I will be the first to tell anyone that I’m a boy mom. I understand my teenage sons, for the most part. (There probably should be a disclaimer here as we navigate through the teenage years with the twins.)
Wading into the middle of a shoving argument between my two young men is second nature for me. Armpit noises, sweaty hugs after a long football game, and basketballs bouncing in the house are just a natural part of life.
Then there’s Khloe.
I love her with all my heart and soul. She is an empathetic, caring, intelligent human being. There are times, however, that I don’t always understand her.
Khloe’s dad, on the other hand, has a special bond with her that began when he first held her in his arms. Khloe is absolutely the Apple of her father’s eye. He steps in when I flounder – and it happens a lot.
There seems to be a constant battle inside of me as to how we raise her. Fingernail polish, or fishing? Is there such a thing as too much of one, and not enough of the other?
If you found this blog post searching for an answer yourself, you will probably be disappointed. If you want to read on and hear about my experience with raising a 10 year old daughter, thanks for visiting the blog!
Thank Goodness for Sports
I realize sports are not for everyone. (Co-workers remind me of this constantly as I try to infuse the school culture with sports at every opportunity that I can.) Khloe, however, has embraced the sports world and is active on different teams throughout the year. While I may express my excitement that she has decided to join different sports teams, this is purely her decision to do so.
Fall is for football in our family. It’s not just the boys that play, but Khloe as well. She has played now for a couple of years and I love seeing her out on the field, blocking on the offensive line so that her quarterback doesn’t get tackled. She pushes those boys around with the best of them.
It warms my heart.
Football ends late October and basketball begins.
Khloe runs out on the court, in the thick of things, fighting for rebounds, competing for jump balls, and sometimes throwing a couple of elbows when girls get a little too close.
It brings a tear to my eye to watch my little girl aggressively fighting for the basketball.
Priceless memories.
Basketball ends in the spring, and soccer begins. (Do you see the pattern here?)
Soccer. While it’s not my favorite sport, it keeps Khloe physically active and teaches her skills that will benefit her in other aspects of her life – both in sports, as well as just in general.
Khloe’s sports life does not make me envision fingernail polish and daintiness – two things I associate with a ‘Princess’ mentality.
Fishing & Outdoor Fun
If the weather is nice, Khloe is outside. If she’s not out shooting hoops with her brother, she is jumping on the trampoline or out talking to her horse, Suzy, telling her all about her day.
When we are Up North, which is as often as we can between practices and games, Khloe is bluegill fishing off the pontoon.
She baits her own hook. I love that.
She takes the fish off the hook. I love that as well.
Khloe is not afraid to get dirty. She is independent in her activities and is okay with taking risks – as long as they are not too dangerous.
That’s important.
Ulta, Sephora, & Make-Up, Oh No!
Lately, probably in the past year or two, Khloe has shown an interest in make-up, skincare, beauty routines, etc… This means that when she’s not outside shooting hoops, she’s inside on her phone watching tutorials on foundations and eyeliner.
I’m at a loss in this area of life. YouTube is going to have to be her source of information because she won’t be learning anything from me. I also have no desire whatsoever to learn about facial creams, foot peels, or the correct foundation color for different skin tones. Ugh. Sounds like torture.
That’s not the issue though, is it?
I’m reminding myself, sometimes on a daily basis, to be supportive. It’s tough, but I’m stumbling through it – even with the addition of Drunk Elephant cleanser on the bathroom tub ledge. (I still can’t believe there’s a skincare brand called, ‘Drunk Elephant.’)
Does this new fixation on beauty mean that she’s turning into a ‘princess’ and will be unwilling to forge ahead in the world and meet obstacles head on?
I don’t believe so, but it’s still a tad worrisome for me.
A Happy Balance
So, what’s the answer?
It’s probably the same as in most situations such as this – a mixture of both is fine.
My hope is that Khloe stays true to herself. I want her to be happy, healthy, and achieve all of her dreams.
I’m okay with Princess or Pioneer, although I wouldn’t mind cleats over mascara.
Life is good either way.
Goals for Today:
- Clean off the Dining Room Table – It Needs It
- Organize My Tinfoil/Potholder Drawer in the Kitchen – Part of My New Year’s Resolutions
- Take a Nap – Not Part of My New Year’s Resolutions – I Just Love a Good Nap