But I'm OLD enough!

My three year old is often saying, "When I was eight, I (fill in the blank)." The older boys and I chuckle. Age is SUCH a big deal in the eyes of children. My seven year old is obsessed with how old he is, and thinks that he is old enough for things my husband and I just don't think he needs right now (like a cell phone! What?? there is absolutely no reason for a seven year old to have one!) Trying to use the age card, my husband tells him, " I didn't get one until I was 20." That doesn't help.
Many of our battles around here, are trying to keep Caleb in the brief realm of childhood, and not letting him grow up faster than he should. The most disheartening thing is that he pushes and pushes and wants so badly to be older than he is. I know it's a normal desire, just like not wanting to get older when you hit the big 3-0. But if only he wasn't so much like his mama and he could just be content!
You wouldn't believe that this same child was scared to death to turn five. Every day for the entire year before, he would say, "I don't want to be five," and ever since he realized it wasn't so bad to have a birthday, he's been bull-dozing towards the next age as fast as he can. He's already anxious to be allowed to stay home alone, walk around the neighborhood by himself, and learn to drive Daddy's riding lawnmower!
SIGH.
I will constantly remind him for this last month of his seventh chapter, what an awesome seven year old he is- how blessed he is to only have to worry about legos, popsicles, and which friend to invite over. He is so insightful when it comes to our devotional times together, and I will remind him he is exactly who God wants him to be, at the perfect time when God wants him to be seven. All I can do is tell him these things. I can't change his desire or lessen his complaining, really. I just hope to look back on his childhood and reflect on the happy moments and not all these times of discontentment.