Good morning everyone!
Today, I reflect upon the unique characteristics of the ten year old girl.
The ten year old girl dresses in sleeveless dresses in the wintertime for church, but when it is 80+ degrees outside, runs into the den, turns on the gas fireplace and huddles in front of it like a child out of a Dickens novel. She is willing to go swimming at the beach when the water temperature is somewhere around “Arctic” and tell you that the water “isn’t so bad.” She sees no inconsistencies in any of this.
The ten year old girl will inform you that the reason that she is wearing a sleeveless dress in the middle of winter is because she wants to broaden her wardrobe. When asked about one long-sleeve dress someone gave her, she answers, “I’ve worn that every Sunday for weeks.” When asked about a second long-sleeve dress that was a gift from someone else, she answers, “I’ve worn that every Sunday for weeks when I haven’t been wearing the other dress.”
The ten year old girl fails to see why her parents find that statement funny.
The ten year old girl is smiling and laughing, then angry, then somber, then smiling, then crying and then back to sunshine and laughter – all in the space of about five minutes.
The ten year old girl is still willing to hold hands with her parents.
The ten year old girl, when asked to clear the table, will get everything but two napkins, one spoon and a drink glass, and then look at you, puzzled, when you ask her to finish the job.
The ten year old girl will decide she wants to help clean the house, and in her eagerness, dash forward to help by choosing to do the one thing that is absolutely useless to what you need to accomplish that day, such as sweeping an already vacuumed floor when the next chore involves dusting furniture.
The ten year old girl is still willing to cuddle with her parents on the couch.
The ten year old girl is aware that items cost money. She is not aware that all money is not equal, and will eagerly offer to take the whole family to Disneyworld with her copious savings of $12.59. No, she is not joking.
The ten year old girl, unlike a five year old girl, has a filter in place between what she thinks and what she says. Unfortunately, the filter is calibrated so that it kicks in about ten seconds after she has already spoken.
The ten year old girl is willing to empty the dishwasher once she is reminded 10 times, but unable to concentrate on the task long enough to finish it.
The ten year old girl has boys she “likes” at school, but is still young enough to tell her parents about them. The pool of ten year old boys she has to draw from still aren’t really interested in girls. The ten year old girl’s parents find that satisfactory.
The ten year old girl is trying hard to be nice but sometimes things just come out wrong. Last night, when a big package came to a house from Omaha Steaks with some frozen dinners, one ten year old girl looked at her mother and asked, “Gee, Mom, are you just going to give up cooking altogether?” When reminded that the mother had cooked for several days straight, she said, “It’s okay to lay off it for a little while.”
My ten year old girl is the light of my and her father’s life, and we can’t imagine life without her!
Have a great day everyone!
Nancy
Tales from the Mom-Side 
So true for all 10 year old girls! Even though mine are 11 and 14 now.
Let me guess – it doesn’t really improve between the ages of 11 and 14, does it?
Ten is the best age ever!
A great piece of writing Nancy. Fantastic observations told with gentle humor. I loved it!
Thanks Bassa and the tall man!
I guess arrested development wouldn’t work – but wouldn’t it be nice to have her ten long enough to get through those terrible teens? A sweet and compassionate mom you are.
Some days I’m sweet and compassionate; other days my head spins in circles and my eyes spit fire. My ten year old is the only person capable of piercing my calm in less than 30 seconds. She’s got talent!
Nancy
And of her Grandma Dottie also!
We noticed! 🙂 Love you!