Vantage Point

My daughter and I spent a few minutes "arguing" about what dress we should buy for her. This is going to be used for our major church event next week. I thought the printed dress with frills and laces suit her. It's in between dainty and trendy. But she chose not to hear what I was saying.

It did get into me that she did not like anything I suggested she try. It exasperated me. I told her just look for something she wants. She wanted this black dress to which I said no. It doesn't match with the sacred occasion she is going to attend. I just had to let out a big sigh.

She's about seven months away from being a teenager and we are already having this "disagreement". I know this day will come. I heard this kind of story from my parents. I just have to accept that my daughter has her own preferences already. She knows what she wants for herself especially in what to wear.

Things ended well in our pursuit for her dress. It's a great thing that we both like what I picked. She wanted the dress so much plus the shoes we were both eyeing. And she had a bonus Spongebob shirt from me. :)

Generally, my daughter and I love to bond. There are a thousand and one things we love doing together. We both love shopping (what mother and daughter do not?). We both love books and a trip to the bookstore is one activity we both enjoy. We love magazines too. We love music though from different genres. I could go on and on.

But it's a fact of life that mothers and daughters have their own choices. We may like the same things but there will come a point that the daughter will take a different course. She has a mind of her own and I should respect her disposition and choices. Early as it sounds at 12, I want to be prepared for this. It's the dress now, I am not sure what later on. But I will always be a mother, ready to guide and coach her, maybe from a distance. I promise not to hover but stay at a good distance, keep a good vantage point. That should be fair enough.