Being a mom, especially to a soon-to-be teenager like Xavy, means constantly encountering the great unknown. What’s going on in that head of his? What are the latest trends I’m completely oblivious to? What’s really behind that sigh and eye-roll? Sometimes, not knowing the answers to these Xavy-related mysteries can actually be… okay.

I remember when Xavy was younger, around seven or eight. He suddenly became super interested in a particular type of rock he’d find in the schoolyard. He’d spend hours examining them, lining them up, and talking to them in hushed tones. Honestly, I had absolutely no clue what the fascination was all about. My instinct was to pry, to ask a million questions, to try and understand this new obsession. But a wiser friend (another single mom, naturally!) suggested I just let him explore. She pointed out that sometimes kids need their own little worlds, their own interests that don’t need adult explanation or interference.

So, I backed off. I’d ask general questions, showing interest without demanding details. And you know what? That phase eventually passed, replaced by an equally intense interest in building elaborate Lego structures. I never fully understood the rock phase, but Xavy was happy, engaged, and learning something on his own. It taught me that sometimes, not knowing every single detail of what’s going on in Xavy’s world isn’t a bad thing. It gives him space to grow, to figure things out independently, and to just be a kid with his own unique interests, even if they remain a little mysterious to his sometimes-clueless mom.