I still grapple with the idea of being the mom of a 16 year old. The thought astounds me every time it crosses my mind. The way friends and family look at me when they say “wow, you’re the mom of a 16 year old” confirms they feel like I do. Parenting has been my greatest gift. It has also been the part of my life moving the swiftest. The memory of my daughter’s birth is still quite fresh for me. I almost remember everything about that day. How I felt, what the doctor and nurses said to me during delivery, and that very moment I beheld her for the first time. The experience was simply wonderful.
Fast forward 16 years later and find myself continuing to look at her in amazement. My daughter is becoming this beautiful, smart young lady right before my eyes. This is why my family and I had to celebrate her in the manner we did.
We don’t have that “MTV, My Sweet 16” kind of money, so there wasn’t an expensive car, celebrity entertainment or lavish, over the top party. We honored her the way every young lady should be celebrated when she reaches such a significant age and begins the journey into womanhood.
Now I can’t take any of the credit for this idea, my sister was the mastermind. She decided that we have a luncheon for my daughter, but not just any old luncheon. So, the wording on the invitation read:
She is fortunate enough to be surrounded by women of great character, faith, intelligence and strength. Each of us has forged our way to being successful women. Some of that road we had to navigate alone. Much of it we walked with support from others.This is our time to walk with her and offer the benefits of our experiences as she navigates her path to becoming a successful woman. During our celebration, each woman in attendance will be asked to say a few words and present her with a token that represents an experience, quality or truth that she should carry with her as she transforms from being our little girl to being our young woman. Your token can be anything! It can be a relic from your past, a symbolic representation of your truth, or a special gift that you would like to present to her. You don’t have to think big and you don’t have to think expensive – think truth, knowledge, experience and what you wish you knew at 16 that you now know
From the moment the invitations were sent, I knew this event would travel with my daughter for many years to come. What I didn’t know was the affect it would have on all the attendees. There were tears as each woman proceeded to tell my daughter just how amazing she was and their future hopes for her. Each shared their own unique pearls of wisdom on what they learned while becoming a woman. The gifts ranged from a diva survival kit to a mirror with phrases like confident and powerful painted on it. It was magical. The ages of the guests ranged from 22 to 81 and every presentation was awesome. The gifts were great but the variety of insights on becoming a woman were priceless.
If you find yourself looking for new ideas on Sweet 16 celebrations or other momentous occasions, I definitely recommend this one. I am grateful our family and friends took this opportunity to share and support my daughter on her journey into becoming the woman God intended her to be.
BMWK, in what creative ways have you celebrated your children?