In May, we celebrate the women who raised us and the women who take care of us: mothers, step-mothers, foster mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and mother-in-laws.
A mother and her child typically bond at an early stage in the child’s life. Whether you had a great relationship with your mother from the start or a relationship that’s been difficult, there’s always room for improvement.
Some mothers struggle to adjust to seeing their child as an adult. It can be a difficult thing to accept. After all, a mother was in charge of her child’s well-being since before her baby was born.
Does your mother accept you as an adult? When your mom visits, does she let you run your house? Does she trust you to be independent on both the small and large issues?
A mother will probably always ask questions and remind you to make that doctor’s appointment, it’s just how many mother’s show that they care. For some mothers, moving forward and letting go can be difficult. However, that doesn’t mean that the two of you can’t work together to overcome those issues and strengthen your relationship.
All mothers and their children want the same things from each other: love, understanding, and respect. The only real way that your relationship can evolve in a healthy, loving, and sustainable way is to satisfy these needs. How? It comes down to communicating with each other. Some mothers talk to their children every day, and others go weeks without speaking. Regardless of how often the two of you talk, your communication could probably be done more effectively.
It’s important to really hear what the other person is saying. Many of the problems mothers and their children face stem from confusion. The first step is to work on yourself. It’s difficult for someone else to understand you if you don’t even understand yourself. You have to be able to support yourself before you can really support each other.
The important thing is not to give up on each other. This May, try to give your mother or child the gift of love, understanding, and respect. It won’t just be a week-long or month-long thing, but a lifelong thing.
If you’d like to set up a time to meet up with Reka, you can contact her by phone at 402-881-8125, by email at reka@omaha-counseling.com, or via Twitter or Facebook.
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photo credit: Mother Daughter via photopin (license)