A Daughter’s Go-To Guidelines
Don’t give up. When you give up, you are asking your mom to give up on you. Instead of stating, “She’ll never get me or trust me and she’ll always embarrass me,” help her to meet the real you.
Stay real. Be authentic and genuine (no BS). If you want to talk, try starting with a simple, “Hey, Mom, I’ve got something I want to talk to you about. Could just the two of us consult for a minute?” Yes, your mom may be eerily on point sometimes, but she can’t actually read your mind (Surprise!).
Build the relationship you want and need. It’s the one where you get along. She listens when you’re talking and you want to listen, too. It’s normal for this to take work. When you choose to be half of this two-person team that’s key to your well-being, teenage life becomes easier. I call it the art of daughtering. Just imagine what life could be like if your mom was your greatest ally.
Connect with Eliza Reynolds via MotheringAndDaughtering.com.
