My daughter is at it again! She just loves to disagree with everything I say and every choice I make. It’s really frustrating, especially when she doesn’t take no for an answer. This time we’re arguing about the windows I want to install in our front room. I won’t even dive into the front door I’ve chosen yet, she’d go ape. I would just like for us to see eye-to-eye once. She’s a creative girl and so I thought she would like the idea of bright, colourful windows. Apparently, I was wrong and she wants boring cream-coloured ones. I bet you if I had suggested cream windows for our sash window replacement she would’ve scoffed and said I had no creative flair. I just can’t win.

Ever since I told her what the plan for our front room was, she’s been giving me the silent treatment. After it became obvious to her that I wouldn’t be changing my mind on the matter, it seems as if she’s given up talking to me altogether. I wish she wasn’t so petty. She wouldn’t even look at the inspiration images I had, which show just how striking and incredible colourful windows can be. 

But no, she was just fixated on letting me know that she could organise an aluminium window replacement in Melbourne much easier than I could organise anything. On top of thinking she has superior style to me, she likes to think she’s better at being an adult than I am. I love her and I’m proud of her for being so confident and sure of herself, but not to my detriment. She refuses to agree that because I’m her mother she needs to accept my decisions. I don’t know how I raised her to believe that, but when she’s a mother I hope she has a daughter as strong-willed as she is. Then she might understand my frustration.