Full on pre-teen

On a fairly regular basis (at least more regularly than I'd probably like), Abby tells me about so-and-so who is "going out with" so-and-so (translation: they never talk to each other because they would like, die of embarrassment). Some girls have been going out with some boys since 4th grade. For others it's very new. For Abby it's confounding, I think. She doesn't have much interest, although she's very quiet about it. I think she tells me she's not interested in anyone because she knows that I think she's much too young for that. We talk often about the fact that you don't have to "date" someone just because you don't want to hurt their feelings. You only date someone because you actually want to. You don't have to be mean, but you have to keep your own self-interests at the forefront. And she tells me often that that's the same advice she gives her friends when they're debating whether to go out with someone or not.

Now, tonight I was talking to another mom of twin girls in her class. Apparently there were two sixth grade girls who went on a double date with two sixth grade boys. The boys went to the movie theater, bought tickets, the girls got dropped off, and they went to the movies together. In sixth grade! I am amazed at that. A DATE? Well, when we got home I mentioned this to Abby. She said no way. She knew about one of them but no way did the other girl go because she didn't even like that boy. I jokingly made a comment that I know more than she does about what's going on in the social lives of her friends, to which she promptly and very forcefully said, "You really need to get out of my sixth grade life."

Well then. I shall gracefully exit. But I can't promise I won't make the occasional cameo!