Pre-teen with teen ideals

I do not know who invented the word pre-teen. It is a subtle warning to all that will come. I would like to now throw a new word into the lexicon: pre-forty. Both words sound so much better than the actual words: teen & forty. My daughter is on the cusp of thirteen & I am on the cusp of forty. This is not a good mix. I feel tired and old but I am supposed to look 28! My daughter is young and fresh but she is supposed to look older and cool.

I know I can remember my own teen age years but I never had to deal with myself as a teen. There is no pre- to our 12 year old anymore. I think we are now officially in the teens.

I did not get any warnings. The pre- left with her flavored lip glosses and cute books about lost puppies who find their way home. The pre- left quietly in all of her pink and purple and sometimes tomboyish innocence. She left without saying a L8R or LOL! BTW, the pre-teen wants to take her cute pink cell phone with her & expects a newer and better one its place.

The teen then just showed up. She ran into the house, left her stuff in the hallway and ran to her room without a word or a text message. I had seen the teen lurking around before this with her new piercing needs and her excessive phone use. I had hoped she would ease herself into the mix but I have learned that is not possible.

First, I want to know what the chat abbreviation for moody is. Then, I would invent one for outlandish expectations and even greater needs. She has not cranked the music up yet but I am trying to find my sweet daughter through all of the wires she is attached to. The teen spent 10 hours at the mall this weekend in two separate days. During this time, she spent all of her babysitting money on even more tank tops and another cute little change purse. She never called but instead TM'ed me when she needed something like a ride. (Hey moms, where are all of you? Why I am I the ride mom?)

The teen also attended a birthday party. Afterwards, it was expressed to me that her friend's mom was cooler than moi because I will not throw her a grand, extravagant birthday party this year like her friend had. The teen could not be dropped off any earlier than the party's start but when we arrived late, this all of my fault. How horrible to be 3 minutes late. Before this, there were 5 clothing changes and a trip to the drugstore in order to get a forgotten card. The icing on this birthday cake was that my teen was not happy that we took her brother to the movies w/o her because she was at this party.

Oh, pre-teen you can come back and visit anytime. I loved your shyness and your silliness. I loved your inability to tell time or even care about it. I have your room ready. It is the one we did together that you absolutely loved and now want to repaint. I loved buying everything for you in sweet flavors. I loved helping you find clothes instead of just sitting outside the store. Most of all, I would love for you to give me a few clues about the teen. Don't just leave her and myself hanging. I see her every once in awhile using the strawberry lip gloss and I know you are around. I know you can relate and can tell me how.