Girls vs. Boys

(Posted with special permission from my 7-year-old. NO teasing please or I may not ever get her permission again.) Sara is SO into boys and I am SO not ready for it. She went to a classmate's birthday party and when I picked her up she was talking about this one particular boy she has been talking a lot about lately. She always mentions him and about how much he likes her, but never admitted she liked him. We had to drive somewhere before we went home so I thought this was a perfect opportunity. She was talking about him and I just asked if she liked him. She said, "Yes. He's really nice." I then said, "But do you like him and think he's cute." She kind of giggled and told me she did. That afternoon is when she asked about crushes. She asked if it was okay to have a crush. We told her she was probably going to have lots of crushes and it was okay and normal, but that it's not appropriate to hug or things like that until you are much older. We'd already talked about not dating until your 16 and not going out with just one person until you are much older than that. A couple weeks later I took her and Evan to a play, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, at the Middle School my dad works at. The whole time she was giggling when the princes were on stage and thought one in particular was really cute. She was talking and giggling about him on the way home. She even said she would marry him if she could. I asked her what her favorite part was and she said it was the princes. I asked Evan and he said his favorite part was when they were pretend fighting. (Thank goodness he's not into girls yet. I don't think I could handle two.) Although I think it is cute and funny, I don't think I like it. My little girl shouldn't like boys yet, right? But I am very grateful she is comfortable enough to talk to me about it and that she knows I won't tease her. I know she would shut down if I did. Hopefully all my kids will comfortable coming and talking to me about things, now and when they are older. I know that might not always be the case, but right now I'll take it.