It can be one of the most challenging relationships you face in your life – we're talking about the one you have with your mom. She likely was the first person you met when you entered the world, and as the years pass, the relationship is bound to change – for better or worse. Here are a few general types of relationships that mothers and daughters have, including what's great and not-so-great about them. First, we have the best friends. While it's wonderful to call your mom or daughter a friend, being best friends can create tension and competition. Daughters may get impatient with Mom's old-fashioned ways, and Mom may not serve the advisory role she needs to. But when each party has respect for the other, it can be a great dynamic. Some mother-daughter relationships take on a sisterly tone. Once again, you may understand each other well and have respect for one another, but competition can get in the way again, as it does with siblings. Comparisons can lead to hurt feelings. A more contentious mother-daughter dynamic is when the two are polar opposites. You two may share the same genes, but that's about it. When trying to get along with someone with whom it seems you never see eye to eye, it can be tempting to throw in the towel, but this is your family we're talking about. Try to give the other person a feeling of being listened to by re-interpreting what she says after she says it. At least the advice she's giving has been acknowledged, even if it's not taken. And when the two of you are so enmeshed that it's hard to see where one person ends and the other begins, you could be creating boundary issues in the relationship, as in there are none. When mothers and daughters are so similar, it's hard to create a sense of uniqueness, so when differences of opinion occur, they have a major effect on the relationship. It's important to remember that even though boundaries are important, there is still love in the relationship.