Alone. Sometimes I'd sneak a book in with me. I had my teddy so I didn't need my mother - even when I had a nightmare. I remember crying myself to sleep too and yes, it does have a certain smell to it! And my parents being noisy downstairs but shouting at us to go to sleep when we couldn't!

My sister would be allowed to go into Mum's bed but not me - I guess my sister needed it more. I think I was told off once (age about 6) and that means don't do it ever again, my sister would persevere more.

When I was little we had bedtime stories, but that stopped when we were both at school, maybe a bit before for me. But when my sister was at school I was 7 and reading things like Famous Five all by myself so it was easier to just let me read alone.