The Top Ten Ways You Know Your Children Are Growing Up

10. One of them asks for your car keys and tells you he will drive. And? It is not only legal but he is good at it. Not to mention the fact that he begins telling you about the “rules of the road” when you are driving. When did this young child suddenly know more “rules” about driving than you?

9. When you get a new electronic gizmo or gadget you find yourself handing it to them and asking them to load it up the best applications and features. They know more about technology than you do even when you think you are tech-savvy. (But at least I don’t have a VCR that blinks 12:00 all the time!)

8. You no longer are in charge of carefully scheduling and planning each meal they eat. They actually go to the grocery store with you to pick out their favorite foods. And? They know how to fix it themselves. (That is a glorious moment, my friends!) Let’s not even talk about the fact they begin to eat you out of house and home before you realize it!

7. You are no longer scheduling their play dates. They are asking you if they can go to a friend’s house and you are in charge of meeting the friends, their parents and ensuring their plan is one you approve of rather than planning it yourself. You find that your schedule suddenly revolves around theirs when it comes to picking them up and dropping them off.

6. They have and make their own friends and you find yourself making friends with their friends’ moms rather than the other way around. They are no longer at your mercy for friends, activities and scheduling times to get together.

5. Even though you went to college, you find yourself struggling when they ask for help with their homework. Teaching them their ABCs was much easier than trying to explain advanced Calculus. You find yourself getting online to figure out what in the world their homework means and how you can help. Usually they figure it out much quicker than you do.

4. They begin to sleep in later which leads to the wonderful fact that you, too, can sleep later. On the flip side of that, you end up staying up later at night because they are staying out past your old bedtime. You have become the designated pick-up or drop-off mom when they do stay out late.

3. Their problems become bigger than something that can be fixed with a kiss, a hug and a band aid. You begin to realize as they grow up, you really can’t fix it all and even if you could, part of growing up is letting them make their own mistakes. You are lucky if they actually tell you what is wrong and when they do, you discover there is rarely anything you can do other than listen and be their sounding board. It was easier when all it took was a kiss from mom to make it all better.

2. They aren’t calling you “Mommy” anymore and you are more often referred to as “Mom.” Unless of course you have teenagers. Then you hear “Moooommmm” or “Mother!."

1. You begin to see these innocent little babies become individual people and are able to enjoy talking to them about issues that are deeper, more personal and more mature. Suddenly you find yourself laughing at a joke that would have gone over their head a few years ago. Or talking about current events and life choices. You realize the years that you were in charge of their every more have paid off because you actually enjoy these people living in your house that you used to call your babies and now you call you friends. (Even though they will always be your babies!)

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