Mummy, Daddy and Me

Slow down!

Phoebe
"Mummmmmm, it's time to get up!" I heard Jess groan as she shook me. 'Mum'. She was feeling more teenagerish today. I hadn't had much experience with Jess's middle age. Well I had but it hadn't always been specified. I think, today, I had more 10-11 year old Jess rather than 2 year old Jess. I opened my eyes to see her at the side of the bed.
"Hey baby," I groaned, rubbing my eyes.
"I'm hungry," she grumbled, crossing her arms. I giggled.
"Go get breakfast then," I replied, going to roll over- only to tease her though.
"Noooo, you gotta come too!" She huffed, pulling at my arm.
"Okay okay." I threw the covers off myself and got up. Carter was fast asleep at the other side of the bed. He'd never experienced Jess in her middle space and part of me was excited to see his reaction.
"Mummmm, you're taking forever," Jess huffed, crossing her arms and stomping her foot.
"Go downstairs and wait for me in the kitchen. I need the toilet," I said, getting up. She nodded and walked away but I quickly followed her- remembering her nighttime predicament.
"Have you had an accident?" I asked, wrapping one arm over her shoulder. She blushed deep red and lowered her face before trying to squirm away from me. I smiled and held her tighter against me. "Have you?"
"Yes. It doesn't matter though," she mumbled. "Right?"
"Right munchkin. Do you want me to help you change?"
"No!" she gasped, getting even more embarrassed. I giggled again.
"Alright. Make sure you do though or else you'll get sore. Why don't you go now?" She nodded and went back to her bedroom. I went to the bathroom and then headed downstairs.

I knew that with Jess in this mental state, I'd have to plan something for today. Keeping an eleven year old entertained all day just in the house was a pain in the ass. I thought maybe I could take her shopping. She loves it in her middle space as she gets to try on all these 'fashionable' clothing styles. However, on second thoughts, that's more when she's in an older headspace- more 15,16.
I was brought out of my thoughts when she bounded down the stairs.
"Jessica. You walk in this house," I warned, looking at her as she came into the kitchen. She walked in wearing a bralette, a short skirt, fishnets and thigh high socks. I raised my eyebrows at her. Eleven year olds liked to push the boundaries.
"What do you think, mum?" she giggled, twirling. She twirled so fast her skirt flew up and I had a great view of her bum cheeks.
"You think I'm going to let you leave the house like that?" I asked. She frowned instantly. In all fairness, I would let her walk around the house like that but when she's around preteen age, I usually let her have her phone and if she's on it and on tiktok or instagram, she's going to be posting photos. Plus, I'm not letting her leave the house even in her big, normal mindset wearing a skirt that showed her ass- that was mine and Carter's only.
"Go get changed please," I said, nodding back up the stairs before turning around and beginning pancakes for breakfast. However, I heard a chair come out and she sat down at the table.
"Jess. I said go and get changed." I sighed. Today was going to be a long day.
"No."
"No?"
"No."
"I suppose you don't want your phone today then," I sighed, looking at her. Her eyes went wide for a split second but then she shook her head.
"Nope. I can live without it," she smirked and crossed her arms, thinking she was cocky. Come to think of it, maybe she was in a headspace older than eleven.
"Well then, no TV either. We'll see how far you get through the day without being bored out of your mind," I smiled sweetly at her.
"MUM!" She groaned, huffing.
"What little one?" I teased.
"Don't call me that. I'm not a baby. And-And you can't take the TV AND my phone!"
"I can and I did. Until you change out of such a revealing outfit, you're not having either. You also need to change your attitude," I said.
"Attitude?? Don't tell me Jess has woken up with an at-" Carter started. "What on Earth do you think you're wearing?" I laughed to myself as he came into the kitchen.
"It's called fashion, dad," Jess huffed. Carter's eyes grew wide at the statement and the name before looking at me, clearly very confused.
"She's regressed to an older age today, baby. She's more like twelve, thirteen, I'm thinking," I explained, leaning in to kiss him.
"EW! That's gross." Jess announced.
"Oh golly," Carter giggled, pulling away from the kiss.
"We have a handful today," I agreed before turning back to breakfast. Jess just groaned and slid further down her chair. Carter sat at the table, trying to talk to her. I laughed at his failed attempts.

