To my little sister,

I know you are eager to grow up. I know that you want to get out of the house. You want to make your own rules and be your own boss. You have grown into an incredibly independent and talented young women, and I couldn't be more proud of how your work ethic and drive has grown over the years. As impressed as I am with how far you have come, I still think there is one thing you aren't doing quite right. You aren't enjoying your high school career.

I'm afraid that your hunger for adulthood is keeping you from enjoying being a kid. I know that you don't like curfews. You don't like chores. You don't like being bossed around. But as weird as it sounds, sometimes as an adult, you miss those things. Don't get me wrong, being an adult comes with its perks, but also a lot of responsibility. So enjoy the constantly stocked fridge. Enjoy the home cooked meals. Enjoy the clean laundry. Enjoy the nonstop company. Take advantage of it all. Soak it in. Someday you will be sitting on the coach eating a hot pocket for dinner and you'll think, I wish mom was here. Oh, and enjoy high school too. I mean the actual school part. You might not think so now, but once you get to college you will realize how easy it really is.

Not only should you be taking this time to enjoy the luxury of living at home, you should also be using this time to learn about yourself, and be open to changes. Set your standards and set them high. Learn about love, and the importance of loving yourself before you can love anyone else. Learn how to respect others. Set goals for yourself. Work hard to achieve them, and if you don't, accept your failure with grace and learn from it. You are already a fantastic young woman, I just want to make sure you savor every moment in your life. So please, try not to grow up too fast.

I am so proud of you.