Meet the Campbels. Our daughter.

It isn't easy raising children these days. My eldest daughter is studying her HSC this year, and is doing remarkably well if I do say so myself. I've already promised not to state any of the family names in this blog but all the same she was terribly unsure about me including a photo of her with this post, she agreed in the end as long as I promised not to implicitly identify it as her.

That said, the accompanying photograph may, or may not be of my daughter. And may or may not have been taken during our family trip to Switzerland for last years skiing season.

I sometimes think happy times like those are fleeting. When she was born it seemed like she would be my little girl for ever but now, on the cusp of university and womanhood I have come to cherish the times we remain as a family unit, under one roof.

Luckily we have been spared the problems so many have had to endure with their teenage daughters, but in fairness most of that is down to her good commonsense and Christian values. Of course I like to imagine that the wife and I played no small part in raising her to have the high self esteem and moral values that, the lack of which presumably play a part in teenage pregnancy, drugs and student politics.

As I write this post she is out with her friends from church after a busy morning of fellowship. One of the most uplifting things is to watch your daughter grow into a beautiful woman and we have all been blessed in that respect. Fortunately Miss Campbel has chosen to wait until she finishes university before she enters into a serious relationship with a boy, though I have noticed she spends quite a bit of time with a certain young lad from church.

Totally inappropriate as a potential husband, his father is in the building industry, but the wife says it's healthy for a young woman to experience innocent flirting. If it were up to me I would have a strong word with the youngster, he's not a bad kid, but obviously completely delusional if he thinks he stands a hope with my daughter. Of course, the wife says, she is mature enough to handle him effectively.

She enjoys horse riding, and is still a member of the local pony club, though she doesn't have much time for that these days. A very smart girl, I hope her siblings have half as much academic success. When she finishes university we expect her to find a husband with ease, she is a very attractive young lady after all, and settle down to raise a family.

Just yesterday she put her arms around me and said, "daddy, I'm so happy you are getting into the computer thing finally". "Why's that dear", I asked and she giggled, "so I will be able to email you when I'm in London next year".

Of course, she knows that we aren't all in the family entirely over the moon, so to speak, with her plan to spend a year in Europe on her own. It's hard enough to imagine her leaving home for university, especially since she wants to attend Melbourne Uni. But the wife and I prayed about it and decided that if she really wants to go then we might be able to accommodate her grand plans. She is such a mature young lady, it's heartbreaking yet makes me so proud at the same time to think she is becoming such a responsible and independent adult.