My tough little cookie!

Being the parent of a middle schooler is not always easy. There are many ups and downs every day. Here’s a story that makes me glow with pride.

Ashley is “going out” with a boy named Dre. He is about 6’3” and looks like he is 16 or 17, not 13. He is a football player and is well built and good looking. We heard all about Dre both last year and this year. He is dreamy and popular and all of the girls have a crush on him. Ashley and Dre started “going out” a few weeks ago.
I’m sure you all know that Christopher and I randomly check Ashley’s text messages on her phone and her email. We found a message from Dre asking Ashley to text him a picture of her. She sent one of her face and upper body. He wrote back that he wanted a pic that was “sexier”. Ashley’s reply was a simple no. I was happy to read that. Then Dre asked her if she would be able to come over to his house to hang out. She asked what they would do and his reply was “hang out and make out”. Ashley replied by texting, “I don’t do that crap.” I was glowing with pride!
I’m not so naïve to think that she won’t make out with a boy sometime soon. I know that she will. I know that she is not perfect and she has to make mistakes in order to grow. I am so proud though that she is going to decide when she is ready to “make out”. She won’t be bullied or talked into it. It will be on her terms and she obviously knows how to say no.
Another moment of pride came when she got a call from an ex-friend who was being mean and said something about not knowing why Dre would go out with someone like Ashley. I was sitting right there, ready to jump in and console Ashley’s hurt feelings at being called names. Instead of crying about it, my little girl said, “Maybe Dre is going out with me because I would never speak to someone the way you just spoke to me.” And she hung up. What a tough little cookie we’ve raised!
I just keep hoping and praying that she will continue to be this strong and confident.