My daughter just turned 10, and is caught in that middle-place between childhood and teenager-dom. She likes boys, but thinks they’re way too yucky to kiss (phew). She also skipped a grade, so she’s heading for the delirium of middle school a full year early.
This means she still plays with Barbies, but wants to dye her hair black. She drew a picture of the hairstyle she wanted: full-on Emo with bangs hanging in her face on an perfect anime big-eyed face. She called it Goth. I explained how Goth is different than Emo, sort of. I don’t think she understood, quite.
I compromised: I’ll let her get the hair, sans dye for now. I explained that she might have to flat-iron it every morning. She is okay with that. I wonder if she’ll be okay with getting up an extra 45 minutes early.
And when she plays Barbies, the 3 year old usually gloms on and plays, too. But Elyse plays differently now. This is how she plays:
Barbie owns a Tattoo and Piercing Shop.
Kaiya proudly showed me Barbie’s new tat, on the back of Barbie’s neck, covering up the Made In stamp. I couldn’t tell what it was supposed to depict.
Such is the odd line between young girl-dom and young woman-hood.
MARGARET DILLOWAY 