My daughter turned 15 2 weeks ago. Since then she has been on 2 dates with this boy she met at her karate school. He is just shy of 17.

Not only that, but she has discovered online chatting. The pc is in my room, so I can look over her shoulder. From what I've seen she is chatting with friends and the BF (who I haven't been introduced to).

The kid seems nice; clean cut and respectful. he is a black belt, works at Kmart, is a junior in high school, and plays trombone in the marching band. Not exactly the rebel type. But he seems a little snobby. The town he lives in his an upscale swanky one.

So I'm watching my little girl grow up and its scaring me, making me sad, and concerned. How fast is she growing up? Too fast? I don't know. She doesn't hang around downtown like some kids do. She never gets in trouble. I've never gotten calls from the school or anything. She's going through confirmation at our church (which was her idea).

I don't know. I'm under some pressure at work lately and the combination of that and watching my daughter change has really got me down. I guess I am just scared about the future.

We're growing apart. We don't do anything anymore. We used to watch movies on the weekends. I used to take her and her friends to the movies. We used to play tennis. Now that's all changed.

I guess this is all normal, but being a single dad jsut makes it harder, I guess.

I just dont want to lose my little girl. But that is inevitable, I guess.

quote:

I guess this is all normal, but being a single dad jsut makes it harder, I guess.

I just dont want to lose my little girl. But that is inevitable, I guess.

Yep jon.....it's hard to see our little girls blossoming into young women. Sounds like she's quite a respectable young lady and you should be proud of that. I know that it's hard, my daughter turned 15 in Jan., I know how hard it is to watch them begin practicing some of their own independence and standing by hoping that what we've been teaching them over the years was good enough and that they listened enough and that they will hopefully use what we've taught them in their decision making process.


*whispers* and we keep an open eye on what they are up to without making it too obvious so we can pull the reins back in a little if need be

My daughter is far from the grown up stage being she is only 3 but I do remember my dad acting weird when I hit 16! I had my first boyfriend, I wasn't spending as much time going fishing or biking with him and I remember him asking me to do things with him on the weekends and such and me doing things with the bf instead.

Now that I'm older I am spending more time with my dad but as I look back, I didn't realize it then that I was ignoring him so much. When I was 18 and moved out 3 days after graduating . . . my dad cried and didn't say a word as he drove me to my apartment and helped me unload my things. He then gave me a hug and kiss and big tears fell down his cheeks as he got in his truck and drove home. He didn't talk to me for 2 weeks after I moved out. He wasn't mad but more sad that I had grown up and moved out so quickly. I dont think he was ready.

I honestly dont think any of us are ready when they get older. SO my heart goes out to the daddies who have little girls that are growing up too fast for them

Oh gosh SB you're gonna make me cry now!
lol

God, it's so scary. You're right Don; all we can do is hope they learned the right and wrong things to do. She seems like she has her head on her shoulders right.

I remember being a teenager and treating my mother like ****. I remember resenting her and not wanting to be anywhere near either parent, especially my mother.

I one way I'm lucky in that her mother is gone so I'm all she has left, so she has to stay tied to me in a way. Although I really wish her mom was still with us.

I never know when to rein in and when to let go. The thing with the computer has me nervous. I don't want her getting in touch with potentially bad people. I asked her about chatting with starngers and she said "Of course not dad, I'm not dumb!"

I just hope she is serious.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bikejon:
"Of course not dad, I'm not dumb!"[\QUOTE]

HAHA I remember using this line on my dad a lot. He would always smile and say "okay, if you say so." but he was just teasin.

Sorry to make you cry I will always be my dad's little girl and we will always have that special bond. Kai has that bond with him also and now Kai says "I'm Papa's Princess not yours!" As if I didn't already know that.

Dont worry bikejon . . . little girls always love their daddies no matter how old they get

Thank you! That is very encouraging!

Man... I can't even start thinking about that...


But I am glad you guys brought all this up. Makes me cherish all the time that I have right now with her all the more. I can imagine how hard that was for your dad Smshy.

I can remember putting my parents through the same **** when I was a teen. Wanting nothing to do with them and wanting freedom with my friends.

As a matter of fact, this thread has made me want to call up my parents and apologize!

It is so normal for teens to push away from their parents. I think it's actually something biological that happens, so that when teens are young adults, they may have the strength to move out, go off to college, and begin their adult lives.

If they didn't do that, they'd be living with us forever!

I really like the point that smshybug made - that we girls will always have a special place in our lives for our daddies. What it looks like will change, but it will always be there.

quote:

Originally posted by AKnightInTheMaking:
I can imagine how hard that was for your dad Smshy.

I think my dad still has a hard time with me being an adult and having a child for that matter. He started telling me stories lately of when I was a kid and the things I would do.

When I was 10, I was on a sled with my sister going down the hill in the back of our house. The sled quickly turned for some reason and hit a tree. I hit the tree with my head and my sister basically just got a black eye. My dad saw it happen and was running up the hill in no time. My sister was crying so my dad knew she was alright. Me on the other hand . . . I was out cold with my head buried in the snow and when my dad picked me up, my eyes were rolled back in my head and I wasn't moving. He said that was the scariest day of his life and it seemed to last an eternity. He had tears in his eyes when he told me.

I guess my point here is: I will never fully know how much my dad loves me, but I know that he does. I do understand, now that I have Kai, how much a parent can love a child and let me tell you . . . I would have been lost without my dad. To this day, I dont know what I would do without him.

No one, not even a husband, can come between my dad and I. The bond we have is stronger than any other . . . well Kai and his bond is alot stronger but that's fine with me. My dad is a good Papa.

Bikejon and Knight: I know your little girls will always love you and you will always love them. You are both doing a great job from what I know of you two and just remember, they may get older but they will still be your little girls

Ok you guys have to stop it.

You're making me want to just walk out of work and go pick up my little wee one and head off to the beach or Busch Gardens for the day. Or maybe just pick her up and love on her a ton.

It really makes me want to slow time down and stretch this out. My GOD the twos have been rough but she is just growing and changing so fast. She isn't even 3 yet and she is going to be out of her 3T pj's in a heartbeat. I swear I just bought them a few months ago and they were SO big and baggy on her. When the heck did she grow so much?!

The little brat even has a new weapon in her arsenal... the "I don't like you" bomb. She has been dropping that one lately. Gotta love daycare. Geez, cut a dad a break there little one.


I just wish I had more patience with her... things like this help when she punches my buttons for the millionth time. She just might make it to adulthood if you guys keep it up.

quote:

Originally posted by AKnightInTheMaking:
the "I don't like you" bomb. She has been dropping that one lately.

HAHA welcome to the party dad!! lol
Kai does the "I'm not talking to you." But she's still cuddly.

Oh and BTW, kai is 3 and wears 4-5T shirts and 3-4T pants

Binta's "bomb" was "You're not coming to my birthday party!" whenever she was mad at me.

My response: "Honey, I AM the birthday party!" lol!

Haha that's a great comeback!