From the time when I was pregnant and I thought about having a baby and then raising that child into adulthood, I have thought that the ages from 9 to 11 would be the hardest for me. I was right!
My son is 9 now and we are butting heads like never before. We still get along fairly well and compared to some of my friends and coworkers, I know I have it easy. For myself and my son, though, this time is a challenge. I never went through the terrible two’s with him, or any of those other “stages” that people often refer to in horror. He has always been my little buddy. Times have changed! He is quick to challenge me now, and I can tell that he gets frustrated and bored with me because I don’t have as many things in common with him. He wants to spend more and more time with his dad, which I know is good and natural, as he develops more masculine interests, but it is hard for me. Particularly since his dad and I are divorced, it tends to strike my heart more than it might otherwise. I am glad they have a good relationship, but some days I feel like he is slipping away from me at a rapid pace and sometimes I feel pretty helpless about it.
How do you connect with your 9 year old?
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