A Love Letter from the Moms of {THE AND}

In fourteen years of making {THE AND}, we have sat with thousands of conversations. We have watched couples rediscover each other, friends go deeper than they ever thought possible, and strangers become something closer. But there is something about the conversations between mothers and their children that has always hit differently. There is a particular kind of love in those exchanges that is hard to put into words, love that has been tested and stretched and shaped by years of showing up, of trying, of sometimes getting it wrong and trying again.

Here are some of the moments that stayed with us.

Chase & Asia

Asia and Chase have built something intentional. As a single mom, Asia made a decision early on to get to know her son not just as her child, but as a person with his own world, his own tastes, his own way of moving through life. That commitment to seeing Chase fully, and to doing her own inner work so she could show up for him, is what defines their bond. They are genuinely each other's favorite company.

"Before you I wasn't really focused on my purpose... I wasn't intentional about unpacking some of the things that I had experienced growing up. If it wasn't for you, I don't know if I would have started therapy when I did and just started to be really intentional about my healing process." — Asia

Cassidy & Gabrielle

Eight-year-old Cassidy and her mom Gabrielle are the kind of duo that makes you smile just watching them. Their conversation is full of laughter, playful teasing, and the kind of ease that only comes from a relationship where both people feel completely safe. What is quietly extraordinary about them is how they hold up a mirror for each other, how Cassidy sees her mother clearly and how her mother sees her, with the kind of admiration that is both fierce and full of joy.

"I never want you to forget who you are, whose you are, and that you are loved." — Cassidy

Dani & Kate

Dani and Kate have grown into each other over time. What started as a conventional mother-daughter dynamic became, through years of honesty and mutual respect, a deep friendship. Kate, who lost her own mother young, carried the weight of that absence into parenthood and did everything she could to make sure Dani would never feel unseen or unsupported. As an adult, Dani has come to understand her mother not just as a parent but as a full human being, and that understanding has made their love even more layered.

"I hope to be the continuation of you. I feel honored and privileged to be the continuation of you. If we had more people like you in this world, our world would be a better place. And I hope to carry on your optimism and your love and your vivacious energy, your enthusiasm for life and living life to the fullest. I feel so proud to be your daughter." — Dani

Sidra & Naiya

Sidra made a conscious choice to parent differently than she was parented. Raised in circumstances where she had to be fiercely independent from a young age, she knew she wanted her daughter Naiya to grow up feeling held, not because she would shield her from everything, but because she would always be there. What has emerged between them is a relationship rooted in honest communication, mutual respect, and a kind of love that Naiya, wise beyond her years, describes simply and completely.

"If I could give you anything in the world, it'd be more of my time. More and more of my time. I wish I could spend more time with you and your brother every day." — Sidra

Start Your Own Conversation

Every family has conversations they haven't had yet. Questions that have been sitting there, waiting for the right moment. This Mother's Day, that moment can be a card on a dinner table, a question on a road trip, a five-minute window before bed. {THE AND} has three decks designed to help families go deeper, with the kind of questions that get past the surface and into the stuff that actually matters.

• {THE AND} Family Edition: 199 questions designed to work across every generation, whether your kids are 10 or 30. Built to break through the one-word-answer barrier and create the kind of conversations that actually make your family feel closer. Perfect for dinner, road trips, or any moment you want to turn into something more meaningful.
• {THE AND} Kids Edition: Designed for children aged 8 to 13 and the adults who love them, this deck turns everyday moments into real conversations. Bath time, car rides, the five minutes before bed when they finally slow down. These questions spark imagination, build emotional intelligence, and give kids the feeling of being truly seen. As one parent put it, it was more effective than years of therapy, and a lot more fun.
• {THE AND} On Motherhood Edition: Available as a digital deck, this one is for anyone who wants to explore what motherhood really means, whether you are a mother, you are close to one, or you are simply curious about the ways that maternal love shapes who we become. Download it instantly and play anytime, anywhere.

To every mom who has shown up, tried hard, loved deeply, and kept going even when it was hard: this one is for you. Happy Mother's Day!

With love,
Luana Costa
The Skin Deep Head of Social Media & Community