Neal

We went on family vacation for two weeks. Along with us came my mother and she brought my neice. I've never beem good at remembering people ages and for most of the trip I thought my neice was 10.5. This is mainly due to the fact she about 4ft 3, 60lbs. But her behavior and interests were also simular to most 10 year old girls. About half way through the trip somebody asked her how old she was and she stated she'll 13 in 2 months. At first I thought she was joking or wanting people to think she was older than 10, but my mother confirmed she almost 13. My mother said most of her friends are 10-11 years old because that is the age group where she fits in and shares common interests.

During the trip we stayed at lodge owned by friends of the family. They had also invited other families to stay at the lodge. There were a few other kids there ranging in age from 12-15 and they all had good time socializing and playing card games. My daughter had a great time, but my neice had no interested in socializing with the other kids. It appeared for her, the other kids we doing activities that were for older kids, not kids her age. She mainly wanted to stay in the cabin and watch disney movies.

A couple of the 12-13 year old boys thought she was cute and firted with her initially, but it only scared her to get that kind of attention from boys she perceived to be much older than her. It was like a 12 year old reacting to unwanted firting from a college age guys. My daughter had to explain to her later they they were being friendly because they liked her and thought she was cute.

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Boxer_Isis

She sounds a lot like I was. At that age I was still very much a child while all my age mates where really getting into their teen thoughts and ways. It allowed me to stay a child longer I think. I am actually hoping my dd is that way. It will make my life a lot easier if she dosnt get into boys until she is in her late teens

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Neal

My niece definitely has very little interest in socializing with boys of any age.

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Kaytee

well its good and bad that she is like that. I see the good side for obvious reasons like Boxer said. I would worry socially/ emotionally though. She is going into Jr. high and well those kids are MEAN, I would hate for her to be outcasted because of it.

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jenilouise

Socially she may just be a little more shy and not quite as into boys as most girls her age. Maybe the fact that she is so small for her age has something to do with that. It's possible that her hormones have not kicked in yet. My mother was also very tiny and didn't have her first menstrual cycle until she was 15 nor did she date until after high school.

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Kaytee

yay I was a late bloomer as well.. though I liked boys... they didn't like me. lol Once I hit about 16 and had bbs lol, then they liked me!

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Neal

Physically she looks like a slightly mature 10 year old because she's developed enough to get the interest of 12-13 year old boys, but even they assume she is a cute 10 year old. Being so small she is non threating to such boys who want to flirt with girls. Like most 10 year olds, she is oblivious to the world of sex. She probably aware of it, but has no interest or curiosity.

She will be starting middle school next year, and like Kaytee pointed out, kids can be ruthless at that age in terms of teasing each other. Hopefully she won't become a target for one reason or another. I remember a friend I had back when I was that age, and bullies and cruel minded girls harassed him every single day from 6th - 8th grade. The type of harassment that these days triggers school shooting out of desperation and schools try to prevent.

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Mango

I'd have to say I was pretty much like Boxer. Maybe it had to do with the fact that there were other younger kids around me most of the time, but I was actually still pretty interested in Barbie and Disney movies at that age too. That being said, A LOT changed between 12 and 12.5-13 I started to notice boys just all of a sudden.

It's also worth noting that maybe she'll just never like boys 1 in 8 people are gay. Presumed heterosexuality can sometimes cause kids to "hang on" to childhood longer, for fear of having to make "that" decision.

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If parents snicker at racial and gender jokes, another generation will pass on the poison adults still have not had the courage to snuff out. -- Marian Wright Edelman

RaisingHavoc

1 in 8. That was a really awesome thing to add. That never occured to me.

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Married since '05, DD age 6, Havoc 3

“You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back.” -William D. Tammeus

Neal

Interesting that you bring that up because I actually had similar thoughts. My niece is the first girl I've been around who outwardly appears to not too have any interest in boys what-so-ever. She is almost a mirror opposite of our daughter who always enjoyed the company of boys and feel very comfortable being around them. My niece often completely ignores all boys and men when they are around, and becomes anxious to distance herself from them almost immediately.

Overall, she is definitely under developed for her age, so most likely in a couple of years things will change a lot.

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