She made me nuts, had lousey education in CA. Fought with me about reading, my incessant telling her of things schools no longer teach, her responsibilities in life, her needing to be able to support herself as an adult, and my insisting on knowing of her whereabouts and friends at all times.
She gave me fits, sleeplessness and hives. I worked full time so I bought her a horse to take care of. She loved that animal and it did teach her responsibility.
She is now 27, married to a great guy and she is really terrific. She is a no nonsense kind of gal with a really great sense of humor, and fun to be around. She is competitive and competes in Saddle Seat horse shows nationally.
She is more conservative than I am and far more economically savvy than I was at her age. I look at her in amazement! I listen to her views and am tickled pink. She spouts things that she learned from me and my incessant teaching and really doesn't know where she learned that. It makes me so happy and gratefull that she has turned out to be someone I admire.
Now and then I can be commenting on something and they will give me an answer that warms my heart because I know they are paying attention to all the things I am trying to instill in them.
It's like that commercial....
"Mom, when I was growing up, you were the meanest, most strict mom ever. You gave me NO PRIVACY. I hated you..(etc .)..Thank you."