My seven-year-old daughter spent last weekend at her best friend’s house.  After having a sleepover on Friday night, she asked if she could sleepover on Saturday night too.  I explained that it’s not polite to ask to be invited over to someone’s house.

“Why?” she wanted to know.

“Because we don’t want to impose.  Besides, you can’t just move in with them.  You have a home.”

This gave her an idea.  She turned to her friend’s mother and asked, “Will you adopt me?”

I suppose this shouldn’t have surprised me as much as it did.  She’s been independent from the day she was born and has never really needed her mother.  This isn’t the first time I’ve caught her plotting ways to move out.  It’s not that she’s discontent at home.  It’s just that, at seven, she’s ready to move on with her life.  I’ve also overheard her mention getting her own place “in the city,” and she keeps insisting that she’s ready to go off to college already.

My four-year-old, on the other hand, has indicated that she never wants to move out.  She just wants all her grandparents, aunt, uncles, cousins, and friends to move in with us.