Raising My Best Friend

Your daughter is not your best friend. Your daughter is not your friend. Your daughter should not be your friend. But who says I can’t raise her to be? My mother instilled this within me at a very young age – she was my mom, not my buddy. Now that doesn’t mean my childhood and teenage years weren’t full of love, fun, trust and adventures – because they were, I assure you. Those years were the successful transition to what lead me to be the person I am today – best friends with my mom.

For certain, there’s got to be a fine line and balance between love, nurturing and discipline. Setting boundaries is the key ingredient to successful parenting. The paramount in this is really to just practice what you preach and be a good role model for your daughter. Portray qualities she’ll admire and respect – humor, patience, peace, respect and more. Spend as much time with your kids as you can / that they’ll let you as they grow up. Go on journeys, day trips, a trip to the mall, go out to eat, get your nails done just you and her. Make each other feel good whilst installing self worth, killing two birds with one stone.

Along with communication between mother and daughter, supporting her passions and dealing with my personal issues in a way that won’t impact my daughter- there’s one thing that will connect you and your daughter to the next level of “just mom” but in-between “(best) friends.” Make them understand you’re a real person – not just mom. It took me way to long to realize this and appreciate my own mother as more than a mom.

Can a mom be too close to her daughter? Nah. I don’t think so. Mom’s and daughters are supposed to be close! Right? That’s why they make matching outfits right? Haha.  I am my mom’s mini me and my daughter is only 5 months old and she’s already my mini me -adapting some of my little quirks.

Let’s face it Mom knows and understands you best, especially after raising you for your entire life. First the mom and forever the friend. It’s one of the most rewarding things that can happen. I love my mom for this fact. I  genuinely enjoy everything about her inside and out. We were not pals when I was a kid – she was fun and authoritative  in moderation but she did good. I will do good. First I’ll be Maxly’s mom; forever I’ll be her friend.