Posted August 9, 2012 / Stacie Vaughan

Guest Blogger: Stacie of SimplyStacie
My oldest daughter, Olivia, turned 14 this past July. It’s mind boggling to me how fast time goes by. I remember like it was yesterday the day she was born, her first day of school and all her other “firsts” that are now just cherished memories. I often reminisce about the days when she would be excited to spend time with me. I noticed her excitement level waning about two years ago when she was around 12 years old. The distance between us slowly increased to the point where she would much rather spend time with her friends vs. her mom.
It’s been tough.
I love her so much and want to protect her from all of life’s lessons. However, I know inside that I have to let her live her life. I still long for mother-daughter time though, but do not want to force it on her.
My mom says that it’s her age. She wants to be with her friends and I get that. I mean I was young once and I remember wanting to hang out at the mall with my friends. It just wasn’t as “cool” or “fun” to hang out with mom.
The fear I have is that I’ll lose our relationship. I feel lost at times at how to connect with her. She’s a quiet girl to begin with and our conversations are often one sided with me putting in all the effort. I try and talk to her about things I know she is interested in like Katy Perry and clothes. She loves to shop online so I’ll mention to her when I find a store that I think she will like. It’s a start in the right direction.
It’s funny to think back when she was little and I savored my “alone time”. She used to follow me everywhere! Things are definitely different now! Change is inevitable as our kids grow up and I need to just go with it and adapt rather than fight it. I tell her every chance I get that I love her and always give her a hug before she leaves.
Do you worry about your child not wanting to hang out with you anymore? Tell me your experiences in the comment section below!