My daughter turned 9 last Halloween. She packed up all her Barbies and put them in boxes. I asked Hayley what she was doing? She said "I don't play with them anymore". She is my oldest daughter and I think I'm sad because she is growing up This is one little thing but it is hitting me pretty hard. Daddy's little girl doesn't play with Barbies anymore. What age do girls stop playing with those now-a-days?

[kim_johnson]

Aw.

I had toy horses... I remember packing them up before I got to Secondary School (around 12)... Because I thought the other kids would laugh at me... I think other kids packed them up around intermediate (10 or 11). So... She's probably trying to be 'grown up'. The tween market is a big deal... The 10 and 11 and 12 year olds are very anxious to be teenagers...

What stuff is she into instead?

Crafts, Piano, ballet, soccer, cousins, gymnastics, mouse house, and we started Building a large wood doll house. She has always been a girl that, when I think, "u r too little to do that" she does it. Tying shoes, riding bike, back bends, one hand cartwheels, no hand cartwheels? When is is way younger than my other children. I want her little. My cakes

[kim_johnson]

Why do you want her little?

Little kids do play grown up an awful lot. That is how they learn to do the things they will eventually need to do as grown-ups. The play... Becomes more convincing over time...

At her age... There is still a little girl in there... Hell... There is still a little girl inside of me, and I'm 36... I imagine there always will be a little girl aspect. I'm sure there is a little girl aspect inside of you, too...

Are you worried that the little girl in you won't be able to connect with the little girl in her, anymore? She will always have that... Even though (as she's growing) she might have periods of pretending she doesn't have...

Best thing for her is to see you accepting all of who she is... Have you told her that she's growing up so fast and it scares you a little? Maybe tell her that you want to protect her because there are some not so nice things about the world that people discover when they are growing up...

I don't know.

Great thoughts Kimmy or should I have called u Kimbery? I think I want her little for protection and to help protect her from bad things that confront us all. I don't want her hurt in any way (physically or emotionally). She can date when she's married. I don't know the little girl inside me. I never met her. I don't even think I want to either. I'm her daddy, her example of what a good man is, somebody that prays for her, plays with her, supports her and loves her and my other 5 children.

[kim_johnson]

Aw, I'm sorry, I thought you were female / her mother! Now I'm picturing a very different dynamic...

I think most father's have a bit of a hard time when their daughters start to turn into adolescents / hit puberty... I think father's have a hard time because they know what it is like to be a teenage boy heh.

[kim_johnson]

I mean... You start to feel very protective of her... Because you know what most teenage boys are like... She'll be alright with an example of you as a good man

Thank you Kim Johnson. I appreciate your input here. I have 4 sons and 2 daughters and I realize the reality of growing up, I want her to experience the world, fall in love and live but I just don't want it to happen do you now what I mean? I need to get over it, support her (as I do) and give away control. You know, as a baby kids need to be fed, burped, changed and depend on us 100%. as they age, they take more responsibility and we have less control, it's what is known as maturation and responsibility. I do want that for her but this barbie thing really put it in my face I guess. It is normal for her to put away childish things. Ok, I'm sexist at time. I want my sons to be respectful, hard workers, have integrity and grow up to respect women and take care their families. I am very please of how they are turning out so far. I want my daughter to have those things too but I guess I need to figure out that will look like with my daughters too. I'm just wrestling with it. Thank you for allowing me to lay it out here.

[shortandcute]

Originally Posted by kim_johnson

Why do you want her little?

Little kids do play grown up an awful lot. That is how they learn to do the things they will eventually need to do as grown-ups. The play... Becomes more convincing over time...

At her age... There is still a little girl in there... Hell... There is still a little girl inside of me, and I'm 36... I imagine there always will be a little girl aspect. I'm sure there is a little girl aspect inside of you, too...

Are you worried that the little girl in you won't be able to connect with the little girl in her, anymore? She will always have that... Even though (as she's growing) she might have periods of pretending she doesn't have...

Best thing for her is to see you accepting all of who she is... Have you told her that she's growing up so fast and it scares you a little? Maybe tell her that you want to protect her because there are some not so nice things about the world that people discover when they are growing up...

I don't know.

You're 58--I looked at your bio.

[Fuzzybear]