Taylor Swift helped me get closer to my teenage daughter. The Eras tour is coming to an end, but I will remember these moments forever.

• Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has strengthened my bond with my teenage daughter.

• The shared experience of attending the concert and streaming others brought us closer together in many ways.

• Swift’s influence extended beyond music and taught valuable life lessons, and I am forever grateful.

When Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour began, my daughter had just turned 13. Typically, teenage girls withdraw from their mothers and assert as much independence as possible, and my daughter was no exception. After all, without me she already had a full life full of friends and sports. Even though she lived in the same house, I missed her. Then Swift burst into our lives. It was spectacular.

Taylor Swift has brought my daughter and I closer

Like much of America (and the world), my daughter really wanted to see the Eras Tour. With every show she streamed live, her desire grew more and more. She finally asked me for help getting the impossible-to-find tickets. We searched together for weeks. It wasn’t the bonding experience I would have chosen, but my daughter’s texts morphed from short three-letter replies like “OMG” to coded messages of Swift’s lyrics that only we understood. She even started saying “thank you” and “I love you.” My smile could send the whole town into a frenzy.

When kind relatives incredibly gifted my daughter tickets to the Philadelphia show, we spent time together making friendship bracelets, shopping for outfits, and listening to Swift on reruns. Just as my daughter was withdrawing, we suddenly had a reason to spend more time together – and all of it joyfully.

The Eras Tour brought us closer

When we finally saw Swift in May 2023, my daughter was lively and talkative. We arrived hours before the show started to take in everything. It had been years since we had spent so much uninterrupted time together and I was enjoying every moment. The show itself was of course incredible. But while most viewers were watching Swift, I was watching my daughter. I teared up as Swift described how music brought her closer to her own mother. As we left, I said to my daughter, “I had the best day with you.”

After the show, lyrics from all of Swift’s eras morphed from text messages into everyday language. We often told a younger sibling, “You need to calm down.” We would tell each other, “By the way, I’m going out tonight,” while secretly grinning.

I wanted to see the Eras Tour again

Experiencing the Eras tour with my daughter was so transformative that I wanted to do it again, and she did. I got my chance when I got tickets to a show in Warsaw a year in advance. Traveling halfway around the world for a concert seemed like a wild move. Still, I was fully committed and wanted to prolong the magic Swift created between my daughter and me for as long as possible.

This year was a gift that allowed me to continue to bond with my daughter while transforming into almost as big as Swiftie as she is. In a fever dream, we took the opportunity and planned the trip of our lives through Europe. We continued to watch livestreams of Swift’s shows together and forged more bonds of friendship. My daughter asked me about Swift’s discography and I was able to answer her questions pretty well.

We talked about what makes Swift great beyond her music

As I learned more about Swift, I discovered that she was a great role model. Swift embodied many of the lessons I wanted to impart to my daughter, lessons that she might not like to hear from me but would gladly absorb from an idol.

We talked about how Swift continued to bravely stand up for herself. She did not remain silent when she was sexually abused. She re-encoded most of her albums when her label sold her original recordings over her objections. She wasn’t afraid to speak out about politicians she opposed, even when those around her advised her to keep her head down. Swift bravely stands up against sexism and ageism. She doesn’t seem to be satisfied when it comes to love. She is creative and business-minded. Above all, she seems to love her mother very much. These are all lessons I want my daughter to take to heart as she grows up. Swift was the person who opened the door for me to talk to my daughter about these life lessons. I will forever be grateful for that.

I will keep the lessons of the Eras Tour with me

I wish the Eras Tour would last forever, but I know it has to end. As we prepare to say goodbye to Taylor Swift for now, I will remember to be open to sharing my children’s interests. I will say yes more often, even when a plan seems off. I will look for more opportunities to create magic with my children. I will remember that these things are possible, no matter how old they get.

My daughter and I plan to watch a live stream of the Eras Tour one last time when Swift takes her final bow on December 8th. Thank you, Taylor, for the incredible gift of the Eras Tour. But I am especially grateful for the gift of togetherness you have given my daughter and me.

Long live the Eras Tour. I had the time of my life.

Read the original article on Business Insider