Lots of space on this blog has been devoted to the subject of mothering , so I thought I would write a little something to the daughters, particularly daughters who are still living at home, who might be reading.

The problem of writing to daughters about their duties toward their mothers is that the mothers might read this and become critical or discontent. This article is not for the mothers to rub their daughters’ collective noses in. In other words, this is a word of encouragement to daughters, not a set up to stumble moms. Given that little word of caution, here are a few suggestions to daughters.

First of all, the obvious: Remember that your mother is a lot like you. Not only is she a woman, like you are, she is also a daughter. So take note of how she treats or speaks of or remembers her own mother.  Remember, it’s not just your mom speaking; it’s another daughter speaking to you about her mom. Sometimes we let position (mother, daughter) or age difference create distance between us. But the mother-daughter relationship is one of the closest, so we should do all we can to keep it healthy and strong.

Mom is your role model, so pay attention. What does she do well? Imitate her. Read More