CELEBRATING MOTHERHOOD

When it comes to family mothers are everything. We love, cherish and embrace every type of mum, whether she's a fashionista, foster parent, working, single or even your dad. We caught up with a few cool mums and daughters – blogger, My Bubba & Me and her fabulous mum Fariba as well as Lydia Bright and her mum, Debbie – to chat all about what motherhood means. Come on, let's celebrate your No.1.

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Atosa - blogger

What’s your relationship like with your mother?

To be honest with you it’s a very love hate relationship. I love her and I can hate her too. It wouldn’t be a classic mother daughter relationship without that. It’s more love though.

What have you learnt from your mum?

To be strong, work hard and be independent.

What’s the best thing about your mum?

She’s very, strong. She does everything for herself. She motivates me and is always positive.

What’s the best thing about being a mum?

It’s very rewarding and you can’t experience a love from your child unlike anything else.

What’s the most challenging thing about being a mum?

There are so many challenges, especially as a single mum, you do learn a lot along the way though.

From a style point of view have you changed since becoming a mum?

It’s gone from girly to very minimal and throw on. I like basics with a statement, t-shirts and jeans with say, a statement jacket.

Fariba Nikkhah - Grandmother & Atosa’s Mother

How many kids do you have?

2 – 1 son and daughter and 1 grandchild.

What’s your relationship like with your daughter?

It’s good.

How did motherhood change you?

A lot its lots of responsibility. I try to motivate them all the time and show them the right path. Now they’re grown up I do feel free [laughs]. I still look out for them, but I feel free. It’s always hard to let go, but it’s good for them to work out how they want to live their lives.

How do you feel now you’re a grandma? And how is it different to being a mother?

It is a bit different, but I think you love your grandchild even more than your children [laughs]! I really feel that he’s part of me.

Lydia Bright - TV Personality

What’s your relationship like with your mother?

Me and mum are really close. Obviously she’s got a lot of children, she’s got 4 birth children and she’s also a foster carer. There are a lot of kids, but me and mum we’ve probably remained the closest, probably because we’ve worked together on TOWIE – our personalities get on.

What have you learnt from your mum?

She never taught me to help in the kitchen – she’s a really bad cook. She always taught me to be creative with style. She taught me to never feel like I had to conform or dress like everyone else. She always taught me to be kind to people and not to stereotype. She’d never let me lie-in on a Sunday, she’d never let us be lazy.

What’s the best thing about your mum?

Her energy, she always wanting to do stuff. You can always tell when Mum’s in the room – she’s so loud and out there.

Best piece advice your mum’s given you?

Never judge a book by its cover. Hard work never killed anyone. And you won’t get where you want go by sitting on your bum.

What do you think of your mum’s style?

When I was younger I used to hate my mum’s style because it was very eccentric. As i grew up i realised its cool to stand out and I grew to love her style. We’ve recently even bought the same pair of trousers!

Debbie Douglas - TV Personality

How many kids have you got?

There are 9 at the moment. There are 2 that don’t live with me, 9 in all.

What’s your relationship like with your children?

You have to be firm but fair and they need to see that you’re on their side and they need to see that you love them unconditionally. I’ve got really good relationship with all of them, but they’re all very different.

How did motherhood change you?

Massively. I actually didn’t have my first child till I was 29, which is actually quite late. I had my second at 30, my third at 36 and my last at 43, but before that I didn’t want children. I worked in fashion, I was always out partying! I was the original Essex party girl [laughs]. I was very independent; I used to travel the world. I didn’t really want children because I thought they would take all that away, but I did decide to have children.

I was never one who had a routine with my kids, they fitted into my life rather than the other way round. I don’t really over think anything, so when I met this woman who fostered I thought I’d quite like to do that. I started doing it 25 years ago and I’ve never wanted to do anything else.

What have having kids taught you?

That there is nothing more beautiful than family. They have taught me the art of acceptance and that everyone is different. I want different things for my children than my children want for themselves and that is a mother thing. It’s about acceptance – you’ve had that child, but they have to live their own lives.

What advice would you give new mums/foster parents?

We’re in a day and age where everyone wants everything and I think we over analyse things and want perfection. You’re losing the joy of the moment. Measure life by the family and love you have around you.

If you’re thinking about going into fostering it will change your life and you family’s life forever. I wouldn’t want anyone to go into it with rose coloured glasses because it is very, very challenging, but equally as rewarding.

CELEBRATING MOTHERHOOD

Atosa - blogger

Fariba Nikkhah - Grandmother & Atosa’s Mother

Lydia Bright - TV Personality

Debbie Douglas - TV Personality

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