Dear Teenage Daughters,

I am one of you, so I understand all of the reasons you may have to rebel against your mom. I know that the tone of your voice seems to automatically turn sharp and disrespectful when you're talking to her, and I know the feeling of regret that sinks in your stomach immediately afterwards when you see the hurt and disappointment in her eyes. I know how infuriating it is when it seems like she just can't see things the way you do and doesn't understand the thoughts that are running through your mind. Every time you go to your mother with a request to go somewhere or buy something and she declines, it sketches her in your mind as unfair and just plain mean.

It might be difficult to maintain a strong relationship with someone who, at least for the moment, seems to view the world from such a different and "outdated" perspective from you. But despite all this, please work hard to foster your relationship with your mom. All you have to do is give her love and respect. She probably deserves it more than anyone else in your life, considering of all the sacrifices and energy that she poured out of herself just to make your life a little better. Your relationship with your mother is one of the longest and most important ones that you will ever have. Don't mess it up so early on. If you neglect her, you will miss out on endless love, learning, fun, and growth.

The success of your relationship with your mom depends on what each of you put into it, and there are so many things you can do to improve it. When you are faced with a disagreement, listen to her opinions, and then respectfully share yours so that both of you understand where the other is coming from. Acknowledge that she is an imperfect human too, so therefore be quick to forgive her for her mistakes. One day you'll want the same treatment. Don't say anything cruel that will cause permanent damage to your relationship, try to apologize first (even if you didn't do anything wrong), offer her a helping hand as often as you can, and dedicate some time in every day to chat with her. I promise that it's worth it.