Only 13 Years Old

Next week my oldest turns 13. My first teenager! How quickly this happened makes my head spin. But his turning 13 also reminded me of someone I knew nearly 30 years ago.

Back in the dark ages when I worked at McDonalds I had a coworker who was in her mid 30s I think. We used to have to help her on the little tests we had to take where we had to show we know how long things had to cook, all the rules and regulations, etc. This was because she couldn't read very well.

The reason she couldn't read very well was because she got married at 13. If this isn't enough for you, she actually met her future husband for the first time when she was only 10. And he was significantly older as well, I think in his late 20s when he married her.

Once she was married, she went on to have 3 or 4 kids, I can't remember now. Because of this she never went to High School. I remember her saying she basically grew up with her kids since she was only a child herself when she got married.

So anytime she had to take an exam, we helped her read the questions and write her answers. She was a good person to work with and was ok with where she ended up I think. She didn't resent what had happened to her. And I think at that point she was long divorced.

But I think about that, and then I think of my son just turning 13 and it just blows my mind, the idea of someone marrying at this age and then becoming a parent so young.

I need to tell my son about her today and see what he thinks. Then I'll tell him he's not allowed to get married until he's 30. ;)