My mum is awesome - she brought me up by herself after my dad left when I was 2 and she had to go back to work as a teacher full time and study her degree to progress in the school after hours. I honestly don't know how she did it!

She was always there to answer my questions and always matter of fact. She wasn't overly affectionate but i always knew she loved me and i always knew she was there for me. She set boundaries which I thought were unfair but looking back she was more lenient than I probably would have been!!

I think the best thing is that she let me make mistakes and learn from things and enabled me to be an independent, responsible and contributing member of society as an adult by teaching me the life skills that I needed. I now see her being a fabulous grandmother to my girls and they adore her.