MMIA Magazine - Million Moms In Action Magazine January/February 2015 | Page 6

Tight Like Glue Strengthening the Mother-Daughter Bond by Sharmetra Pittman Sharmetra Pittman The Mother-Daughter Relationship Renovator @Built2Bond Time, love and communication are very important tools for building a strong motherdaughter foundation. Mothers have a divine role in what influences their daughters to make positive choices in life. So how do we cultivate strong, healthy, and thriving mother-daughter relationships? As a mom of two daughters, I tend to follow four simple tips that have helped me begin to build a strong foundation for my mother-daughter relationship, as well as maintain a consistent flow of communication between the three of us. Have Fun with Your Daughter! Life is already hectic enough with the day-today routine. Be sure to make time for having fun and just live in the moment with each other! Even as little as 5-10 minutes of stress-free, mother-daughter time can help boost the energy in your mother-daughter relationship. Respect Your Daughter. Yes! Your daughter deserves respect! I know this may be difficult for traditional moms, but in reality (and with the current generation of children) in order to get respect, you must also give respect! Don’t forget...you are the first example of a role model for your daughter. So be the type of mom that you pray she grows up to become. Empower Your Daughter. We can’t sit back and watch society influence our daughters to be who society wants them to be. Empower, encourage, inspire and motivate your daughter on a daily basis. By doing this, you are not only laying the foundation for your motherdaughter relationship, but you are also helping to boost her self-esteem. Be Quiet....and Listen. Learn to listen to your daughter. She wants to share her world with you, but you have to learn to listen. Effective listening skills are crucial during the tween and teen years because these are the most impressionable years for your daughter, and she definitely will need you to listen and provide guidance and support to her. These four simple tips are not meant to be done on one single occasion. Make them a part of your everyday motherdaughter bonding routine. It may not be easy in the beginning, especially if bonding is difficult for you and your daughter. But making even the smallest effort to work towards building a strong and healthy foundation will make a difference in your mother-daughter relationship. January/February 2015 Subscribe at millionmomsinaction.com | 6