Much as I do not wish to think about it, my daughter who is only seven this year is starting to behave like a seventeen-year-old.

Growing up too fast is an understatement. The kids nowadays are exposed to so many new technology, information and media everyday that it's forcing then to grow up faster than they should. I have to accept the reality that I need to start tweaking the way I relate to my seven-year-old. she is not a baby anymore and she is beginning to have what we call 'the emo moments'. It almost sounds like a bad word, ekkks! To my dismay, I find myself 'counseling' my daughter because her emotions were all jumbled up and needed a little help from mummy to sort things out.

Doesn't this happen only to teenagers who are insecure about themselves and confused about the world out there?

Apparently not.

The most recent incident happened on Children's Day. I don't usually celebrate Children's Day at home. To me, it's just a school holiday for the kids and they are usually hyped up enough by all the celebrations in school the day before. So, I went to work as usual that day only to receive a phone call from home from a sobbing girl on the other line.

"Mummy!!! It's Children's Day... why... didn't you.... take.... leave... to... bring... me... out... ???"

I was a little stumped on the other line, quite frankly. I wanted to say I didn't know I was supposed to take leave but thought better of it. It might cause her to get into a brawl. We don't want brawls, do we?

So I tried to pacify her by saying I would go buy her and Jayne a present each to celebrate the day and that I was really sorry I couldn't take leave as I didn't have any leave left (it's the truth). She was okay with that but didn't stop crying.

The next thing I knew, my mum called me and told me that Joey and Jayne would be going over to her house and my parents would be bringing them swimming. And the most astonishing news was that Joey would be staying overnight at her house!

Now, my Joey has never stayed overnight elsewhere without me or my MIL (whom she sleeps with every night). I was in disbelief. It was unbelievable because Joey would NEVER agree to staying overnight at my parents' place! She's the kind who would end up crying at night and probably pester my parents to drive her back home.

Back at my parents' place that evening, I tried persuading Joey to go home with me because I was sure it was a bad idea. She was very insistent and totally didn't waiver. And so, we brought Jayne home and left Joey there.

The next morning, my parents fetched Joey home and told us that it was generally a peaceful night. Joey slept at 10-ish, her usual bedtime but woke up at 4am (! ). Thankfully, my nocturnal brother was awake, so they watched a DVD together till breakfast time.

My mum told me that I have a very headstrong daughter. She was obviously scared and unsure about staying overnight alone at my parents' place, something she's not done before. Yet, she kept convincing herself to do it. My mom found Joey lying on the bed in deep thoughts before bedtime. Apparently, that day Joey was complaining so much to my MIL about how boring it was to be 'stuck at home' with her the whole day that my MIL got so fed up and suggested that she go over to my parents' place and stay there for the night so that she can have some peace at home.

The girl got emo, felt that her grandma was chasing her away. So she did exactly that - went to my parents' house and stayed overnight. She was resolved not to go home that night so that she could 'give her grandma some peace at home'. According to my mom, that was exactly what Joey told her.

I guess my kids are growing up and they are no longer the naive and innocent babies I gave birth to. They have emotional needs just like every human being and I need to be very conscious that they are sensitive and can be easily hurt or wounded. Of course, at the end of the day, all was well - she was happy with the presents I bought for her and had a fun time swimming with my mum.  She even told my mom that she'd go have a staycation at her place every year on Children's Day. =X

Those who complained that being a mother to a newborn baby is tough ain't seen the world yet.