Facts of Life...

There are advantages and disadvantages of having older siblings. One disadvantage is that one's innocence of some of the facts of life does not remain as long... For instance at the age of seven my second oldest believed me implicitly when she expressed fear of having to leave home - when I told her, truthfully, that she would be allowed to live with us forever fo ras long as her little heart desired. She had no reason to not realize that while she was welcome to stay - she would actually want to leave at some point in her future.

Emma, on the other hand, has witnessed two family members moving out and on with their lives, and saw another sibling who already lived away from home, get married. And still yet another move out of the country.

So while I still issue the same heartfelt invitation to live with us forever, whenever she expresses the thought that she NEVER wants to leave home; she is actually cognitive of the fact that children do grow up and leave home as witnessed in the following conversation.

Emma: 'Mummy I am worried!'

Mummy: 'What are you worried about?'

Emma: 'I am really going to miss you.'

Mummy: 'Miss me? Where am I going?'

Emma: 'No where. I am going to really miss you when I get married and move away and I am worried about that!'

Ahh yes, when you are amongest the younger of 12 children, you simply have to face the facts of life a little earlier than your older siblings.


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