Dear Kayleigh,
Happy 13th birthday sweetheart, you are officially a teenager, send help! I’m just kidding, you are not in the terrible teenage years just yet!
It’s so hard to get out the words I want to say to you this year, we thought 2020 was tough following the start of the pandemic but let’s be realistic, it doesn’t even touch the surface for how 2021 has turned out. Yet throughout all of the ups and downs, you are still just being you. I know under the surface you have been worried but you just make us so proud with the way you handle everything.
Now well into your year 8 at high school, you have taken this year in your stride. Year 7 gave you a little wobbly, but we worked things out and it wasn’t long before you carried on as normal but this year I have seen a change in you. It is almost as though you have hit the ground running and taken everything in this year. After telling us you had no plans to do any afterschool club, you have now joined the netball team and are due to play your first game for the school in the next few weeks. You don’t fear your French lessons like you did last year, now, let’s not make that sound as though you love them but you are now at least tolerating them.
It’s scary to think that next year you are going to be almost at the point where you will be picking your GCSE subjects. You still have no idea what you want to do when you grow up and do you know what? That is ok, with so many years of working life coming up, you don’t need to have everything mapped out yet. Just pick the subjects that you love, you will find that you will do better when it is a subject you enjoy learning.
Teenage years are tough, especially in high school. Girls can be bitter and it is a little minefield, but thankfully you have found a group of friends you really like.
Just remember though to be yourself.
Over the coming weeks, months and years so much will change and trying to fit yourself into the mould of what you think is the “perfect friend” might sound like a great idea now but you are not the only one changing and growing up. The friends that will be there at the end are the ones that love you for being you, so do just that.
Whatever happens in the next 12 months, just keep being you, keep smiling and keep going. It may be a bumpy start to the end of 2021 and the start of 2022 but I know you are going to smash it.
We are so proud of you sweetheart.
Lots of love
Mummy & Daddy
