A Mother-Daughter Tea

Mothers and daughters have a special bond. There is nothing like the sweet time my daughter and I spent together during her childhood years. Some of my favorites memories include the special private tea parties that we had in the afternoon before big brother came home from school.

I had bartered a vest made with antique linens for a child's tea set that matched my grandmother's china. We would put the kettle on and prepare the sugar, milk, and a snack while the water boiled. We made tea in a larger pot, then transfered some into my daughters teapot. I poured and she would proudly add just a tiny spoonful of sugar and a "tad" of milk to each cup of tea. When the tea was ready, we would practice our manners, talk about girl things and have a cookie or two. I'll never forget her asking me if I would like the last cookie. I always said "no", but she always asked me--"just to be polite".

Sometimes we dressed up just for fun. I had bought some "dress-up" dresses at garage sales and she loved to pick one for me and one for her. Add beads, fancy hats, and make-up to the mix and we were quite a sight to behold! And we had so much fun!

When she was five, she chose to have her birthday party at a tea room that specialized in tea parties for children. It was the best party she ever had. She wore a green dress complete with feather boa and hat. Oh, those memories....

My baby is 14 now--going to high school next year. We don't have tea parties anymore, but she still loves to go to tea rooms with me on an occasional Saturday outing. We shop at the antique mall, then have tea and dessert before heading home. She is still a girly girl at heart, but wouldn't like her friends to know. But, I know and she knows. We just have that mother and daughter bond from years of having tea...