Raising a Six Year Old Who Thinks She's Twenty

Kaeley has always considered herself older than she really is. It causes much strife in our relationship as I almost daily remind her she's not my peer or co-parent. I'm the mom and if I need her opinion I'll ask for it.

Well, today I needed her help, I asked for it, and having a child think she's adult stuck in a child's body really paid off.

Don't ask me why, but last night I woke up with the waves of yuckiness we all know and hate. I began having horrible stomach cramps. They were so bad I was questioning why it is I volunteer for a drug-free labor. I tried using pain-relief techniques as the stomach aches would come and go. I was able to go back to sleep about an hour later. Two hours later I woke up and got sick. Two hours after that I woke up and got sick. Before I knew it the alarm clock was telling me it was time to get dressed and do my devotions before the children woke up. Well, that didn't happen. Brad got up and I stayed in bed. I heard the children awake and I stayed in bed. My stomach didn't hurt any more, but I was exhausted. As Brad kissed me good-bye I told him that if we had older children I could tell them to fend for themselves as I took another two hours. Then I remembered there was an adult stuck in a six year old body living with us. I asked Brad to ask her if she wouldn't mind making Cheerios for the younger ones while I inched my way out of bed.

Well, of course, she went for it with full gusto! She didn't make them Cheerios either. She made them oatmeal with water and milk. She flavored each bowl with 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar! She knocked on my door later saying, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're sick." Then she stood there for a little while. She said, "I thought maybe God made you sick to test me. You know, to see if I could really make breakfast and be nice to my brother." She shrugged, "I don't know." I doubt God sent me a bad night to test Kaeley's ability, but just in case He did she passed with flying colors.