Peter Pan?

I had a completely different idea in mind for today's post, then my daughter broke down in tears last night.

We had just finished our nightly routine of brushing and flossing before going to sleep. Princess steps down from the step-stool we keep in the bathroom and looks up at me with big brown eyes filled with tears. She starts to cry and say that she doesn't want to grow up, that she wants to be a kid forever.

I had no idea where this was coming from. I tried explaining that she had a very long time before she was a grown up...at least 13 years. "That's too short!" she wailed. Oh my, she was so upset. She told me that being a kid is more fun and she just doesn't want to be a grown up.

She asked if there was anything she can do to stop growing and stay a kid. I had thoughts of Neverland in my head, but didn't think she would get the reference and she was definitely not in the mood for a joke.

I tried to explain that being a kid is in your mind and that even if you get bigger you can still be a kid inside. This wasn't good enough.

I asked her if something happened that made her so upset about this. She said yes, that the Toothless Fairy was almost a grown up. I assured her that the Toothless Fairy still had a good ten years before she was a grown up. (This going with the assumption that we all become grown ups at 18, but I needed something to work with.)

We got in bed and she started to settle in to sleep (we co-sleep). I was reading for a while when Princess started asking more questions. She was really upset about this. I assured her that it was going to be a long time before she was a grown up and she proceeded to go through every age from the age of 8 on up to 20 when I said that 20 is sort of a grown up, but not really.

Finally she was somehow satisfied with our discussion and she fell asleep.

I must say I am thrilled to have a kid who likes being a kid. Me? I couldn't wait to be a grown up, but then childhood for me wasn't all that much fun. I am happy that I am giving my child the kind of childhood that makes her want to be a kid for a long, long time. I think I must be doing something right.