I do not mean to sound critical of anyone who has said their daughter/son is their best friend, my heart is not to be unkind. I hope one day, when she is a grown up, that my daughter will be one of my dearest friends; but today, I am not my her best friend. Let me tell you why.
My daughter is 15 months old. She is amazing and funny, sweet, cuddly and kind. I love her laugh, and I treasure the time I get to spend with her. I would give up time with many people to spend time with her. I want to always be available to her as much as possible. But she is not my best friend, she is my little girl.
She can't give me advice, encourage me, or point me to wisdom. She can't ask me how my day is or if I am being the wife I need to be. But, those aren't the primary reasons she isn't my best friend. She isn't my best friend because that is not what is good for HER. It is not for her best. Kids need boundaries, and structure to feel safe. They need rules and consequences in order to know they are loved and cared for. I don't give my best friends structure and boundaries. I don't tell them what time to go to bed in order to be able to get up and feel good in the morning. I don't limit their intake of sugar so that they get enough protein and feel good. I don't impose consequences for their actions on their lives. I leave that up to God. In fact, I try to encourage my best friends, to give them grace when they make mistakes and not critique when they have rough situations. My daughter is not my best friend because what is best for her, is for me to be her Mommy. To love her, support her and impose structure, boundaries and consequences for her good. Honestly, at 15 months old, she does not need a best friend; but does need a Mommy.
Some may say "well, but soon enough you will be able to be her best friend". To those, I still lovingly disagree. She does not need me to divulge my adult life to her now, or next year, or the year after. She doesn't need to carry around adult burdens from knowing too many details of my worries, concerns, frustrations or fears. She needs to be able to trust that Mommy and Daddy will take care of her, and to be a kid. She will continue to need structure, boundaries, support and consequences of varying degrees as she grows; in reality until she is able to independently support her own needs.
One day, many years from now, I hope to be able to call my daughter one of my closest friends, as I now call my own Mom. I hope I can share with her the same wisdom I have received and walk beside her as she grows. I hope and pray that she will always feel loved and supported by me and her Dad, but for today I will continue to make her put on a coat when it's snowing outside, and change a diaper when she doesn't want it, because it is for her good.
My daughter is 15 months old. She is amazing and funny, sweet, cuddly and kind. I love her laugh, and I treasure the time I get to spend with her. I would give up time with many people to spend time with her. I want to always be available to her as much as possible. But she is not my best friend, she is my little girl.
She can't give me advice, encourage me, or point me to wisdom. She can't ask me how my day is or if I am being the wife I need to be. But, those aren't the primary reasons she isn't my best friend. She isn't my best friend because that is not what is good for HER. It is not for her best. Kids need boundaries, and structure to feel safe. They need rules and consequences in order to know they are loved and cared for. I don't give my best friends structure and boundaries. I don't tell them what time to go to bed in order to be able to get up and feel good in the morning. I don't limit their intake of sugar so that they get enough protein and feel good. I don't impose consequences for their actions on their lives. I leave that up to God. In fact, I try to encourage my best friends, to give them grace when they make mistakes and not critique when they have rough situations. My daughter is not my best friend because what is best for her, is for me to be her Mommy. To love her, support her and impose structure, boundaries and consequences for her good. Honestly, at 15 months old, she does not need a best friend; but does need a Mommy.
Some may say "well, but soon enough you will be able to be her best friend". To those, I still lovingly disagree. She does not need me to divulge my adult life to her now, or next year, or the year after. She doesn't need to carry around adult burdens from knowing too many details of my worries, concerns, frustrations or fears. She needs to be able to trust that Mommy and Daddy will take care of her, and to be a kid. She will continue to need structure, boundaries, support and consequences of varying degrees as she grows; in reality until she is able to independently support her own needs.
One day, many years from now, I hope to be able to call my daughter one of my closest friends, as I now call my own Mom. I hope I can share with her the same wisdom I have received and walk beside her as she grows. I hope and pray that she will always feel loved and supported by me and her Dad, but for today I will continue to make her put on a coat when it's snowing outside, and change a diaper when she doesn't want it, because it is for her good.