Living with a Tween.

As I sit here on the couch this morning, catching up on my cooking shows and relaxing with a cup of coffee, I reflect on Mother’s Day and how much I love and respect my very own mom.  I’ve always loved and respected her, but now with a daughter of my own, who is very much a hormonally moody tween, my eyes are WIDE OPEN to exactly what a superwoman my mother is.

Living with a tween daughter is not easy.  At any given time there are at least seven different personalities who might show up–some are sweet and loving and respectful, while others are the exact antithesis of that.  We literally never know which one is going to show up, so we’ve learned to adapt as best as we could to cope with whatever one arrives.  <Silent Screaming>

As a general rule, she’s usually pretty good when it’s one-on-one with me.  She’s usually also pretty good when it’s one-on-one with her dad.  When it’s the three of us together, is when “Negative Nancy” or “Psycho Stacy” or “Defensive Debbie” seem to come out in full force.  I guess this is the case so that Mom and Dad have each other as emotional support.  Haha.  The saddest thing is…at eleven, the poor thing doesn’t quite have the situational awareness to realize that it’s not EVERYONE ELSE, and that she’s the common denominator.  I guess that will come with age…as much as I’m trying desperately to teach her mindfulness now.  She’ll learn.  We all did, and truth be told, as much as personalities #2 – 7 irritate the ever loving $hit outta me, I wouldn’t trade my role as “Cassidy’s mom” for anything in the world.

Yesterday was rough, but today is a brand new day, and it’s going to be a great day.  How, you ask? Well, that’s easy, bottomless Mother’s Day Mimosa’s all around!!!  LOL.

The moral of the story.  Respect your mother, Ladies.  Everything your darling daughter is putting you through is everything you put your own mother through.

Happy Mother’s Day to all.