Happy Birthday, Alana!

[domestic goddess]

My oldest granddaughter is 10 years old today! She is truly a gift from God, and we are blessed to have her in our lives.:D She is a smart little girl, in advanced classes in her school, a little one who really cares about others and tries to help whenever she can.
Alana, because I know you will love this, Happy Birthday!!!:moon:

[Mrs-M]

Happy Birthday from me too, Alana!!! And happy 10 year anniversary to you Domestic Goddess on being a grandma for already 10 whole years! :)

[domestic goddess]

Thank you, Mrs-M. Ten years older is what it makes me. Still and all, I wouldn't have missed a minute! I was so excited when I knew dd was pregnant, even though she was a little young and not married. She and the girls' father are still together after all these years, kind of amazing in this time of revolving door spouses. Financially, things have been a bit rough, but they are far from the only people in that situation, and they are mostly doing okay.

[Stella]

Happy birthday to Alana! I think 10 year olds are fun!

[domestic goddess]

They do have their moments, don't they? But I notice that more and more of dgd's friends are also having their moody and explosive times. I was 12 before all that started. But I guess it starts younger now. Not heredity, maybe BGH in milk?
She got a bunch of gift cards from her parents for her birthday, and we pick up craft supplies often. Looks like we will be having some shopping trips, and maybe some lunches out. I love those times, when it is just us and no interruptions.

[Stella]

Yes, even when I was a kid 10 was still a kid, not a mini-teen. To be honest I think some of it is that they think it's expected of them. I watched the Disney channel once at a friends house and the kids on the shows were pretty rude.

Bullying seems to have started younger too, so that probably contributes also. Last year my Kindergartener was cornered in the bathroom by a group of Kindergarten girls, sprayed with water and told she was ugly. For the record, and Iris Lily could attest to this, she's actually very pretty, not that it matters. We would not have thought of that in Kindergarten. I remember getting mad and saying things like "you're not the boss of me" or "my dad is super huge bigger than your dad and he can lift a truck so you better be nice to me" and stuff like that, but not ganging up on other kids and attacking them about their looks when adults weren't watching. An 11 year old I know has been harassed in ways I would consider criminal sexual harassment by other 11 year olds on the bus.

Anyway, it sounds like your granddaughter is having a good birthday! Alone time with a grandparent is priceless for kids. That is a fabulous gift!

[domestic goddess]

I think it really isn't easy to be a kid anymore! At least in some respects.
I hear kids on TV making smart comments to adults all the time. I guess it is how they get laughs, and is supposed to keep you fromt thinking about how lame the the shows really are. Kids mistakenly think this is what they are supposed to imitate. I guess parents let them, but we sure knew better than to imitate Dennis the Menace or the Beaver!