hmmm....

I am having an issue of what to write about..
There are so many things that I thought of, none of which were satisfying enough to post.. so I decided I would just sit down and see what came to me..

The first thing that popped into my head was my obsession with the Unplugged channel on Pandora. Probably because I am listening to it at the moment. It gets me thinking.. why do I absolutely LOVE this station? Is it the feelings I get from the songs? Does it bring me back to being 13 again? Almost feel compelled to throw on a Nirvana tee and flannel.. Hahah!

The awkward middle school years of the early 90's, when Pearl Jam, and Nirvana were constantly playing on my CD player! CD's! You know, those round disc's that were a huge improvement from tapes!?? The biggest concerns in life were not letting your crush know you liked them, the Friday night dances, and experimenting with makeup. Trying to "fit in" was hell, I wasn't sure what "label" I had.. all I knew was I never really felt like I was a part of the "in" crowd. Middle school was tough. I found it a lot more challenging than High School. Growing from a child to a teen, with all those pubescent hormones, acne, awkward growth spurts, and emotions that had no rhyme or reason... It definitely sucked!

Looking back, I have to laugh because none of that is important now! I try to explain to Kerrin that this is a difficult time for kids...but it isn't the end of the world. My poor 12 year old is in the thick of middle school, and all of its drama.. Unavoidable meltdowns, self esteem issues and ego bruises. I do my best to comfort, and not meddle. That can be really challenging for a parent! There are times where I just want to go fight her battles for her, but I know that part of growing up is figuring things out on your own, (with some guidance of course).

I have to say that I am one proud Mama.. Kerrin definitely does better than I ever did. She sticks up for herself, and anyone else who is subject to the torture of adolescent ignorance. My daughter takes pity on those who feel the need to bully others. She will say things like "maybe they just have issues and feel bad about themselves"... That melts my heart. That does not mean she will just ignore it, she just has a little more compassion. What an awesome trait to have at that age! I must be doing something right!

Funny how an acoustic version of Metallica can make me think about all of this.. hahah!