This Daughter Of Mine …
I used to think that Paige was just perfect between the ages of 7 and 10. I fondly look back and call that time period “The Golden Years” for the following reasons:
- She thought that I knew everything and reveled in awe about how smart I was.
- We started having adorable 2-way conversations about abstract topics like religion – Me: Do you believe in God? Paige: No, I believe in Gods.
- She started telling silly jokes and thought that she was H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S (therefore she was hilarious).
- I could sew her a wizard’s cloak and she thought I was magic.
- She still let me hold her hand.
After the age of 10, Paige started to turn on me. She started making me do things like go to Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister and Gilly Hicks all in one day (which is just cruel). She ran up my phone bill by sending something like 15,000 text messages in one month (this really happened). She started spending all of her free time on an island and not with me (and now I live on that same island just so I could spend more time with her). She stopped holding my hand (even when no one was looking). Obviously, this was all very traumatic for me.
Lately though, I have started to think that we’ve hit another magical period in our relationship. I thought this wouldn’t happen again for a long while – especially after a series of meltdowns and those four dark, dark months where every sentence started with, “I MOVED TO THIS ISLAND FOR YOU ….” Just the other day as we were walking next to each other she threw her arm around my shoulders and said, “I am taller than you.” My point is, she actually made physical contact with me – in public even!
I’ll try not to hope for such a radical shift in mother/daughter dynamics. I don’t expect that I will stop using the “I moved to this island for you …” line anytime soon (I’ve gotten too attached to the phrase). But who knows what will happen tomorrow – I may just get a hug.
11 Responses to “This Daughter Of Mine …”
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I promise you that teenage girls *do* eventually come around.
It’s usually once they head off to college and realize how amazing, and supportive and glorious their mother’s are.
She’ll get there…
Ashley, the Accidental Olympian´s last [type] ..DONT MIND THE EMO- THIS TOO SHALL PASS
I’m happy to write a letter of recommendation for you to share with Paige some points of Mom fabulousity that she might now be aware of. Oh wait, she’s not going to trust anyone over 50. Sorry, you’re on your own for now, at least until I come up with a better plan.
tom | tall clover´s last [type] ..Foxgloves- Towers of Flowers and Then Some
Wow. I’ve been following you for about a year and a half, and I swear in that time your daughter has gone from looking like a kid to looking like she’s about to come of age. Why do kids do that to us, growing up and all? Don’t they know we get all wishy-washy and nostalgic?
Do her friends think your cool? If so start haveing conversations with her friends and when she walks in shut up. try getting on one of those sites that is online and put up your pic put crazy hair do’s on your head telling her and her friends your trying to fingure out a new stylye. They then will want to up load their faces and do the same….. then prolong it in a hair/face make over with pizza and ice cream or somthing like that…. IDK I have a son. I got very lucky in that he had a friend that would still hug and kiss his mom in front of his friends so Blakes still does as well. He is 18-1/2 and about to leave me for college toward the end of August. But that is the stuff I do with my friends and their daughters. and they don’t think I’m a total geek… or at least they are nice enough not to tell me that to my face! lol Best of luck she will come around one day.
She’s so pretty. This post gives me hope. I’m sure there will come a day when my boy doesn’t fancy my company, so I’m soaking up all the love now.
Jen L.´s last [type] ..Wordless Wednesday- Little Swimmer
She is gorgeous! I’m so sad.. in a few year’s time, this is probably the type of post I’ll be writing about too. : ( Then again, my oldest sister has already gone through this with her daughter and they’re very close now so.. there is hope!
ChantaleP´s last [type] ..summer bento 3
@Meredith she DOES look different. *sigh*
@Jackie, thanks for the advice. It’s hard but I am beginning to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
You mean the joke thing goes all the way to 10!?!? Moanna is 3 and thinks that the same two knock-knock jokes over and over again are brilliantly funny.
Renee´s last [type] ..My Date with a Rebel
When I was a teen, I was pretty hard on my parents. Not only did I not want them to touch me, I was bugged with most things about them.
This morning I was thinking about who they are in my life and how much I love them. I started crying. Almost lost my dad earlier this year. So, I wrote them an email and with it included a song dedication. I won’t share the song but it was all about gratitude and how much I love them.
Just reading your post now. Lovely coincidence.
Karrie Kohlhaas´s last [type] ..Should I wash my mouth out with soap
My oldest just turned 10. It has begun. The texting, Abercrombie, eye rolls and refusal of hand holding. So glad to hear at some point things turn back around. Even in the slightest bit. Your daughter seems fantastic.
mel´s last [type] ..Wordless Wednesday
I’m not a mother, but a daughter. After 2.5 years of therapy now, I realize how much my mother has been in my head in good and bad ways. But overall, I love my mother and the little touches I get in there when I visit every now and then mean the world to me. She has taught me so much and I can only feel grateful for her. I’m pretty sure Paige feels the same way and recognizes it more than I probably every did at her age. I think your relationship with her is more than anyone could ask for. It’s genuine and purposeful.