Happy Mother's Day - What being a parent means to me!

Being a parent is not the easiest of roles, but perhaps it is only once you become a mother, that you appreciate what it means to be a mother, and what it means to have a mother.

There are so many emotions on the run up to Mother’s day, about how great your mother is, and lots of lovely words, but for some of us, who have lost their mum, it can be a painful reminder of someone deeply important and irreplaceable.

As a mum myself, I wanted to sum up what my mother meant to me and to invite our friends to share their memories or thoughts about both their mums and perhaps being a mum themselves.

My mum was not the easiest – she was a beautiful woman, whom I remember from when I was fourteen, being sick – she had terrible arthritis that she never admitted to the outside world that she was suffering from and yet to my brother and I, her illness dominated our lives and our relationship with her.

Clever, stylish and with a knock out body, my mum was wise and above all, always put my needs first. She made me feel special always and she was there to listen whenever I needed.

When I was young, we did have fights – it was a bit stifling and I even ran away to my grandma a few times, but I would always come back and we would be best friends again very quickly.

I confided in my mother always and she advised me as best she could, but the truth is, when you are in physical pain, it overshadows everything and there were times that she just had no patience for us.

As teenagers, it was hard to understand why our mother seemed fine when she went out – laughing and joking, with her hands and feet safely hidden from view, and when she came home she could barely lift a fork to eat …it was difficult and upsetting.

My mum, always looked fantastic. Her sense of style never dwindled and indeed I have kept much of her wardrobe as she only bought classic designer clothing, that still looks great today and I am often mixing the odd Vivian Westwood white shirt with my Isabel Marant jeans. She taught me the importance of a well cut garment and was often in later years wearing Homebody as she loved the softness and suited her style as well as her physical disabilities.

The one lesson she taught me that has stayed with me as I have become a mother is that there really is no one like your mum and even if she didn’t consider herself the best mum in the world…she didn’t look after my kids so that we could get away for a short break, she missed one of my kids births, she never wanted to share her jewellery box that I adored and wished more than anything to wear, but she was always the most perfect mum in the world to me.

We were lucky enough to grow up with that feeling of being loved, of being cared for and I hope and pray that my children feel that same thing from me.

Being a mother doesn’t mean you have to be a hero, we still have flaws – I certainly have. It does mean that we are that someone special in our children’s corner whenever they need us and whether our mums, this Mother’s day are here on this earth or up above, I believe that is exactly what they are doing this very special day of the year.

Tell us about your mum and we will post your story and send us a piccie too!

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