Being the Mother of a Daughter Means Gaining a Lifelong Companion

The day you were born, I stopped being my mother’s daughter, and started being the mother of a daughter. That day, life began for you…and a new life began for me.

I have always believed that being a woman is a tremendous privilege. Being a woman is an ambiguous experience, full of emotional ups and downs.

Being a mother, however, is always eye-opening, overwhelming and surprising. We come face to face with a “new me” that we held inside us, one that we never knew existed.

Congratulations, it’s a girl!

Being the mother of a daughter means that the little one you hold in your arms will upset your calm and disturb your sleep, and fill your life with tenderness and sensitivity.

That little baby will become a girl who, whether or not she likes pink, has incredible strength. Within her DNA she has the ability to love and to hate with the same intensity.

She is strong on a level that goes beyond the physical.

You will be overcome with emotion when you see your daughter laughing and crying, almost at the same time.

You will see her be caring, sweet and flirty, without even knowing where she learned to be that way.

One day you will see her cuddling her teddy bears. The next, she will be jumping in muddy puddles, chocolate smeared around her mouth.

Every single day, you will see a new facet of her personality. You will be surprised to observe how every day she is more like you.

One day, sooner than you think, she will want to be like you. She will put on your shoes, your necklaces and makeup. She will fall in love with her father, but her first example of how to be a woman will be you.

Perhaps she will get angry when you hug or kiss her dad. But her very first friend, her confidant and source of comfort will be you.

You might be surprised to know that the connection you have with your daughter is so strong and intimate that you recognize each other instantly as equals.

Your closeness comes from the understanding between the two of you. You both know how dramatic, fickle, smart and wilful women can be.

It is a difficult task to put into words the love between mother and daughter. Just thinking about it makes me emotional, and brings tears to my eyes.

Being the mother of a daughter is a blessing. Your daughter will become your best friend, forever. There is no way back.

Every gesture, word or reaction of hers has some of you in it. Buying her first dresses and pink clothes will be a moving memory.

What does being the mother of a daughter mean?

Here are a few tips for getting along with your companion:

• Always read with her and choose stories where women play an important role, so she doesn’t think that any opportunity in life is out of her reach.
• When she is worried about something, sit down and talk with her on the edge of her bed. This close, face-to-face contact comforts her.
• If you notice that she is always the one among her friends to give in, teach her that she is allowed to express what she thinks. This way, she’ll learn to stand up for herself.

Knowing how girls tend to act and learn, and what attitudes to stimulate in her, will help you understand your daughter better and educate her in the best way possible.

If you are pregnant with a baby girl, I want you to know that you will become the mother of a new woman, and you are already a mom to a beautiful princess.

May you always find the right words to touch her heart, whatever her age.

May she find in you her strongest ally, whether she wants to play together, get permission from dad, or sit down for a coffee and put the world to rights.

Be an example to your daughter, and she will be your lifelong companion.