Not Sure About This Growing Up Thing

So Abby is going to Fifth Grade Camp in a couple of weeks. I'm not worried about the epi-pen; the school nurse will be there. I'm not worried about her safety or anything like that... she's done this enough times that the reflexive oh-crap-she-might-eat-a-nut thoughts are few and far between.

We bought her a new sleeping bag (she has a really good one her dad bought, but it lives at the house she shares with him and he's out of town). And I was looking at the list of things they need to pack and on the list was deodorant.

Now, I am fully aware that she's eleven, and that these things happen to eleven-year-olds all the time (although I didn't need deodorant or a bra or anything else until I was thirteen, this post notwithstanding), but deodorant is a required item on the packing list.

I'm going to assume that's for parents who aren't aware that their kids are stinky. I checked. Abby's not.

Lizzy sometimes is, but she's Bouncy McGee and it's a different kind of stink anyway.

Anyway, now I have to buy deodorant for my eleven-year-old. Sheesh. And for those of you who feel this is an intrusion into parenting and an unfair cultural norm, well... you're right. But I remember the kid (we were in seventh grade, not fifth, but still) who nobody liked because she had such a terrible body odor. I don't want my kid to be that kid, and I don't feel strongly enough about this sub-topic to fight it, so I'll follow the rule.

Just yesterday (well, last week) she was doing cartwheels in front of QFC and trying to multiply by fours on the fly.

Dang. Feeling old now.