Open Letter to My 20 Year Old Daughter.
Why I am taking a step back and letting go.
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Dear daughter, I know that you are smart and that you know a lot but, trust me on this, you have not figured it all out yet. I know that you think you know all about life and the pain that it can bring but you do not have enough years of experience to truly know.
I know in my heart that I always did my best by you and your two brothers. You were always my priority and I put you all before myself. A single mother raising three young kids is never going to be an easy ride but I tried so hard to consider you all, to juggle everything and to make sure you were provided for emotionally.
I’m newly married but still live apart from my husband because we never wanted you to feel pushed out. I always respected your needs. It is the lack of respect from you that hurts me now. Perhaps, after all that I have tried to be both mum and dad to you I failed somehow. Your sulking face with the dirty looks disapproves of me in every way.
We never had a lot of money and you resented that. Often screaming at me that we were so poor. You compared yourself to the wealthy kids at your school; the ones with the designer coats and bags and you felt a lack. Remember that year in High School when you demanded I pay for a school trip to New York? It was more than I had in my bank account. You kicked me when I told you I couldn’t. Yet during your growing years I provided the important things. I kept a roof over all of our heads, a well stocked fridge, paid all of the bills and worked and studied too. At times I had nothing but still found ways to provide.
Now that you have a steady boyfriend and the two of you are earning twice what I bring in I would ask the question, isn’t it time you moved out? Isn’t it time you took responsibility for yourself? You earn a full time wage and spend it all on clothes and are refusing to contribute towards the family money pot that keeps us all from living in poverty.
If you are moving out can you take your dog with you that boyfriend bought you on a whim? You know, the one that I walk twice a day, clean up after and feed? How about your rabbit that takes up half my living room? The rabbit that lives in luxury accommodation that you spent a quarter of…
