The Parent / Child Bond Is Stronger Than Ever!

During the pandemic, families have spent more time together than ever… because for many, work and school are at home. And we’ve all been missing out on social activities, like parties, sports, the gym or even just seeing friends.

But the good news is: In many cases, it’s made the parent-child bond stronger. Especially for mothers with teenage daughters.

Anthropologist Dr. Grant McCracken surveyed over 500 mothers with kids at home during the pandemic. He found boys were less likely to have improved mother-son relationships, because they tended to retreat to their bedroom or another space to play online games and socialize with friends stuck at home.

But daughters were more likely to hang out with mom, and open up about feeling lonely and sad, and missing their friends. So, a lot of moms tried cheering up their daughters, say by cooking together, watching movies, and just hanging out and talking. As a result, 60% of moms said their mother-daughter relationships had become closer.

Dr. SuEllen Hamkins is a psychiatrist who specializes in mother-daughter relationships. She says, even though daughters often rebel in their teens and pull away when they go to college, they want to be close to their moms… and the pandemic has given them the opportunity.