Layers of the Mind

There’s a quiet kind of heartbreak that comes with raising a daughter who’s growing up right in front of you.

She used to need you for everything snuggles, snacks, stories before bed. And now? Now she rolls her eyes more than she holds your hand. She shuts her door more than she opens up. Some days it feels like you’re losing her and maybe even losing yourself in the process.

Mama, if your heart feels heavy with the shift, I want you to know this:

You’re not doing it wrong. This is just what growing up looks like. Your girl is becoming her own person. She’s stretching her voice, her thoughts, her edges and yes, sometimes pushing against you to figure out who she is. It’s messy. It’s hard. And it’s beautiful in a way that often breaks your heart before it warms it again.

Here’s what I hope you remember:

~ You’re still her safe place, even when she doesn’t say it

~ She still needs your presence, even if she acts like she doesn’t

~ The foundation you built in those early years? It still holds her now

~ you are not losing her you’re learning how to love her in a new way

So take a breath, mama. You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to keep showing up. With love, open arms, and a heart that’s still learning to let go without disappearing.

You’re doing better than you think.

And she’s still your girl. Always will be.