Sometimes I swear I’m talking to a 20-year old when I have conversations with my daughter (who will turn eight in less than two weeks). She honestly says some things that are beyond her years. And then she’ll let out a whoop and swear the aliens are coming in the near future. I try my best to reconcile the fact that this is the same person. Regardless, today we had one of those really good talks, this time about growing up…
Lexi: When will I be a grown up?
Me: When you don’t have to ask me that question anymore.
Lexi: Huh?
Me: Never mind.
Lexi: No, tell me!
Me: What I’m trying to say is that you’ll know it. No need to try and speed it up.
Lexi: But I want to be grown up now!
Me: Don’t rush it. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
Lexi: When I’m an adult I can have my own daughters and give them money.
Me: Are you asking me for money?
Lexi: [laughing] Well, there is this one doll I want…
Me: You don’t even play with dolls.
Lexi: I would play with THIS doll.
Me: And that proves you’re not an adult yet.
Lexi: Adults play with dolls. I’ve seen it.
Me: You saw nothing.
Lexi: Huh?
Me: Never mind.
Lexi: When I’m a grown up, I’m not giving my daughters bedtimes.
Me: So they’re going to stay up all night?
Lexi: Yes. And they’re going to have fun all the time.
Me: So you won’t be having fun.
Lexi: No, I’m going to have fun with them.
Me: [chuckling] You’ll see.
Lexi: See what?
Me: Being a grown up means having responsibilities. It’s not just about having fun.
Lexi: Is that why you don’t ever play with me?
Me: I do too play with you sometimes. I just can’t do it all the time.
Lexi: Being a grown up sucks.
Me: Well, we don’t use that word, but it’s not easy.
Lexi: I’m going to be a different kind of grown up.
Me: Good luck with that.
Sam
Sam's Online Journal 
We can do with some different kinds of grown-ups. 🙂
I completely agree! Too many grown – ups these days are “too” grown up.
Kids want to grow up but being grown-up sucks. Hmm. I hate to say it, Lexi, but… If there were a way to be a truly different kind of grown-up — to avoid the humdrum parts of being grown up — I think someone in the history of mankind would have figured out how by now. ‘Cause we were all kids once, too… Just sayin’.
Maybe that’s the problem. We were all kids once, but when we look back we see it through the lens of being adults now looking back. There’s no way around it. Now, if someone could figure out a way around it, that person would be rich. Then again, if everyone followed that person then we would be back in the same place we are now, huh?
Yup.