If you’ve ever seen an episode of TLC’s new reality show sMothered you’ll instantly be drawn in. The series follows four mother-daughter duos around the country who all have unique and intense bonds, bonds so close that we see beds being shared, the same bath water being used and other peculiarities that showcase the depth of love between mother and daughter and unescapable conflict among friends and family.
We caught up with two of the cast members, Dawn Hubsher and Cher Gopman Hubsher, who reveal details about their new book, A Bond That Lasts Forever. “The message we are trying to express is that anyone can have a close relationship with their child or parent at any time in their life. Although this relationship can start from birth, it does not have to. It can be mended and strengthened at any time,” Dawn shares with Tinseltown Mom.
A Bond That Lasts Forever is a compilation of truths fixated on creating the dream mother-daughter union. Dawn and Cher have strengthened their own distinctive relationship over the years while bringing a fresh spin on what it takes to create a truly rewarding alliance. Daughters will get practical advice on everything from learning to forgive and rebuilding a relationship, to communicating effectively despite the generation gap. Mothers will find guidance on how to achieve the delicate balance between being involved and “helicopter” parenting, all while remaining a friend and confidant. The pair say that their book is for any mother and/or daughter who wants to have a close relationship or, if they already have a strong bond then this book is fun, relatable and enjoyable.
After watching the show, it seems apparent that Dawn and Cher have a genuine and endearing connection, so we were curious to know what their relationship was like growing up. “Cher and I always had a very close relationship ever since she was born. I always talked to Cher about everything, even when she was little. I wanted us to have a very open relationship in which we can speak about anything and everything together, and not be judgmental. That was my goal,” Dawn shares.
Cher, who also starred on MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 in 2007, delves further. “My mom and I have always been close. Of course we had our ups and downs like any mother and daughter relationship and we got in our fair share of arguments during my teenage years, however it is how we got through the tough times that made us so much stronger…”
Cher says that she appreciated that even from a young age, her mom did not just treat her like a “little girl.” She would ask for her opinion and honor her thoughts and advice. “It made me realize that I had a voice and that she cared about it. She always wanted to spend quality time with me, which made me feel very special early on. Instead of going to lunch or shopping with her girlfriends, she loved doing those things with me. Whenever she needed to go shopping for an important outfit she would ask me to come along as she would always say that she knew she could trust my opinion and I would never steer her wrong. She was also very open with me which allowed me to feel open with her as well. We loved spending ‘girls days’ together which included going for bagels in the morning, followed by a full day of shopping and of course stopping for coffee and talking for hours. This was our special time together and it allowed us to have a day to look forward to, which strengthened our relationship. I always knew I could come to my mom and she would have my best interest at heart.”
Dawn has been married for over 36 years and has three grown children. She says that the “dream” mother-daughter relationship can start at any age as long as both mother and daughter are willing to put in the effort, however that dream doesn’t come without hardships. “We faced many challenges, especially during the teenage years,” Dawn reveals. “We talk about it in depth in our book and how communication, talking and really listening to what the other person has to say, is extremely important.”
Recent exciting news for the reality stars is that Cher gave birth to her first baby on July 6th and Dawn is thrilled for her daughter, but realizes changes are imminent. “I do think our relationship… will change some… Cher will need to focus more on the baby, and less on our girly time together. Hopefully it will change for the better though as I am so excited to share motherhood with her. It is the best thing that ever happened to me and I am sure she will feel the exact same way…”
All of the mothers and daughters on sMothered seem extraordinarily close, but we wondered if Dawn and Cher ever felt like their tight-knit connection crossed boundaries in their other relationships. “We love our relationship and worked hard to get it where it is today, which we discuss more about in our book ‘A Bond That Lasts Forever.’ The people who really know us well, know that we would never do anything to intentionally hurt anyone else. We are authentically ourselves and we are proud of the relationship that we built with each other and our loved ones. Of course, every family has their ups and downs and no family has the perfect balance, ours just happens to be exposed on national television…,” Cher says.
So, what sets these two mothers apart from the other cast members? “I think something that makes us unique compared to the other mothers and daughters on the show is that we are able to maintain such a close relationship even while living in different states. We do not let distance get between us,” Dawn explains. Cher continues, “We believe one of the reasons ‘sMothered’ is such an interesting show is because of the amazing and dynamic characters on it. We are all so different yet have one big thing in common, which is that we all have very close relationships with our mother/daughter. In our book, we discuss how to create your own close relationship, while keeping your bond unique. sMothered really is a great example of that.”
Another endeavor the authors are enthusiastic about is their blog, named after their book, A Bond That Lasts Forever. Cher talks about the conversational outlet their TLC show has stimulated from other mothers and daughters. “…we have had many people reach out asking questions about how they can strengthen their mother-daughter bond and we love that we are building this community.” Dawn continues. “We really want to help more mothers and daughters enjoy their relationship as much as we do. Our goal is to build a community for moms and daughters where they can feel comfortable sharing their stories and asking questions. We are so excited to have launched our website focusing on the mother-daughter relationship because we know firsthand how truly rewarding it can be.”
For more information on Dawn and Cher visit their blog at: abondthatlastsforever.com
sMothered airs Sunday nights at 10/9c on TLC. Be sure to tune in on July 28th and watch Cher reveal the sex of her baby!
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