I'm sorry, but I'll never understand the whole "my mom is my best friend" thing. I simply don't get it. Not before I became a mom and definitely not now that I am one. I get along with my mom perfectly well, love her to death, would do anything for her and I don't even want to fathom what life would be like without her, but SHE IS NOT my best friend. She's my mom.
Unless the definition of a best friend has changed and nobody told me, my mom is so much more than just someone I like to hang out with or someone who knows all my secrets. She's the woman who gave me life and who, unlike friends who come and go, will always be there for me and loves me unconditionally.
I actually think that moms who treat their children like friends are doing a disservice to them. Looking back I can't think of one time when I wished my mom was my best friend. Children need their moms to be moms. They need their guidance, wisdom, love and even the nagging that comes with the territory. And moms need to be moms to their children and stop wanting to relieve their childhood or adolescence.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying children shouldn't feel comfortable talking to their parents about whatever's on their mind, but from that to being best friends, there's a huge gap. Although I plan on being a lot more open with my children than my parents were, they will still always know that I'm the parent and they're the children.
If your child is looking for a best friend, believe me, there are tons of other children out there for them to choose.
What do you think about this? Is your mom your best friend? Are you your daughter's best friend?
Image via daveparker/flickr