After breakfast, Jess still hadn't changed.
"Can you go and get changed, Jess? Seriously?" I asked. I put my hands on her shoulders and leaned over her slightly.
"Why? I look good like this," she whispered, looking at me sadly.
"I'm not saying you don't. But girls like you can't go around showing that much skin in such a sexual way at such a young age. Go change and we'll go out," I said to her. She sighed.
"Will I get my phone then?"
"If you change, yes."
She slid her chair out and headed upstairs. I smiled at Carter who was sitting at the dining room table doing some paperwork.
"How often does she regress to that age?"
"Not often. It's usually triggered and she can't really help it. She must have had a bad dream last night, I don't know. How do you feel about it?" I sat down in Jess's seat.
"It's -" he paused and deliberated over what to say. "Different."
"It is different but I love it," I smiled.
"She's full of attitude," he laughed. "What do you love?" I knew he was only teasing.
"It's special though, the fact that she trusts me with all of these aspects of herself. It's special to me," I shrugged. Just then, Jess came back into the room. This time, she was wearing a pair of denim shorts and a white turtleneck. The outfit looked uncoordinated and silly but I remembered she was young.
"That's better!" I smiled and opened my arms to her. She smiled and came to sit on my knee. I held her close and kissed her head.
"Phone?" she asked quietly. I laughed.
"Get your shoes on and I'll go get your phone. Carter get yours on too."
"Where are we going?"
"To the park," I smiled. Spring had quickly descended on us and Easter was around the corner.
"Really?" Jess jumped to her feet, excited.
"Really princess. Go get your shoes on!" She ran to the front door where we kept our shoes and I went upstairs. I kept her phone in a drawer in my bedroom. She had access to it whenever she needed it obviously but I hated the idea of her getting a hold of it when she's too far in headspace to understand what she's doing.

"Hold my hand," I said to Jess, holding it out. She looked at it, looked me up and down and then crossed her arms. "Jessica." I warned. She huffed and held my hand.
"That's better, my baby," I teased and kissed her head. She squirmed and tried to get away from me.

The park was my favourite thing about this time of year. It was huge play park near the town hall and a gorgeous wildlife walk. All year round, there were adventure parks, a petting zoo, cafes and other events at the time of year. For example, at Christmas, they held mini craft markets. Jess loved them!
"Come onnnnn, mum!" Jess screeched, pulling at my hand and running to the queue to enter an Easter egg hunt. I giggled and turned to Carter. He was given the bag to carry.
"This is fun!" He smiled, hurrying forward and joining Jess.
"Daddd!" She cheered and wrapped her arms around him. I smiled at them, snapped a picture and then joined them in the queue.

"Mum! Look I found one!" Jess cheered, running straight up to an egg. I giggled and joined her. She picked up the egg, put in the basket she was carrying and carried on searching. We were in the woodland area and there were lots of little kids around but Jess was having the time of her life. I was super well organised too! They had time slots and then each person was only allowed to collect 10 eggs to get a big egg at the end.
"How many have you got now munchkin?" Carter asked, catching up to her. Jess paused and looked in her basket. She began counting but got herself a little confused. I watched her as she looked up at me, silently asking for help. I smiled sympathetically and went and helped her.
"Hold out your hands then, daddy," I teased to Carter. He did so. I began putting the eggs from Jess' basket into his hands and we counted together.
"What's after four bubba?" I asked. She looked at me.
"Seven," she mumbled, putting the egg into Carter's hands. He chuckled and I shook my head.
"Try again."
"I don't know, Mum," she groaned, crossing her arms and turning away. I sighed and finished counting on my own. She had nine.
"You need to find one more, come on," I took her hand and went to pull her but she stayed routed to the spot. God, this girl and her mood swings. I looked at her and her eyes were all teary. I gave Carter the basket to put the eggs back in and bent down in front of Jess.
"One more to go baby! Are you going to help me find it?"
"I stupid," she muttered, scuffing her feet on the ground.
"No you're not!" I took hold of her hands and encouraged her to raise her head. She looked at me and then around at the other kids.
"They can count," she grumbled.
"And you can too! You just need a little bit of help darling. Daddy and I are here to help you!"
"I don't want your silly help!" She huffed and stomped away, out of the woods. I sighed and looked at Carter.
"I'll get her the last egg and the big egg- you go follow her." He said. I nodded and followed Jess out of the woods. She was walking very angrily and I needed to calm her down.