“Ever since you started carrying, I am hyper aware of everything going on around me.”-my 13 year old daughter.
On Thursday nights my daughter and I crawl into my bed and we read. She brings her favorite book and I have mine. I make a pot of tea and she gets a plate of cookies, usually something with lemon. About 50% of the time we actually read, but the other 50% we end up chit chatting. Tonight was a chit chat night.
We were not really talking about anything specific. Random things like the heart breaking realization that Justin Beiber is 18 today and it’s now officially illegal for her to date him, should he call.
She started talking about school and her friends and then says, you know what is annoying?
“What?” I say.
“Ever since you started carrying, I am hyper aware of everything going on around me.”. She goes on to explain that she can no longer walk in oblivion, unaware of what might be happening around her and that she feels she has to pay extra attention because no one else is.
I think I’m doing good.
Yep! Good mommie – good mommie!!! 🙂
Thanks!
You are doing excellent!
I’ll have my own “Ashinator” someday:)
Yep, I’d say you are. 🙂 Good advice whether one chooses to carry or not.
Yep,mmshe is 13, so she won’t have a weapon on her person for a while and it’s good training period. She has come a long way this past year. Very proud of her.
Heck yes you’re doing good. That little change in behavior will keep her so much safer in life.
Her being safer is my full time job. Thanks!
It’s easier to pretend nothing bad will ever happen, as they say, ignorance is bliss. It’s good that she’s realized this now as she’s going to spend more time alone with her friends and without adults around, particularly because she’s a young girl and is simply seen as a soft target to would be criminals.
It took my sister a while to realize that, and she had a few scares but luckily never had anything happen.
Ignorance is bliss until you can’t be ignorant any longer and then it is anything but blissful.
I am so, so, so happy nothing happened to your sister!!
Just so long as she knows that, in addition to being annoying, it’s a good thing. Was that planned, or just an unexpected result? Either way, well done!
Larry, I have been working as has my husband on teaching our kids to be aware of who is around them and talking to them about how to avoid and deal with certain situations. Our home was that kind of annoying white picket fence family. Our kids are annoyingly good and get along and she was very carefree. Even after she knew about the parking lot ordeal, she didn’t take much of it too serious but when my 8 year old started talking about that day and she realized it was worse than I let on(turns out protecting her by not telling the gory details was not the best choice). Anyway, I think she is going through her own stages. She knows it is important, but I think she misses her old life. I did tell her that there is “high price” to pay for that ignorant bliss. She smiled shyly and said, I know mom.
I know exactly what she means. When my husband started carrying (before I did) I also got super aware that I had been walking around in oblivion for a good 24 years or so. What an astute observation for such a young girl!
It is sad but at the same time somewhat reasuring. It is sad there there are people out there who we need to be aware of for less than good reasons. But reasuring that she is paying attention to her suroundings.
It is a hard and sometimes painful transition to go from happy oblivion living in reality.
You are doing a great job of easing her (and all the kids) into it.
My now 12 year old daughter has had a bit of that epiphany herself. Between my carrying and explaining things to her and her stepdad being in law enforcement, she has a good understanding of ‘real life’ and situational awareness.
Yes it is certainly bittersweet, but for the better.
Good for her and for all of you. It’s so important!