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I’m bitterly jealous of my own 14 year old daughter’s beauty…I’ve been looking at getting filler in my wobbly nose to match

I’m bitterly jealous of my own 14 year old daughter’s beauty…I’ve been looking at getting filler in my wobbly nose to match

MUM-of-three Alice McIntyre, 41, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, admits she is jealous of her daughter’s looks.

And the writer, who is married to architect Chris, 40, says many mums feel the same but won’t admit it. . .

Mother and daughter in red dresses.

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41-year-old Alice McIntyre admits that she is jealous of her daughter’s appearanceCredit: Lorna Roach
Smiling teenage girl with long blonde hair wearing a light gray hoodie.

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“My daughter’s effortless beauty makes me feel overwhelmed,” says Charlotte’s mom, AliceCredit: provided

APPLYING on my lipstick, I step back, look in the mirror and smile.

As an exhausted mom of three and a busy writer, I don’t often look glamorous.

But after spending £150 at the hairdressers on a cut and colour, and wearing a new £110 figure-hugging dress to a party, I feel pretty good.

That is until my 14-year-old daughter, Charlotte, slips down the stairs, long blonde hair flowing behind her.

She has long limbs and no wrinkles, she looks fantastic and my heart is melting. I love her so much that I’m ashamed of what I’m about to say: I’m jealous of her.

Seeing her makes me feel old, wrinkled and old.

But I know that I am far from alone, who so closely associates beauty with youth.

“I feel dull, boring and unattractive around her”

Hollywood star Brooke Shields, now 59, who was famous for her stunning looks in the Eighties, complained this week that she is seen as a “disappointment” now that she is older.

“I’ve watched people get offended that I’m (almost) 60,” the actress said.

This feeling seems to be shared by 57-year-old actress Pamela Anderson.

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The former Baywatch ‘baby’ has adopted a make-up-free look, saying she is now done ‘chasing youth’.

The honesty of these celebrities resonates with me.

Aging is normal, but my daughter’s effortless beauty makes me feel depressed—and I know I’ll be judged for admitting I’m jealous of my child.

My envy caught me by surprise – only three years ago, Charlotte had turned from a tomboy into an elegant beauty.

It’s a feeling that kicks me in the stomach like nothing else.

standing following for her I feel soft, boring and weak.

My comparative envy is so bad that I’ve even considered getting a filler to fix my wobbly nose and braces to fix my uneven one teeth.

I was 28 when I gave birth to Charlotte, who has a nine-year-old brother, Oscar, and a two-year-old sister, Imogen.

She arrived in October 2010 after 18 hours of labor, weighing 8 pounds 11 ounces and was perfect. Chris and I, who met at school and have been together since we were 18, were instantly in love with her.

Holding her in my arms for the first time, I was filled with love and pride — and that feeling never went away.

I know that I will be judged for admitting that I am jealous of my child

In elementary school, Charlotte was always surrounded by a group of friends, and I admired her strong will and independent spirit.

It was a stark contrast to my high school years, when I studied hard and was a bit of a nerd.

At 5 feet tall, I was the shortest girl in my class, and I was also stocky.

I could never afford pants that pulled up, something I hated, especially as a teenager. I was called short and squat.

Being elegant has never come easily to me, and when I was Charlotte’s age I couldn’t wear make-up – I’d end up looking like a clown.

Over the past two years, Charlotte has changed, grown, gained confidence and grown into her appearance.

I long for her gorgeous skin, straight teeth, and wrinkle-free eyes. But most of all, I want to have her sense of self-worth and confidence.

There are days when I see her watching TV or just laughing at the dinner table and I am instantly taken on a roller coaster of emotions.

Mother and daughter in white dresses hold a hand mirror.

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Alice is proud of Charlotte’s beauty and confidenceCredit: Lorna Roach

In comparison, I feel like a dull old maid who has lost her glow, even though my husband always tells me that I’m gorgeous and that I get even more beautiful with age – like fine wine.

Charlotte is amazing, but as she thrives and grows more beautiful, I’m getting older.

And with every wrinkle and every gray hair, a knot of jealousy forms in my stomach.

Yes, I am jealous of how talented, beautiful and popular my daughter has become.

Yes, I am jealous of how talented, beautiful and popular my daughter has become

When she started high school, she went from tomboy to model almost overnight.

It was an easy transformation.

She’s already three inches taller than me and looks amazing after ten minutes of hair and makeup.

But she was not arrogant – this is solely my business. The jolt of envy I felt the day I realized that my sporty tomboy had been replaced by an elegant gazelle with flowing hair, perfectly manicured nails and expertly applied makeup was terrifying.

Now, looking at her beautiful face, then looking at my own in the mirror, I feel exhausted.

It’s especially bad as I get older and all the stresses and strains of parenthood take their toll.

While she has her whole life ahead of her, with so many exciting experiences ahead of me, I’m facing the decline of middle age and menopause.

A few months ago, I didn’t tell Charlotte how I felt, but when I did, she assured me that I was beautiful.

“Jealousy between mother and daughter is a taboo”

She’s very kind, but she’s wrong—I’m not, and it’s not just self-pity.

Part of it is creeping age and approaching perimenopause, but I don’t look like I did in my twenties.

Charlotte has her father’s height, teeth that resemble a smile, lush hair, and blemish-free skin, while I’ve spent most of my life feeling slightly larger than average.

I’m not ugly, but I’m far from glamorous.

Phrases like “dizzy,” “model” or “gorgeously gorgeous” are not phrases anyone would use to describe me.

But these are the compliments people give my daughter.

Charlotte does not notice her easy beauty.

When I was in school, I was jealous of girls like her. It seemed that the world was at their feet.

I know how silly this sounds and that a grown woman who is jealous of any 14 year old girl is crazy.

However, the curse of mother-daughter jealousy is a taboo subject that no mother wants to talk about openly

But being jealous of one’s own daughter is even worse. I feel terrible.

When I try to talk about this with other moms—seeking reassurance that my insecurities are normal—I’m either looked at in shock or told that my behavior is toxic negativity.

But there are a few who privately admit to feeling the same way about their own daughters, so I don’t think it’s that rare.

However, the curse of mother-daughter jealousy is a taboo subject that no mother wants to talk about openly.

Personally, I think it’s normal, and in some ways, opening up about my insecurities has been helpful.

It made me realize that I struggle with common fears of aging.

Other moms need to be more open about this.

One positive is that now when Charlotte borrows my lipstick or my shirt, I beam with pride.

It was as if she gave my choice a stamp of youthful approval.

She always compliments me and I feel amazing when she does.

It’s a teenage approval tic, and it makes me feel better.

And yet my jealousy remains.

A mother and her teenage daughter stand together outdoors.

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Alice adds: “The curse of jealousy between mother and daughter is a taboo subject”Credit: provided