Magpie preparing her nest

In France, at 14, all the kids are asked by school to have a compulsory work experience which lasts a week. My daughter's teacher asked the kids not to go through their parents but rather try and find a workplace on their own. My daughter contacted her favorite video game store and was accepted. For a few days now she's been going to work every day. She manages to wake up every morning on her own, she accepts to take something for breakfast, she takes a shower everyday and hasn't been wearing her trainers for days. She does everything from helping customers to sweeping the floor ! It's the first time I've seen her so happy since she started school 11 years ago, she radiates energy and charm. I'm amazed and soo proud. But I'm beginning to feel old and humbled, beginning to foresee the day when she'll spread her wings to fly out of our little nest... Obviously, we parents are there for that, to prepare them to fly on their own, but I can feel our bond moving. It seems only yesterday that we felt anxious for her first day in school :o)