The Mother and Daughter Bond

(Photo borrowed from Rick Mueller Studio)

Don't worry, I'm alive and kicking. My plate has just gotten fuller and I'm not talking about my dinner plate. There is a certain amount of excitement surrounding these new assignments. So much so, that I decided I just had to wake up at 1:00 am to think about ideas and strategies and yogurt. In that order.



So, my daughter calls me in the middle of the day and says, "Mom, a friend has asked me to his fraternity formal in California in a couple of weeks and he has a free ticket to get me out there. Can I go?" Keep in mind, she's in college in Pennsylvania. I think to myself:



1) I cannot believe she's asking me, but it's kind of sweet;



2) What if I said in some austere voice, "No, I forbid it". Would she tell him she cannot come? Or would she be angry with me or go behind my back?



I probably wouldn't have asked permission or maybe not even tell my family until I got back. It's not like I didn't care for my family, they were always great to me. It's just Laura and I have kind of bonded in a real special way this year. It's one of life's special empty nest surprises.



So, to Laura I say, "If you can go without affecting your grades and work schedule and it really is "free", then go and enjoy. But be careful".



How deep a conversation should a Mom and a freshman year daughter have? Is it right for the daughter to tell you she's not going to date so-and-so because all he really wants is a friend with benefits?! The line is blurry and undefined for the two of us. But we are happy and very supportive of each other this year. We seem to both want a connection even though we are physically thousands of miles apart.