thank you very much.

In appreciation of the fact that my daughter is not yet a teen, check out this link to the movie 13 Going on 30 starring celebrity mom, Jennifer Garner. Yet another actress I have never met and probably never will, but I adore anyway.