Is Your Mom Your Best Friend? 4 Ways To Know If She Has Your Back (For Life)
The best mother-daughter friendship is yours.
Mael BALLAND on Unsplash Your relationship with your mother changes as you get older. She becomes more of a best friend than a parent and you wouldn't want it any other way.
I’m sure you’ve heard the jokes and maybe even felt some secondhand embarrassment related to bringing your mom to prom as your date or those awkward moments when she leaned in for a kiss in front of all the popular kids in school. But those times have passed. You’ve grown up, and now you have some newfound respect for the woman who raised you. You see her as less as an annoyance and more as a human being — one with all the knowledge and wisdom you need to not suck at adulting.
Your mom is only a phone call away with the perfect advice and the honest truths you need to hear.
You call her often. Like, when you’re walking back to your car at night alone or when you’re just a bit lonely or homesick. She’s an anchor keeping you grounded, reminding you that although the world is continuously changing, your relationship never will.
The mother-daughter relationship isn’t always easy to maintain, though. You’ll fight. You’ll say things you don’t really mean to each other. Still, your mom’s the first one to admit when she’s wrong and try to make peace with ice cream or by cracking the same joke she’s been using since you were five years old to make you smile.
She knows you, and you know her. Despite all the problems you faced growing up, you’re close, even if you’re miles apart.
You and your mom have shared a lifetime together, and that’s no simple feat. Never underestimate the power of mother-daughter relationships.
Here’s how you know if your mom is really your best friend.
1. You mom is your go-to person.
If you’re upset, angry or just bored, you go to your mom. Being around her makes you feel better. When you have good news, she’s the first one you call. She’s also the first one you call for reassurance if the news isn’t so great.
2. You’ve canceled other plans to make time to spend with your mom.
You get excited when she suggests spending the day together or going out to a quick movie. The time you spend together is special, and you cherish it above all else. You’ve embraced being totally honest with your friends about it, and they understand when you cancel.
3. You crave her opinion (on pretty much everything).
You still want your mom’s approval and support for anything you do. Maybe you ask her if an outfit looks OK for an interview, if a job prospect is realistic or if she thinks I can finish three books by the end of the week. She’s refreshingly honest, for better or worse.
4. You worry about each other. A lot.
Even if you have trouble showing it, you are constantly worried about your mom’s well-being. You’re thinking about her health and her happiness before your own. And remember that rule that your mom enforced when you just got your license? To check in via text whenever you get somewhere? Yeah, that rule still applies because, otherwise, your mom would have a heart attack wondering where you are.
Meaghan Summers is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture and relationship topics.