Tweens

Jane's ex school friend, who left New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina has been visiting here all week and last night four more ex classmates were here for a sleep over and re acquaintance. They are all 12, a most interesting age to say the least.
Can you remember what it was like to be a 12 year old girl? That age is a hard one to get through, not a child or adult, nor yet a teen they are a confused lot. Those "tweens" are still looking for an identity, trying not to be children and seeking to be a teen. Sometimes they even want to identify with adult behaviors. So it can be funny to observe them.
For instance, last night the girls mixed skin care potions for their faces that involved various "exotic" components we purchased the day before at health and grocery stores. The potions are for wrinkle reduction and facial skin tightening. What 12 year old has wrinkle problems (No! I didn't use any of the potion myself...I know you are thinking I might need it)? That's surely an adult practice.
They also acted like teens, making eating trendy teen style fruit and veggie trays for their snacks, but ordering take out pizza for dinner. And then playing "Truth or Dare" as a party game. (No, I didn't listen to what they dared or told as truths.....I am afraid to hear it. And how were the kids acting like their lost childhood? One example is the "we hear ghosts in the house" plea.
At 1 A.M. I was awakened by Jane saying there were noises that sounded like ghosts all about. So I ventured into the room where the kids were asleep and heard stories of noises on the roof that wee keeping them awake. I doubt there are ghosts and that the noises they imagined or heard are anything more than normal sounds form an air conditioning system or a branch from ate hitting a roof gutter.
In fact, the night before Jane and her out of town visitor insisted that they heard voices and couldn't sleep. I suppose last night they planted into the heads of the other kids the notion of ghosts roaming at night. Ha! Those are just a few examples of the shifting identities of 12 year olds. I can't imagine that age, for I have forgotten if I was in a similar state at 12, but on balance it's a whole lot easier for a parent to attend a 12 year old than one who is an overly energetic 6 year old or a terrible teen of 16.
Oops! I think I hear ghosts... or noises...I better get on with this....