Matrophobia?

     An article posted on Psychology Today's a couple of years ago helps to clear up some thoughts on the mother daughter drama that we as women face.  Helene Deutsche, a psychologist in the 40's, "claimed that women observe a daughter's adolescent bloom as a sign of their own decline", and tend to use protectiveness and as a disguise for their envy.  So the irritation begins here.  Envious of opportunities that they never had as mothers, or sexuality thats gone out the window with age; this occurs when a mother and daughter have grown close and experience a relationship as peer rather than as parent and child. 

     An article on Discovery Health's website coins the terms "matrophobia", the fear of growing up like one's own mother.  Even celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, and Meg Ryan have publicized MDS with their mothers. Some helpful tips are available to help us, but the most common one I come across is being objective when dealing with your mother or daughter.  The use of objective thinking and dropping defensiveness attitudes towards each other.  Ive yet to see the power of these techniques in action.  I'll let you know how they work out....