I’m recording my youth, one year per week. This week I’m talking about life in the 7th grade (age 12).
As a mother of daughters in the 6th and 9th grades, it is a little disconcerting to think back on my middle school and high school years. Granted, like my own daughters, I was a good kid and rarely got into trouble. However, by the time I entered the seventh grade, I was officially boy crazy.
I remember spending a good portion of my time, both in and out of school, thinking and dreaming about my latest crushes. I wrote and passed lots of notes (yes, I would have been a big texter if cell phones had been around in the late 80s). Because I never acted on my crushes at this age (in other words, my crushes lived only in my dreams and notes), they tended to last for a long time. I also had a tendency to become really good friends with the boys I liked, which worked both for and against me. On one hand, I had a lot of time with the boys I liked. They liked me….well enough to confide in me and tell me who they were crushing on….
At the beginning of my 7th grade year, my family had moved to a new home and I had left my childhood home and elementary school behind for a new start. I loved my new house and my new school, but I especially loved feeling like I was growing up. With a bedroom all to myself, a new type of school to attend, and a new set of friends to spend my time with, I felt like I had the world at my fingertips. After I turned 12, I was given permission to start wearing limited make-up (blue eye liner and mascara were a particular favorite), and I distinctly remember the day during the Summer after 7th grade when my friend and I went to the County Fair together. The children’s admission price was good for children up to 12 years, and so I told the lady at the ticket booth that I was 12 (in fact, it was several months before I was to turn 13). Not only did the lady not believe me, but she said, “If you’re really 12, you should have left your make up at home!” and made me pay the adult admission price. My mom was so upset when I told her at the end of the day that she took me back to the ticket booth and complained til we were given the difference back. Remember that, Mom?
My youngest sister was born the summer between 6th grade and 7th grade (right before our move) and I remember feeling like a little mommy to her, since I was old enough then to babysit and really help Mom out. I loved having another baby sister! My sister S, who was just 4 years younger than me, and I were taking piano lessons together, and we were able to play several duets together during the year.
When did you start wearing make-up, and were you as boy-crazy as I was in 7th grade?
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Yes, duets were a lot of fun. I’m not suggesting anything about your abilities…. just that my sister would only “let” me play the lower register. As adults, I enjoy reminding her of that a lot. It’s all in great fun. Actually I preferred the easier part anyway. She liked to add the cute trills and stuff.
Once we were playing duets while babysitting our baby brother and he pulled over the floor lamp, totally breaking the glass shade. Another family story by the piano!
I guess I was too much of a tomboy to want to wear makeup. Even in high school, I was more pals with the guys and thought of them more as “other brothers” rather than romantically.
Apparently that’s why I never dated much, too. But by the time I got to college, I had a complete change of heart. ;-)
Love your hair! Yeah not so much boy crazy in 7th grade I was still competing with them in a sports/playground sort of way.. didn’t realy make that switch until 8th/9th grade (when my Jr. High started).
Makeup? Never was a big fan. I wore a little in Jr. High, still don’t wear much. My daughter in 8th wears more than I ever did! :)
Me? Boy Crazy? NEVER! LOL Ok so maybe just a little bit!
My eldest will be 13 in January, so far no crushing and very, very infrequent make up application. My youngest on the other hand would sell her sister for a bra, lipstick and a date with Justin Bieber – all fun.
I definitely liked boys at that age, curled my hair with hot rollers and wore a little make up!!!
I had blue mascara too and didn’t start wearing it till I was 14 or 15. I love that your mom went back to the ticket booth to get her refund. Good for her!
I was 14 when I started wearing makeup, but 12 is the rule at our house now, so my oldest wears makeup already and my next one is begging me all the time to let her (she’ll be 11 in February).
I’m sure I started wearing make-up too young. I’m actually looking forward to the day when daughter #2 asks to wear make-up. Right now, she just wants to wear baggy jeans and big sweat-shirts. She’s such a pretty girl, and I wish she’d show it!
So are you suggesting that my little sister was the better musician? It would be totally correct (maybe not when I was 12 and she was 8…) We had fun!
I didn’t wear makeup till I was 17. At 13, I couldn’t have paid a guy to date me.
Love the photos of the piano duets! When my sister and I played together, I was always the lower register, because she was the better musician and she played the melodies. I also did a lot of baby sitting with my little brother. I do remember all the note passing in school and our clever methods!