Raising a Daughter Part 1

The Mom’s Point of View

I interviewed my sister, Erin Nunes, and our mom, Amy Teehan, about their experiences throughout their relationship. Not everyone understands the entirety of a mother-daughter bond, so I asked these two women to share their memories.

Q: When Erin was younger, did she have any distinct qualities that carried on throughout her childhood?

A: She was very independent, strong-willed, and creative. She always did her own thing. She liked to stare at people, and size ’em up: she wasn’t easily won over.

Q: What was your vision for how you hoped she would react to the world around her?

A: I wanted her to stand up for herself and what she believed in. I wanted her to be well-educated. I hoped she would be compassionate towards others.

Q: How did your mother’s teachings effect how you raised your daughter?

A: Everything my mother taught me I tried my best to teach her, in every way. I tried to be like her, and the reason I wanted to be like her was because to me she was the perfect example of what a mother should be.

Q: What is one of the strongest memories you have from raising Erin?

A: When Erin was two years-old, she came into my bedroom when I was sleeping in the morning and she was completely dressed and ready for the day. She told me to get up and get going. She was only two and she had done that all by herself. And like, pushing me to get a move on it.

Q: Did you plan to mold her into the strong, independent woman she is today?

A: I did, but a lot of that came from Erin, internally, and who she is. I definitely wanted that for her, and I wanted to see myself as strong and independent as well, but that’s just who she is. She’s always been driven and motivated.