To My Teenage Daughter

To My Teenage Daughter,

I Love You.

I know, I know, I know...

Sometimes you don't believe it.

Maybe because I say "No" when you wish I'd say "Yes" and you think it's "Not Fair!"

But I will need you to know that I really, really, really do love you and want to keep you safe, keep you young and protect you.  I may not know everything, but I know that I would do absolutely anything to keep you happy and well, even when you think the opposite.

To My Teenage Daughter,

Remember to have fun,

Remember that you are unique and special.

Take comfort in knowing that many of the friends you have and make now will be your friends forever and ever.

So pick good ones.

Treat your friends with kindness and love.

And should you totally be crushing on a boy or find yourself in love,

Make sure you pick a good one.

Pick one that treats you with respect.

Pick one that is kind to his parents,

Kind to your girlfriends,

Kind to us (mom and dad)

and,

Kindest of all to you.

To My Teenage Daughter,

I hope you will be a part of a team, a group, a unit, a troupe or anything.

It can be the Young Environmentalists of America club, the dance team, drama, the dying languages revivalists, cheerleading, soccer or even the Teenage Super-Republicans Group (as much as it might make mommy and daddy shudder), but please become a part of something that interests you (as long as it doesn't involve anything illegal, of course) and don't let anyone diminish how important that group is.

Clubs I might not support include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Goth is Good Group
• Dames of Destruction
• Emancipation from my Parents committee

And if you want to petition the school to be the first female on the all-boys rugby team, I will totally stay up late with you and help you make posters.  Please keep in mind that 'late' for mom, however, is like 10 p.m.

To My Teenage Daughter,

I want you to know that I have been envisioning your teenage years for some time,

even as I type this while watching you,

at 4 months,

try to crawl.

You get so frustrated that you can't get anywhere and you have no clue how to get your knees moving. 

BUT! you have somehow figured out how to do the 'plank' position which mommy has a hard time with at the gym, so you're definitely on to something.

And there will be times that you will struggle with something,

and you will try so hard.

And then one day,

like learning to crawl,

it will just happen.

For mommy,

it was algebra.

It didn't 'just happen'.

But she did manage to finally pass it.

so you know,

you don't have to be great at everything,

but I just know you'll be great at many things.

To My Teenage Daughter,

I hope you'll let me go shopping with you for your Homecoming dress.

Or your Prom dress,

or whatever dress you might someday want.

And I hope that,

Even if you hate dresses,

You'll come with me to help me pick out a new dress.  (Mama always needs a new something.)

And I hope that,

even if you don't have a date to the dance,

you'll go if you want to go.

Because if there's one thing you can do (I'm so sure of it, even though you're still a baby as I type this)...

you can dance.  Cause no daughter of mine can't dance.

And if you aren't such a good dancer,

well mama will have to live with it,

(But I'm totally sure you are so this is a moot point).

To My Teenage Daughter,

Should you have a day when you don't feel all that pretty,

I need you to know,

that I think you are so lovely it almost makes me cry sometimes.

Your smile alone makes my heart skip a beat,

and your eyes move with your smile in such a unique and beautiful way.

And your long, dainty fingers are so delicate,

and your legs are so strong.

And I'm totally not just saying that,

the Pediatrician said it,

and that lady don't mess around when it comes to milestone markers.

To My Teenage Daughter,

Take time to give.

Give your time.

Lend an ear.

Help another.

Spread kindness, joy and well-wishes to those around you.

And,

my Teenage Daughter,

Sometimes your heart will break.

You will think it's the worst feeling in the world,

but have Faith that the worst feelings ever are oftentimes given to us so that we may really appreciate the most wonderful feelings in the world.

I know that sounds like a lie parents tell their children,

but my dad told me that,

and I thought he was so full of it.

I might have even rolled my eyes.

But years later I realized that he wasn't lying.

so now I am telling you that truth that was passed down to me,

and if you just give it some time,

I swear you'll know I'm not lying.

To My Teenage Daughter,

I look forward to getting to see the young woman you've become,

and although it seems like many, many moons away from the 4 month old baby I hold closely each day,

I know when that day comes it will feel like it all went so fast.