Things My Mother Taught Me

 

I wanted to write 10 things my Mother has taught me. She’s taught me a lot more than 10 but here are my favourites:

1. To always be fair and honest. I actually can’t lie, not even little white lies. I scrunch my forehead and apparently do something suspect with my eyes according to my husband so “No, I’ve not been shopping” never works. I’d have been a terrible actor-and I do always try my best to be fair to others. Treat others how you wish to be treated yourself. Simples.

2. Never leave the house without lipstick. Mum isn’t and has never been caked in make up, favouring the natural look but she always drummed in the importance of lipstick-not for anyone else but for yourself, to give you confidence. I remember leaving the hospital post emergency C Section, baby in tow, feeling overwhelmed, shocked, in pain but I a little make up on and got the confidence to take my first steps into the real world with my child.

3. Academia is the way forward. Arriving in England not speaking a word of English aged 15, Mum learnt English in one year then sat 9 GCSE’s (O levels in her time when most people sat 7), did 4 A Levels, was the first in her family to go to University and then went on to get a Masters in Philosophy and a PGCE before starting a PHD. I’m to blame for her not finishing her PHD as I was 2 years old and too much work. She went on to become a Lecturer in Sociology and Politics before runnng award winning Greek restaurants with my Dad. What an inspiration my Mama is.

4.  Always iron your clothes and remove price stickers from under your shoes. That’s her pet hate.

5. Work hard and success will come.

6. Have many different friends from all walks of life. Horses for courses.

7. Don’t expect to get everything from one man. That’s why you have friends.

8. To always be prepared for every eventuality. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket either and I think that’s why I always seem to have so many projects on the go simultaneously.

9. Cooking-all kinds of food: Greek, Italian, French, Chinese, English. If it wasn’t for her, I and all my friends I ended up feeding most nights at Uni, would have starved!

10. Finally she taught me how to be a mother myself. How to love unconditionally, put your child before anyone and keep the family together…and if I’m half as good a Mum as she, I’m winning.
Thank you Mum for everything x

I’d like to dedicate this post to two of my closest friends’ mothers who are sadly no longer with us: Wendy and Mary who taught my friends so many wonderful things.

Photograph  ©Vicki Psarias-Broadbent.