10 Amazing Life Lessons My Tween Daughter Has Taught Me

My daughter marches to the beat of her own drum, and she always has. She doesn't like certain trends just because her peers do, and she won't apologize for who she is or what she wants. She has a level of confidence that I've always aspired to have, and being around her inspires me to embrace who I am more.

My daughter is quick to defend her friends when someone is putting them down. Whether it's a good friend or someone she barely knows, she's never cared if she's the only one speaking up or how it will make her look. She defends people, always. She even wrote a song about bullying last year and sang it at a school event. She's taught me that no matter what, friends come first, and you should always have their backs.

We can be having the most mundane of days, and yet my daughter will be dancing around, exclaiming how beautiful of a day it is. You can look for beauty and love in every moment. My daughter has taught me to appreciate life as it is.

I became a mother at 20-years-old. I didn't know a thing about parenting, and she taught me all I've ever needed to know along the way. She's shown me that being a mother is the greatest privilege in this world, even on the days where I've been overwhelmed, felt lost, and wanted to give up.

By the end of the day, I usually feel exhausted and done with the whole mom gig, but I try to make an effort to spend one-on-one time with each of my children every day. If the day was extra busy and we didn't have much time to connect, she will just come sit by me and chat about whatever is on her mind. She teaches me that it doesn't matter what you're doing — as long as you're spending time together.

My daughter recently auditioned for a local theater group. I watched her stand up in front of an entire crowd of people and confidently introduce herself and sing. I tried to ease her nerves before she went up, but I think I was trying to ease my own nerves. She didn't need any help. When you're confident in yourself, the fear just melts away. She teaches me that.

My daughter is always wanting to help others. With the loss of her grandmother last year, our family has been going through a lot of grieving. Her first cousin was born recently, and she packed up one of her most prized possessions — a stuffed animal from her grandmother — and gave it to her baby niece so that she could have something special from her as well.

Sometimes I forget to see another person's point of view. My daughter will often stick up for the underdog and see life through someone else's eyes. I strive to do this myself after being inspired by her empathy.

My daughter has so many dreams she wants to accomplish in her life, and they're always evolving. The only thing that remains unchanged is the tenacity in which she strives toward them. Sometimes life paths change, but if our drive is always moving forward, we can accomplish whatever we set out to do.

Watching my daughter grow from a tiny baby to a curious toddler to an adorable kindergartner to an amazing 6th grader has been quite the experience. I feel like I blinked, and she turned into a young lady. I'm trying really hard not to blink again.