I'm thinking about my daughter's birthday party last Saturday. Actually she's 12 on November 1st, but I'm working all week including her birthday, so last Saturday saw her thrilled and hpping around for receiving: a Snugpak 'The Bunker' tent, an Iphone 11 Pro Max so she can video all her survival weeks, a Macbook Pro (I installed a Net Nanny on it for her online safety), a smashing pair of 3/4 length leather lace-up boots and a Belstaf wax jacket from our dear friend who is my daughter's full time minder.
I buy nice things for my daughter because she is worth it. I come home, often late and stressed, and she will have cooked dinner and given me a welcoming hug as I step in the door. I'm a lousy cook whereas she's always done this and cooked and cleaned without being asked. She tidies the kitchen as she goes along. And loves the stove which belonged to my parents. Every so often she'll get the rats, but then we all do. Unlike my bedroom which is I have to admit, despicably untidy, my daughter's is spic and span. I'll admit that she owns the kitchen. And probably owns me, not that I'll admit to that!
At the end of the day she'll rinse the dishes and fill the dishwasher, do her homework and be in bed by 9pm. Weekends she'll plan a trip, or we'll go out and shop til we drop. My time with my daughter is really very special with our friend, and I think this is because we've always been close, and she's never been any trouble at all. Now her minder has come to help us, we've become a tight-knit loving little family.
A few days ago while we were in France, Jnui declared she's going to be a doctor, not an English teacher. That makes me feel so proud of her.