May 2009 - Mothers& Daughters

I know that many of my readers are mothers of girls. While motherhood is a blessing in and of itself, there is something special about daughters. This is especially true for me. I never expected that I would have a daughter. I just knew that our family would be all boys. We had adopted a son two years earlier and when I became pregnant, it was planned that the two boys would share a room and I had kept most of the baby clothes to save money. Well, the joke was on me and I was out during my eighth month (after being told the sex by my doctor) buying something pink. Anyway, after that shaky start (she has forgiven me), I love having a daughter!

My husband claims that we have too much fun together – mainly he means we’re making too much noise or teasing him unmercifully. Anyway, my point is that mothers and daughters have many options to keep their bond strong over the years. My daughter and I both love books and writing. I read to both our children when they were young, but my little girl was the only one to pick up the habit. As you can probably guess, we can be found in libraries and book stores a few times a week. We have a yearly contest to see which one can read the most books. No prizes, just bragging rights.

This month I want to encourage you to come up with ideas to enhance your relationship with your children, no matter how old they are. Look at what you have in common. What characteristics, habits, or interests have been passed on? Maybe you can find something new to learn together like scrapbooking, gardening, or cooking Indian food. Anything is possible. One of the perks of establishing a new relationship with someone who really does know you well is the freedom to just be yourself. They know we are not perfect and they love us anyway. We don’t have to be best friends, but it is great to know that we can have fun together.

Blessings to you,

Jacqui