12

This post will get me into a lot of trouble on the home-front if it gets out.  Thank god the girl child does not read.  My daughter, bless her prudish heart, is a very private person, I (obviously) am not.  There is a line between what is mine, as the mom, to share, and what is hers, as the beginning adolescent daughter, to keep private.  I think I am about to cross that line.

She is making me CRAZY.

It has to be hormones.  I decided to track it on my calendar.  

We had 5 days this week that was so completely foreign to what I know about my child that it was surreal.  Tuesday she had a great practice - top of the world everything going super-fine.  Wednesday she had a horrible practice, couldn't do anything, forgot how to do her giants, couldn't feel her tap - it was JUST like yesterday! 
She has one coach that she does not have the best relationship with.  It is coaching style, sometimes problematic for my kid.  I'm not sure what the deal is - my kid will talk to anyone, if necessary, not matter how difficult or painful it may be.  She will not talk to this women, or allow me to.  And frankly, it is a personality problem, not a "cross-the line" step in sort of thing.  For 5 days my daughter was in hell, and I decided that after her meet, regardless of the consequences, I would step in.  Except that it magically went away.  The stories of things said and done by this coach did not change - Gym Girl  is just back to her "whatever - I do the best I can, and I'm not letting this get me" attitude. 

She was also excessively clumsy, came in with what looked like road rash on her thighs and butt.  Not beam or bar - both.  3 falls in one practice.  Ouch.  I'm glad I wasn't there.

And forgetfull.  OMG.  I wanted to kill her.  My very organized, everything in its place, note writing, homework doing, wunderkind, was completely awol.  Forgot homework at school.  Forgot research books at home.  Water-bottles, lunch-boxes, cell phone.  Remember the velcro suit of SNL fame in the '80's?  I wanted to get her one.

For 2 years now, I have been able to track some minor cyclical changes.  About once a month, she spends a day of forgetfulness, a day of being extra sensitive, and a day where everything is my fault.  I am aware that this is normal.  The receptor cells that will some day receive the onslaught of pubescent hormones have to get ready, and as that is happening, aware parents will get glimpses of the future hell they must share with their daughters.  I had lulled myself into thinking that she had my genes and she's a gymnast, so I had 3 or 4 years to prepare. Oh, NO.  Prep-time is OVER.  Let the roller coaster begin.