This relationship is one that I struggle with on a daily basis.
I am not going to get into my relationship with my mother as I have not spoke with her to see if she would be ok with being on the web.
I am going to be sharing my struggles of having a daughter right from the day she was born.
Our daughter was born to us 11 years ago. She has been a fire cracker and her own person right from the get go. She has never responded well to the word no.
She is a social butterfly once she is comfortable. She can be quiet and reserved . Her quietness was the first struggle that I had. I am a wee bit outgoing and that could be an understatement. I had and still have a hard time with how reserved she is. She would rather sit in her room and colour and draw then be socializing with family and friends.
She is very athletic. She has done several types of riding horses, equestrian vaulting, cross country running and mountain biking. These are all things she loves doing however she just loves doing them she could care less if she won or not. She definitely did not get my competitive drive. It is so hard not to push push and push her to try harder and to win.
She is a questioner. This was horrible as a toddler because the why's would just not end. Now as she is getting older the questions are getting more difficult. the questions that she is now asking are going to change her way of thinking for life.
I am trying to let her become herself, find the things she loves and to encourage her to try new things.
It is really hard for me to try not to make her into a mini me. There is part of me that wants her to do everything I do. I want her to spend all her free time with me. Then I stop and think, wait I don't want to be her best friend. I want to be her mother.
Here are my top five practices to being a better mom
1. Stop and take the time to listen to what your daughter is really saying
2. get to know her friends
3. be a parent not a friend
4. tell her she is enough everyday
5.ask her what is important to her
As we get ready to enter the teen years I am looking forward to watching my girl grow.