Flirt

Like most people, I was an awkward adolescent. I was the nerdy girl growing up. Beyond that, I was also convinced that I was unattractive. But despite all of that, I've consistently tested as an extrovert on every one of those personality tests I've ever taken. For Girl Scouts they even have a personality classification test that characterizes you as a bird:  owl, eagle, dove, or peacock.

I'm a showy peacock.

Anyhow, recently my 13 year old daughter told me that I'm a flirt. And not with just random adult men, just with any men. Including her uncles and cousins. I told her that I may seem flirty but that is just my extroverted nature. I'm not flirting with my nephews. Ewww.... She disagreed. Then I asked what I'm like with women. She said that I'm outgoing with them. I think it's just perception then.

The point of this blog post is just to say that I had one of those moments with my daughter this morning and you needed the background to understand it.

Her:  Mom, being the way you are, when you were growing up, did you ever have a friend who is a boy and he got the wrong idea about you and liked you?

Me: Oh honey, yes. This is going to be a problem for you.

Her:  What do you do about it?

Me: You're just going to be straight with him.

Her: That's not helping.

Me:  Just tell him you're not into him. That you love him like  a brother. That you value his friendship.

Her: Are you still friends with those guys?

Me:  Some. Not at first, but later, yes.

Is it bad of me to be a little thrilled that this is starting for her? It's scary and exciting and fun. She's starting to flex those muscles that adult women don't remember ever not having. And at that age, you're just a bag of hormones and reaction. There's no easy way to navigate these waters.

I'm sure this will be the first of many conversations we'll have like this. But I do wonder if I'll want to flense the first boy to break her heart.

Probably.