Showing some independence

(Image by Jack Moreh/FreeRangeStock.com)

As I dropped off my daughter for after-school care on Monday, I watched from the driver’s seat of our car as she walked up the steps and turned toward me for a moment.

Just as I have many times before, I put my hands in the shape of a heart and then pointed at her. Unlike other times, she didn’t do the same thing back to me. Instead, she shook her head no, turned away from me and went inside.

It’s possible she was just tired. Monday was her first day in school after a two-week teacher walkout across Oklahoma, and being back in class had taken a toll on her. The entire drive from the elementary school she had been rather quiet. So yeah, maybe she was just tired and needed to get back into the school-day routine.

But I wonder it's something bigger than that. Could it be the beginning of the long process of her exerting her independence? Over the past few days, she has asked for my help less and has seemed stingy with hugs.

She is definitely growing up, and it's happening faster than I ever imagined.

Thankfully, though, for every two steps she takes away from me, she takes one step toward me. On Tuesday, the very next day, she talked me ear off all the way to after-school care and told me she missed me.