It's funny that it is hard for me to fathom my child as an adult because when I was her age I was married. Our wedding was a little less than two weeks after my 20th birthday.
I remember feeling oh-so-grown-up! I was sure that I was ready for anything and together, my husband and I could take on the world. I'm sure my daughter thinks she is ready to conquer her world as well.
Looking back, though, I realize how very much I have grown and changed as a person. At age 20, I must face it, I was really still a self-centered child. My world was centered on me and my husband and making our little home into a haven. Those are good goals, but it shouldn't be the entire focus of one's life.
I had a golden opportunity to really get to know my new husband's family and to bond with them. I was shy and lacking self-confidence - I was sure they would have rather had Jim marry his old girlfriend instead of me. Instead, I kept to myself and determined I was going to become the best cook and homemaker I could be. I would prove my husband had made the right choice!
I spent a lot of time learning to cook that first year. (Of course, I only cooked the things I liked which spelled trouble in the weight gain department.) I loved trying new things and often said some day I'd write a cookbook. (Does making my daughters a binder filled with family favorite recipes count?)It occurs to me Malia and I both have something in common about our 20th year - learning to cook was a priority for me and also is important to her. The difference is our method of learning. I relied on reading cookbooks and calling and asking my mom and my aunt questions. She relies on google and texting me questions. Just the other day, I received this text:
"Hey mom how do u make rice again?"
It's nice to be needed!
This post was written in response to Writer's Workshop prompt 5.) When you were your youngest child's age, what were you like? Would you have been friends with your child? Why or why not? I'd like to think I'd be friends with my child - we would definitely exchange recipes. For more ideas from writers, visit Kat's blog, "Mama's Losin' It."
Loved this post. My daughter was so far ahead of me. She learned to cook from me and my mom. She is much more adventursome in the cooking arena. She is a lot more adult about things than I was at her age. I had children...she does not. It is amazing though how much they are like/unlike us isn't it.
ReplyDeleteLOL! How do you make rice again? I STILL haven't worked that one out and I am 40! Great post!
ReplyDeleteRice is actually tricker than it appears. But luckily for me Costco sells brown rice already cooked in the freezer section.
ReplyDeletelovely post! I definitely thought I could conquer and save the world in my 20s. Sadly, that waned later. FYI: I'm 34 and STILL call my mom for how-to advice. You'll always be needed.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest is 12 and I was thinking the other day how much different I am as a mom of him now than I was when he was little. I have 17 years to go until my youngest is 20. It will be interesting to see how she needs me then too. Lovely post.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. I know from experience how it is to realize that you view your 20 yr. old child as an actual child :) when you were already raising a family at that age.
ReplyDeleteHi from MK's
Enjoyed your post. Seems like so long ago when we were that age. But I do think, even with technology today, some things never change. Needing mom.. for whatever reason. That made me feel good all over.
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