You're Not Supposed to Laugh.

Kids grow up way too fast these days.

For instance, MG is eight and in third grade. She is also very pretty and very smart, but that’s not the point here.

The story is: The other night, I was helping her get ready for bed and she asked if I was going to exercise. I told her that I was going to do the “big black thing” (the elliptical machine), and that I would do my balance ball in the morning. (I have discovered the Balanceball is quite awesome for your abs. But I digress.) She started giggling.

My instant thought was “crap.” I kept talking, and pretty soon she said “there’s another kind of balls.” (Yes, my initial “crap” was warranted.) I asked her what she meant (just in case), and she said boys have them. (Now I’m trying not to freak out externally – just with my inner-monologue.) I asked where she heard that, and she just shrugged and said some boys at school said it. And then she ran off to play.

So, now I’m a little sad. I know I can’t protect them from life, and that they’re going to hear all about it long before I’m ready. (For you thinking that I laugh too, I’m 30 with two kids. I probably have figured it out by this point.) So, now my eight-year-old little girl giggles at all the wrong times.

So, yes, kids grow up way to fast.