WaterBrook Multnomah
Publishing Group has sent me a 2-fer this month and because this book is different in it's own right, I am dividing my reviews to give you more info on each book!
Mother Daughter Duet (Getting the Relationship You want with Your Adult Daughter) is written by real-life mother and daughter Cheri Fuller and Ali Plum!
Premise: When a daughter is born, her mother has a thousand hopes and dreams for her, especially that they will be best friends one day. Unfortunately, even the best of intentions can go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. But a harmonious relationship is possible.
Award-winning author Cheri Fuller and her daughter, Ali Plum, have been there and have discovered the keys to a healthy relationship. In Mother-Daughter Duet they share their story—each from her own perspective—in which they have experienced distance and tension, growth and challenge, and, ultimately, acceptance and harmony. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on several basic principles (letting go; listening; respect; setting boundaries; and more), Mother-Daughter Duet helps moms repair the breach so that daughters want to draw close
The mother-daughter dynamic is intense, personal, complex, and unique. But mothers and daughters can achieve mutual respect and learn to celebrate their differences when they learn the two-part harmony of the mother-daughter duet.
Somethings I learned, that I didn't realize in mother-daughter relationships:
Somethings I learned, that I didn't realize in mother-daughter relationships:
- when teen and adult daughters storm and critique their mothers, it is often because they are so close to their mothers that they feel they have to push her away in order to separate enough to stand on their own, because what they really want is to curl up in her lap as they did when they were younger
- mothers sometimes pass their own hurts with their mothers and lives onto their children without meaning to and that can cause friction. This is where the concept of "women pledge to raise their daughters differently, only to find that their daughters grow up and fervently pledge the same thing!"
- mothers have to let go of their expectations with their teens/adult children and embrace their daughters unique looks- when your daughter asks "what do you think?" she's not asking for advice, she's asking for your blessing.
- there's an internal battle in daughters that causes them to not act as civilly, sweet or overtly grateful when they should, when they feel they are failing to meet their mother's expectation. We get frustrated with feeling we're letting down the 1 person we crave affirmation from, and act out like adolescents. When told what they are doing right and how much they are loved, daughters tend to be able to bridge the gap back to getting close with their mothers.
Author Bios:
Cheri Fuller is a best-selling, award-winning author whose books have sold more than one million copies. She speaks to a wide range of women at women’s conferences and is a frequent guest on national radio and television programs.
Ali Plum is Cheri’s daughter, a writer and songwriter, a wife, and a mother to Noah and Luke. She and her mom have weathered the ups and downs of their relationship to find one of the most treasured, honest relationships of their lives. Ali has recorded background vocals for popular musicians, and Mother-Daughter Duet marks her debut into book publishing.
Disclosure: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group to me free of charge. I was not old how to review it however!
