I have many friends who aren't very close with their mothers. They hide everything from their parents and are consistently afraid that they will find out the truth. While I can understand the value in having parents that are authority figures, I also disagree that kids should feel forced to live lives that their parents know nothing about. I genuinely feel that there is nothing I can't tell my mom and I am so grateful every day that that is how our relationship works.

Most college students I know wouldn't dare tell their parents about all of their experiences. My mom has always been so accepting of all of my choices that I simply feel comfortable telling her pretty much anything. I never had to spend high school sneaking out of the house or lying about where I was. My mom was unlikely to say no to anything I asked to do or anywhere I asked to go. She had open conversations with me about boys and alcohol and drugs and just about everything kids do without telling their parents. I was never sheltered from more adult topics as a kid and I think that is why I'm so comfortable talking to her about anything to this day.

Being so open with my mom I think actually prevented me from a lot of the "rebellious" behavior most high school students are known for. I never felt like I had anything to rebel from and I also never felt like there were limits placed on what I could or couldn't do. I got my Mom's attention without doing anything outrageous or "bad". We talk about anything and everything and have always made time for each other. I do things with my Mom that I would also do with a best friend. We go shopping and talk about boys and stay up late to watch girly movies.

More than anything I'm thankful for the advice my mom has been able to give me no matter what the situation is. I can ask for her help even in the most embarrassing or mistake-ridden circumstances because I can truly talk to her about anything. Plus, not once has she made me feel stupid or immature even when I mess up royally. She always approaches giving her advice with love and kindness and by listening to what I have to say first. She handles my confiding in her just as a friend would. Some of the best decisions I have made have been thanks to advice from my mom and she never hesitates to help me fix whatever I've done wrong.

In no way am I saying that I grew up in a world with no rules or expectations. There still are expectations that I work hard and am a good person. However, the lack of strict rules and specific expectations of what I was supposed to be I think enabled me to be the hard worker I am today. I work to satisfy myself and I make good choices because of their positive impact on my own life, not because my mom told me so. I will forever say that having my Mom as someone who I consider a close friend has made my life more enjoyable and easier to handle. She makes good times even better and always fixes the bad ones with lots of sugar and all the love I could ever need.