how a sixth grade party reverted me back to ninth grade self-consciousness

I chaperoned a sixth grade band pizza party last night. Can I just say that preschool/elementary school is MUCH more the age I feel comfortable with?! The kids did absolutely nothing at all wrong, yet I just felt so out of my element. They were much more content to giggle and whisper within their little groups than to interact with the larger group or parents there. (I am used to younger ages who seem really happy and excited to interact with parents/teachers. At Katie's class party earlier in the day, I got hugs or greetings from almost all seven of her classmates when I got there and Katie wanted to sit on my lap during the snack. Three year olds make you feel pretty loved.)

At one point in the evening last night, I could feel a table of six girls giving not so subtle looks in my direction over and over and over again. They were not necessarily unfriendly looks and I got a couple of smiles, but I will admit to feeling really self conscious after about thirty seconds. I could not figure out why these girls were so interested in me and I was starting to get uncomfortable. Was I dressed wrong? Did I have something on my face? Was my presence somehow an embarrassment to my tween age daughter?

Finally Gracie happened to get up from her table next to them and as she walked by, one of the girls said something to her in a low voice. Gracie and all of the girls laughed. I was even more confused.  Was I being teased by sixth graders?

To my relief, I was not being made fun of by a table of twelve year old girls. Gracie came over to me and said with a big smile, "They think it is freaky how much we look alike. They say they can't stop looking at you because it is so weird."

Alrighty then.