How to Improve Your Mother Daughter Relationship

himani agrawal 17-Jun-2016 Image Source

Face it. You don't always bond with your daughter. She might be busy on the computer, the phone, with her friends, or schoolwork. When you try to talk to her, she doesn't listen, or just leave the room. She thinks that you are embarrassing, and you don't know how to change that. You may be busy as well, with work, family, money, and so much more. Does this happen with you too? If so, you need to improve your mother-daughter relationship and overall bond. It might sound hard, but after a while, you'll realize that it isn't as hard as you thought before. After all, she is your daughter. If, though, you still don't know how to have fun with her and find a common bond, don't worry. Just read this article for all the help you'll need.

1. Set aside time to spend with her.

Try to find time in your schedule to do things with your daughter. Pick a certain day of the week or time of the day when both of you are free. Summer is a great time to do things together because your daughter will likely be out of school. If you are still working in summer, try to find time on the weekends to spend with your daughter. Aim for at least an hour or two to spend with your daughter. However, on weeknights, your child will probably be quite busy with her schoolwork. Respect that, and find a different time to spend together.

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2. Know what your daughter likes.

Knowing what kinds of activities your daughter enjoys will help greatly when you spend time together because you'll know what to do and where to go. Observe your child sometimes, but not too often, to see what they are doing. They might be on the computer, TV, drawing, reading, or playing outside. Look more into what she is doing, though, to get more clues into what she likes. If she is reading, ask her what she is reading. If she is watching TV, ask her what she is watching, and if she is on the computer or outside, ask her what she is playing. You'll get a better feel for what she likes, and when you ask, she'll feel glad that you are interested in what she is doing. Her interests may be very different from yours, but don't try to change her likes and dislikes.

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3. Go shopping together.

There's one thing that build girls' relationships, that is shopping. You'll have a chance to talk and find more about your daughter's interests while getting new things. Take her with you to the grocery store to help you pick out dinner or delicious snacks. Ask her to put some items in the cart that she likes. If your daughter loves to read, go to a local bookstore and look for some books together or go to a shopping mall. Look for clothes and shoes. You could also help her in selecting the clothes for yourself. She'll love to be your "fashion consultant", especially if she's into fashion. You can also go to a toy store if your daughter is younger.Let her go by her own style. She's just expressing herself and being herself, she is her own person. You could always ask, "Do you like this?", but don't force her to buy and wear something she doesn't really like.

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4. Watch a good old movie at home.

This is a great activity if it's raining out. Watching movies can also really bring you closer. Look through your movies together and find one that you and your daughter want to watch. Make sure it is appropriate for her age! Funny family movies are good for all ages and will always make you and her smile. There are still other choices, though. Some movies you and your daughter might like are Pretty in Pink, Drop Dead Fred, and My Girl. If you don't have good movies at home, go to a theater and see one. Another good choice is to watch TV. You can find a TV show that the both of you would like, and make sure you have time to watch it.

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5. Play a game.

Another way to interact with your daughter is through playing a great game. Have a game night with the two of you on a certain day, or just ask her if she'd like to play a game. Some good family games you might want to play are Sorry, Monopoly, Life, Scrabble, Taboo, and Snakes and Ladders, but you could really play any game. Card games are also fun. Play Bluff, War, Go Fish or UNO if you have a spare deck.

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6. Cook something together.

Another fun way for the two of you to bond is through cooking or baking. It's also a good way to start teaching them how to cook if they are older. Bring out some cookbooks and look through them with your daughter to see what to make. You can make cookies, a cake, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, or any dessert. You could also make your own bread or bagels, make a tart, crisp, smoothies, soup, stew, or even your own ice cream!Remember that you are cooking together. Let your daughter do some things, like cracking eggs, helping whisk the batter, pouring liquids, and decorating. Expect things to not be done perfectly â€“ this is how children and teens learn. However, do not let her use the oven until you believe she is mature and responsible enough to deal with working around heat on her own (by the same token, don't mollycoddle her forever â€“ children should be able to deal with cooking.

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7. Show your love to her.

Of course, your daughter already knows that you love her, but do you really show it? Although playing a game or watching TV is spending time together, is it really quality special time? You may not know how to do this, but it's the little things that count. Go for a nice walk together, talk, and enjoy the nature. Cheer her up on a bad day with a hug or a small gift, like a book or a stuffed animal. Give encouraging messages often, like "You can do it", "I believe in you", or "You are a very talented artist/swimmer/soccer player!". Be sure to praise her efforts above all, as it is important to let her know that it is in the trying and the doing, including learning to deal with failure, that she is going to succeed in life.

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8. Be there for your daughter.

You always needs to be present in the important event, for advice and encouragement. If there is a sports, musical, school, or any important event that your daughter wants you to attend, then you must try to attend it.There are lots of more ways to be there for your daughter.Offer help. If you see your daughter is struggling like school, sports, or an instrument, help her. Listen to her play her flute, contact the teacher or help with her schoolwork, or play basketball with her. Be encouraging. It may be hard for her to do something, so you must cheer her on and use encouraging words and actions. Say "good job" when you truly mean it, and maybe get her a gift that says "way to go!", such as a book and compliment her.