Having Girls Is Hard Work

And I am sure it is for boys as well BUT....

At the moment I am finding being a mum to girls is especially hard work, especially to my beautiful gorgeous teen girl who is larger then life and completely ripping my heart out each and every second these days.

How can someone that appears so grown-up and so sure of herself and what she wants be so completely vulnerable in the very next breath?

How as parents, do we hold them together until these 'tough years' are over?

Is being there and talking and talking, then talking some more and being there and just loving them really enough?

I honestly don't know because I didn't have any 'parenting' at 15, I was actually already a parent by then (and believe me that sounds crazy now).

How do I know that what I am doing and saying is actually making a difference, how do I know that SHE KNOWS I am here?

Am I tripping over and avoiding my own 'parents mistakes' so much that I am just creating new mistakes?

I would really really like to go back to the turmoil of whether I really need those four Fred Bare butterfly dresses for Xmas :D

Thanks for listening, not expecting answers, just knowing that others think my thoughts sometimes is enough.
xxx