Friday 10 September 2010

Young Love



My 5 year old daughter, Ashley came home from school with this picture.
It is a lovely picture that she drew of herself and a boy in her class, Alex.

At first, she hid this from me, choosing instead to take her older sister Lauryn upstairs to their bedroom and show her. There were many hushed whispers emerging from their room until finally, Lauryn let out an almighty gasp before running downstairs to me with the picture clutched firmly in her hand.

"Mummy, Mummy! Guess what? Ashley's got a boyfriend, look!"

Reluctantly, Ashley emerged from her room and slowly makes her way to the living room. She was in tears.

After two continuous hours of crying, sobbing and wiping away snot, I finally got out of her why she was so upset.

Lauryn was tasked with the job of telling me that her sister has a boyfriend because Ashley, in her own words was 'too nervous' (Bless!) It turns out that Ashley took the initiative and asked her beau to be her boyfriend and (I think to her absolute surprise) Alex accepted.
Only now, Ashley has realised that having a boyfriend at the age of 5 is a huge responsibility and is now regretting the situation immensely!

Finally calming her down, we discussed how to break the news to poor little Alex. She decided that she would like to write him a letter to let him down gently... (Such a sensitive soul)

All is now as it should be, and my darling little Ash is calm once again. Having said that, I am absolutely dreading the teen years, with 3 girls and a little man. Hearts being broken, tears staining pillows and random thoughts of boyfriend swapping, clothes and makeup stealing and obsessions with siblings friends.. *pauses for breath* I'm left wondering if having four children was one of my better ideas?!


7 comments:

  1. It starts YOUNG! At 5 we were too busy playing kiss chase in the playground to think about actual boyfriends. Think schools might have banned that game now though...

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  2. Jesus! I wasn't even playing kiss chase at the age of 5! I remember walking around arm in arm with several girl friends chanting 'Who wants to play *insert random kids game here*' collecting extra pals from all 4 corners of the playground but never actually getting around to playing the game!!

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  3. Aww poor Ashley...I can relate to this. My own 5 year old, Maya has been carrying a torch for the same boy since she was 3 !!! It was love at first sight on both sides, the nursery trip on the North Norfolk railway myself and Ethan's mummy got to sit OPPOSITE the little lovebirds while they cuddled and Maya placed many a kiss on his cheek, with Ethan grinning like a cheshire cat. Sadly Ethan is in the year above Maya now (she started nursery early) and when we went round to play he called her a whining cry baby. Imagine her horror. But still, she smiles and blows him a kiss each time we see him. Now that's dedication!!! :O)

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  4. Problems with commitment at age five :-), bless!
    She is going to beak many hearts. Love the picture, definitely one to keep for the wedding speeches!

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  5. Aww Maya and Ethan, bless their hearts!!!

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  6. I thought the picture was rather fetching myself, Alethea!!

    It has taken pride of place in her scrapbook!
    (she wanted to throw it in the recycling bin, as she just doesn't love him anymore!!!)

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  7. (Very) Young love, eh! I remember, aged 6, my best friend Carla and I both went out with Luke Dyer at the same time because we wanted to share everything, be it chocolate, dolls or, well, boys. I'm not sure how well such an arrangement would have translated into our teen romances!
    The picture is brilliant. :-)

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